Dutch DPM Gore-Tex Bivy Review

[Skidjit]

Just a reposted review for the Dutch DPM Gore-Tex Bivy that KommandoStore sold a few months back. They are out of stock now but I would imagine other sites / surplus stores may have them available from time to time.

Smol Biv for Smol and Lorg Kangs

TLDR:
Super Fast Setup (Use light weight stakes attached to carabiners, ditch the sack and just leave in your pack), will fit you and your malnourished Vietnamese man slave, not good if you hate smol spaces (tunnel rats rejoice), looks sick under NAWDS BRUH.

Super fast to setup, compact enough to fit in most of my backpacks (tested with a Mystery Ranch 2-Day, British DPM Radio Backpack (also from KS) and your run of the mill hiking pack). Typically from backpack to fully ready to go, it takes me about 2 minutes tops. I recommend getting some modern aluminum stakes and carabiners to make assembling a breeze. This Bivy will fit myself (5'7" shawty king), full backpack, pillow, sleeping pad, blankets and rifle (11.5" /w suppressor) with some room to spare.

Mosquito net works well, just need to mess around with the zippers. I would recommend some bees wax to smooth them out. The bivy does retain some heat but I would still layer up for them cold nights. If you are claustrophobic, this one might not be for you; or you could use it to get over your fear.

If these are available again ever, grab it because YOLO Swaggins.

[Skidjit]

Thread resurrection and update;

In the summer, this thing is less than ideal. Granted last time I camped it was during the east coast heat wave that hit 109 in NJ where I was visiting at the time. The night I setup it was 95 at 9:30PM. Any tent or sleeping solution would be unbearable but this offered little to no ventilation whatsoever. Even with the bug screen up and the main flap open, there came a time where I just unzipped it all and let the bugs eat a little just to get some relief.

All of that being said, I still like this bivy. For camping in 70 degrees or less, it's still a good option. It would also serve as a good way to have a camouflaged cache if you so needed.

Still can recommend one, just be aware that summer time could be a bit much. 

[Lodewijk]

I just sold mine, shipped it this morning.

Used it as a cold weather bivy on the shoulder seasons (i.e. not snow):

- Left-side zipper clashed with my MSS bags. This is a me problem... but I couldn't get out to pee in the middle of the night very easily. Mildly enraging when it's pitch black and you gotta go NOW.

- With a decent R-value inflatable pad and both MSS bags inside the bivy, I got mild loft compression resulting in cold spots. I was using it down to single digits in Colorado, so this was really why I sold it. A better bag setup probably would alleviate this, but I'm not in a position to upgrade.

I found it to be a good bivy otherwise.