Monday Top 5 - Bivvy Tips

This entry was posted on 8th October, 2018

With the temperatures dropping this time of year, especially overnight, your bivvy is a place of real sanctuary away from the cold, wind and wet. There are a number of things that you can do to maximise your comfort; here are our top 5 bivvy tips:

Wrap Up

A great deal of bivvies come with the option of an additional overwrap. This might not be needed during spring, summer and on those warmer nights in autumn but as things get cold not only do they provide an additional layer of insulation but they also help reduce condensation and damp, which let's face it don’t make things comfortable at all. Make sure you peg your over wrap, leaving a little gap between it and your bivvy; this will help reduce condensation and insulate you further.



Pegs Away

This is a sometimes overlooked area of bivvy setup, make sure you peg your bivvy out correctly, and also securely enough. I have three sets of pegs and change between them depending on the firmness of the ground and conditions. Longer pegs are essential when you combine soft ground with windy conditions. Shorter pegs are helpful in firm ground. Although mallets are frowned upon, and seen as ‘noddy tools’ or ‘uncarpy’ I would much rather use one and keep my bivvy secure than look a right muppet chasing after it if the wind whips up under it and it takes off.

Placement

In the nice warm conditions you might want to have you bivvy facing your rods and the water in front of you, but on cooler days or nights, think about using your bivvy to shield against the elements. An example of this would be setting up your bivvy to the right or left of the swim, making use of surrounding foliage to help keep you out of the wind and feeling warmer. If conditions change unexpectedly then don’t be scared to move the location of your bivvy.



Groundsheet

Trust me, a ground sheet can be a real life save in cold, wet conditions. It certainly helps increase the thermal properties of your bivvy and also reduces the dampness from the ground which can play havoc with you back after a night sleeping on the bedchair. It will also help you keep things generally tidier and free from mud, wet and other dirt.



Additional Heat

You may have landed the fish of a lifetime return to your bivvy colder than an Icelandic prawn. In these cases after the big fish buzz has worn off you might want some additional heat to feel comfortable again. It's important that you are safe in terms of choosing this additional heat source. There are examples of anglers who have lost their lives using heaters with carbon monoxide gas stoves that have literally blown up bivvies. A simple solution is a candle (very Terry Hearn old school days) but another solution is the modern, safety checked bivvy heaters. Pocket hand warmers can help, as well as the obvious change of dry clothes, sleeping bag covers, and a hot water bottle in your sleeping bag.

I hope the following bivvy tips help you remain comfortable on those cooler nights, and keep on enjoying your fishing.