Outdoor Research Helium Bivy Tent

I love this bivy works great for me for very specific trips. Bivys are definitely not for everyone. Do your research before buying and if in doubt choose a tent

69 yr old Navy Vet augments kit with this dependable, sturdy bivy. Combined with a Gossamer Gear Twinn tarp, this bivy meets my needs in all weather/terrain. 66 inches tall/buck 50 weight. No condensation issues. Packs small. Attached guy line from clam opening at 90 degrees. Satisfied.

I used this for six nights in Utah in October. Cool nights with a fair amount of dew. Definitely not waterproof, as my bag was wet all night every night. Probably would only recommend for extending the season of older bags used in the summer/ fall where condensation is not as much an issue.

I have a hammock for sleeping while suspended, but I am a side sleeper and a hammock sometimes just isn't right for that. I unroll a thermarest closed cell pad out on the ground under the bivy, and put an inflated insulated Klymit sleeping pad inside. Sometimes it is too warm for a sleeping bag inside and I just go with a blanket or a top quilt. You do need a rain-fly or tarp cover, especially for bad weather. The bivy keeps water out BUT you can take water in with you when trying to climb in. It is a lot easier to climb in dry if you are under cover at the time!

Slept out in this on a 4 day backpacking trip. It’s light (compared to a tent) and provides warmth. Conditions were clear skies, 35 degree nights. Didn’t use a tarp underneath, bag was sufficient to keep out moisture from the ground and durable to withstand rocky terrain. First night I Slept with the hood down and zipped up but woke up feeling like I wasn’t getting enough air. One night I slept with the screen up and it was loose enough to rest on my face, which isnt helpful. Stuffed a jacket at the head to pull the screen taught. Next morning I noticed a bit of moisture inside the shell and on my sleeping bag so the outside air has room to enter and condense inside when sleeping with the screen up. You can also sleep with the hood down but not zipped closed AND zip up the screen to get ventilation while keeping the creepers out so this was a decent compromise. Standard size roomy enough for me (5’10”, 190 lbs), snug enough to provide warmth but didn’t feel squeezed. I didn’t use a ground cover but I think next time I will take a 6’x10’ Tyvek sheet along to have a clean place to take off shoes and store items while providing extra protection under the sleeping space. Bad photo but gives you an idea of the terrain I was on.

Great tent

Great sleeping bag, lightweight and warm and comfortable. Great bag for the price.

Super lightweight and very breathable! I was very impressed with how small the bivy packed down and how easy it was to set up. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who likes to backpack and camp while carrying very little weight.

Gut verarbeitetes Ein-Mann Zelt. Man passt nur mit ein paar Sachen in das Zelt. Einen Rucksack mit rein zu nehmen ist nicht möglich!

This does the job I bought it for (although I haven't used it in heavy rain yet). I don't normally do reviews but am completing this because I saw a couple that nearly put me off. 1. I definitely received the real Outdoor Research product. Reviews mentioning the number of peg loops may have missed that OR have updated the Helium. Their website now lists two peg loops but the pictures all still seem to have more. 2. People saying it's not as good as a tent are missing the point. This is an ultralight hooped bivy not a tent. It completely encloses me from wind and rain overnight with enough space to read but is small and light enough to fit in a running pack. Any tent I could find weighs twice as much, costs twice as much, depends on trekking poles or all three. I'd have thought most people who are going to spend £200 online on a product like this will have done their research and worked out what they want.

Super pour le camping UL

Muy ligera para la buena protección que ofrece. Bastante amplia.

新しいモデルになって通気性が改善された、との製品案内を読んで購入しましたが、結露は想像以上のものでした。2022年4月に山梨県のキャンプ場で使用。昼間の気温が20℃前後、夜間の最低気温は10℃前後、タープをリーントゥで張って、グラウンドシートの上に当該ビビーを設営しましたので、風通しは良好でした。念の為にシュラフにはシュラフカバーをかけて、ビビーの中にはエアマットを敷いて寝ました。朝起きて早速結露チェックしたところ、両脇部分はかなりしっとり、足元に至ってはびっしょり。足元はシュラフカバーの中のシュラフ生地の表面までびっしょり濡れていました。晴天だったので、すぐに干して乾燥させる事ができましたが、連泊や雨天時には絶望的な結露です。その他は全く不満のない製品だと思います。また、湿気や昼夜の温度差が少ない時期に使用してみたいと思いますが、日本の気候でそんな環境の時はいつなんでしょうか・・・・。