Gear Review
Mountain Hardwear Conduit SL Bivy
Poor performance.
By not_why_ho1578864
Ranked #688 - Sleeping Bags
April 30, 2009
I have used this bivy several times and it performs much better in certain situations. In the canyonlands it was fine, keeping me dry during a light rain and keeping my sleeping bag out of the sand and dust.
However, during a winter camping trip my down bag was consistently wet with condensation from the inside of the bivy. During this trip I slept in a mega mid, a snow cave and simply under the stars, in each case the bivy did not breathe well enough to keep my sleeping bag dry. I returned it with the intention of finding a better bivy.
View Details: Mountain Hardwear Conduit SL Bivy
Helpful Votes: 1 Yes
Change me.
7 Comments Last Reply: February 2, 2012 By: erickammon
In the winter I use a vapor barrier inside my sleeping bag. I wear light cotton pajamas to stave off the "sticky" feeling that can develop inside the vapor barrier. This system keeps my sleeping bags from getting moist from any condensation that would form inside the bivy from body moisture or breathing. In cold and humid conditions you will always have condensation inside a bivy so . Just my two cents.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
Joh, if you're always going to be inside the tent, try using the mont bell sleeping bag cover. It's waterproof, but doesn't zip closed.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
Perhaps one could focus on keeping the moist down by not breathing into the bivy, but out. And wear thin wool underwear to catch some of the sweat from you body before it vaporizes.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
From what I gather, some condensation will occur during winter unless you beef up the temp in the tent ;)
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
OK Sailor, I see the logic of what you are saying. I had the same personally surprising experience on a winter trip just gone (I'm in Oz, it's winter here at the mo). I was using a MH Phantom 32, a Fairydown down liner bag and this bivi, sleeping in a 3-person tent (full) in the snow. I was using the bivi to protect the sleeping bag from condensation getting on the bag from the tent wall. What is the solution? Avoid using the bivi in tents and reserve it for open bivis?
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
did you ever find a better bivy?
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
All bivys will experience some internal condensation, especially in colder weather. This is because the inner surface of the bivy will be the same as the outside temperature, and the heat generated by your body will not be sufficient to drive perspiration vapor through the breathable membrane before it condenses on contact with the inner surface of the bivy. In fact, perspiration vapor will often condense INSIDE the insulation of the sleeping bag at the point where the gradient between the ambient external temperature and your skin's temperature is at the dew point, especially since the humidity inside the bivy will be very high.
Helpful Votes: 5 Yes