Bivanorak: Bivy bag/Poncho..hmm..

[Grayth]

Hey Everyone,

I just came across a new piece of kit yesterday and did some searching to find more information about it.

It's Called the Bivanorak. Looks like a nice design, being a Bivy bag, Poncho all rolled into 1.
Here's the link of the manufacturer

http://www.hilleberg.com/Catalog/bivanorak_926342.htm

I only found 1 review of this kit so far at.

http://outdoors-magazine.com/s_article.php?id_article=195

So I'm wondering before I sink any of my wallet into this one if anyone has tried this thing or seen it before, and how it might compare..although it's pricey..seems relatively cheap compared to buying a bivy...and or poncho together.

So just trying to get some comments here/ideas..thanks

 

[Michael OLeary]

A related thread exploring similar concepts is here:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/35687.0.html

 

[YoshinRyu]

Looks like an oversized rain coat to me  :

 

[GO!!!]

IME, kit with more than one purpose is almost always poorly suited to all of them.

This might be OK for an emergency kit, but for the money, you could get an excellent bivy bag, or a very good raincoat.

I always choose to take the purpose built piece of kit, even if it weighs a little more, because you also have to consider things happening, like;

You spark up your pocket rocket (MSR 47$) and wrap your self in your poncho to hide the light, and hold in the heat. Unfortunately, your cramped leg twitches, and burns a huge hole in the front of your poncho, and compromises your position. In my position, I left my poncho in the amnesty woods, and stayed dry  in my sleeping bag with my bivy bag. If I was using this thing, I would have become a casualty from either hypothermia (sleeping in a wet sleeping bag) or exhaustion (a wet sleeping bag can weigh 80lbs plus).

It is a good idea, but has little military purpose, methinks.

 

[Grayth]

Well I can now comment on it a bit as it arrived today and ran a couple tests..

Today it's super windy and were getting snow squals..so I did a quick test.

I put this thing on and ran out and lied down in the wettest piece of slushy snow I could find. I can say yep it's waterproof, and cuts the wind pretty good.

Now while I will admit that I'm no longer in the services for my uses this thing will do just fine as a multipurpose unit.

Although I can say you guys make some nice points, I cannot comment on how this would hold up to rugged field exercises..only time will tell from camping/hunting in it for awile. But inital impressions are good.

 

[Lerch]

Does it hem up from the bottom so it'll cover my sleeping bag? Otherwise you may as well just get a rain coat and put a drawstring on that.

I don't much like waking up with wet feet.