Emergency bivy protocol

joshilewis wrote: Diamond pitch (though the tab placement on my poncho is not centred):

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That looks feasible and light.

Regarding a homemade bivy, remember you also need to waterproof the seams. My local fabric shop sells what I think is a silicone coated fabric, they claim its breathable and waterproof. It did feel rather heavy though. Not much point in making a bag over 1kg.

viking5 wrote: Ragland?

Indeed

Good points.
I will look into Ragland, thanks for the tip.

Should the thread be split into one for tarp shelters? (apologies for hijacking).

The Diamond pitch is pretty easy to pitch and quite stable (though I haven't tried one in the field yet). I had a fair amount of space, could easily fit sleeping bag/pad and backpack inside. Coupled with a smaller tarp in a bathtub pitch, it could be very effective. I also thought of making a 'door' from a piece of ripstop nylon (the poncho fabric) that would clip on, covering the open side. Another possibility would be to pitch 2 tarps on the same pole, I reckon you could fit quite a few people in with a configuration like that.

joshilewis wrote: Should the thread be split into one for tarp shelters? (apologies for hijacking).

I don't think so - the subject is different means of surviving a night if something goes wrong.

A space blanket bivy could happen for many reasons - your pack rolls off a rockface (like what almost happened to me on Gypaetus Pass), your pack gets stolen when you hide it at the base of a peak you want to climb etc and that's why its important to carry a space blanket in your pocket.

Other emergency shelters could be for any number of reasons - eg the broken leg scenario, a day hike gone wrong etc.

If we discuss it now it forces us to think about it, so in an emergency we are better prepared. A practice run in the mountains might help that bit more.

joshilewis wrote: The Diamond pitch is pretty easy to pitch and quite stable (though I haven't tried one in the field yet). I had a fair amount of space, could easily fit sleeping bag/pad and backpack inside. Coupled with a smaller tarp in a bathtub pitch, it could be very effective. I also thought of making a 'door' from a piece of ripstop nylon (the poncho fabric) that would clip on, covering the open side. Another possibility would be to pitch 2 tarps on the same pole, I reckon you could fit quite a few people in with a configuration like that.

I don't think the issue relates to having a sleeping bag - unless you can't find a cave or hut, you'll usually carry a tent. Although it may help in a situation where a cave has a dripping roof.

ghaznavid wrote:

joshilewis wrote: Should the thread be split into one for tarp shelters? (apologies for hijacking).

I don't think so - the subject is different means of surviving a night if something goes wrong.

A space blanket bivy could happen for many reasons - your pack rolls off a rockface (like what almost happened to me on Gypaetus Pass), your pack gets stolen when you hide it at the base of a peak you want to climb etc and that's why its important to carry a space blanket in your pocket.

Other emergency shelters could be for any number of reasons - eg the broken leg scenario, a day hike gone wrong etc.

If we discuss it now it forces us to think about it, so in an emergency we are better prepared. A practice run in the mountains might help that bit more.

Fair enough

ghaznavid wrote:

joshilewis wrote: The Diamond pitch is pretty easy to pitch and quite stable (though I haven't tried one in the field yet). I had a fair amount of space, could easily fit sleeping bag/pad and backpack inside.

I don't think the issue relates to having a sleeping bag - unless you can't find a cave or hut, you'll usually carry a tent. Although it may help in a situation where a cave has a dripping roof.

Fair enough, just giving an indication of the space available.

The problem with most tarp pitches is you need guys. If there are enough rocks available, this shouldn't be a problem, but I imagine it could be in a cave or overhang

I have seen (probably at CUM) space 'bags', ie the same material as a small space blanket, but shaped like a survival bag instead of a flat sheet. I imagine using one of those would eliminate some of the issues mentioned earlier when using space blankets.

To be clear, when you use the term 'space blanket', do you mean something like the cheap, tiny plastic ones that sell for R40 at CUM (or R10 at Dischem), or the more expensive, thicker ' Thermal Blanket ', like this:

ghaznavid wrote: A space blanket bivy could happen for many reasons - your pack rolls off a rockface (like what almost happened to me on Gypaetus Pass), your pack gets stolen when you hide it at the base of a peak you want to climb etc and that's why its important to carry a space blanket in your pocket.

I'm happy to be proven wrong here after your field test...

...but if I were in the situation above (especially if there was any rain around), I would simply keep moving to the nearest shelter or escape point (as per Mt Tiska's advice), even if that means walking through the night. While you're moving, it's pretty easy to keep warm (even in just a t-shirt and shorts in all but the most extreme conditions). With just a space blanket in your pocket, you're in for a very uncomfortable/dangerous night if you try to bivi, despite what the Messner brothers might have survived.

Stijn wrote: I'm happy to be proven wrong here after your field test...

...but if I were in the situation above (especially if there was any rain around), I would simply keep moving to the nearest shelter or escape point (as per Mt Tiska's advice), even if that means walking through the night. While you're moving, it's pretty easy to keep warm (even in just a t-shirt and shorts in all but the most extreme conditions). With just a space blanket in your pocket, you're in for a very uncomfortable/dangerous night if you try to bivi, despite what the Messner brothers might have survived.

I do agree with you on that, so lets add a qualification to my point - I have often hiked during the night, never had a problem with that. A bivy is only for cases where you actually can't keep going for whatever reason (being lost, injury etc)

But hypothetically lets say on Gypaetus Pass the mist picked up again and my pack had rolled off the cliff, lets also assume a GPS went with it (I did have a track to go back the way we came).

This is a situation I hope to never be in, but it isn't impossible.

I need to start keeping a space blanket in my pocket.
I've recently started keeping my whistle on a necklace on my neck, instead of on my pack