Gday folks, has anyone used the Military goretex camo bivy bags? How small do the pack down, what do they weigh, any condensation issues or anything else you can tell me would be greatly appreciated...

Cheers, Scott.

Mine weighs 2lbs 2.8oz. It doesn't pack too small. I've not had condensation issues, but have only used it very little and never zipped up all the way. Again, I haven't used it much, so can't really add anything else.

Truck camping, great. I carried it in an ALICE but I'll carry it no more.

+1

I have a military gore-tex bivy and mine weighs about 2lbs 4oz and compresses to about the size of two 32oz nalgene bottles. I also have a TI Goat bivy that weighs about 8oz.

When I'm out with a tarp or other floorless shelter (which is most of the time) I use the TI Goat bivy but I've used the military bivy by itself without a tarp in conditions that I would not feel comfortable using the TI Goat bivy. The military bivy is heavy but much more robust than the TI goat bivy.

I was able to pick up my military bivy for under $30 including shipping on eBay. They are hard to beat for the price.

Can anyone answer me this question? I dunno about the bivy bags, but the military issued 'Gortex' pants and Coats, they are't really Goretex are they?

I've been issued severel including the new version called a APEX. It looks like they're only nylon jackets to me!

Don't know what is currently issued but the old woodland camo parkas and pants were most assuredly Goretex. Oh, the pants pretty much sucked due to their poor fit on most folks, if you are walking in them much at all, stay away.

The parkas are heavy and bulky, good to wear around or keep in the truck but not for backcountry use.

I have a set in my truck for emergency overnighters. Good for boy scout truck camping.

Backpacking? the patrol bag rocks, but the rest of the system, not so much.

I'm not sure exactly which ones you are talking about but as the systems are getting better you are getting soft and hard shell. The soft shells are not Gortex and sound like what you are talking about. They are water repellent but not waterproof. Wind is where those make their money. I wear them over lightweight tops and bottoms for cold weather movement and they are great. You will not end up as wet as you will in other layering systems.

When it comes to mil=surp gore-tex clothing, I like the German gore-tex fleckenflage camo jacketed and pants that Sportsmansguide and Cheaper Than Dirt have been selling for several years. Very well made and durable, typical German manufacturing quality.

A few years ago, I bought some French mil-surp gore-tex pants and discovered that they were made in German. At the time, I though of all the French soldier who died fighting the Germans and how they would be spinning in their graves if they knew that the French military was buying their uniforms from the Germans.

Jeff

Mine weighs 2 lbs, 5 oz. Good for keeping you dry. But zero insulating ability. There was another thread here maybe 8 months ago discussing bivys versus light weight sleeping bags. The discussion was that a light weight bag at approx half the weight of a military bivy would shed the majority of water, and provide significant insulation.

Two years ago, my bivy was great for keeping the bottom half of me dry under the drip line of a fir tree while snow was melting off. This past year I did not strip down fast enough while hiking in. Got sweated up. About 3 hours later would have given half my gear for a decent bag with some insulation to warm up. The bivy broke the wind. But still froze my butt off. Mine also tends to be noisy when cold.

I am still learning....