Bivvy Heating - staying warm

[Tubbytom]

Evening all, just wondering what other people do to keep warm/heat bivvy in the cold winter months. I was fishing today in -2 which is pretty cold for where I live. I’ve a 3 day session coming up in Feb so looking for ways to keep warm or advice on bivvy heaters.

[salokcinnodrog]

I've just lost 2 friends to carbon monoxide poisoning in the bivvy.

 

NEVER, NEVER, use a bivvy heater, gas stove or burner in your bivvy.

Proper clothing and sleeping bag.

https://forum.carp.com/topic/33876-bivvy-death/

[jh92]

I believe you can get an electric blanket that you plug into a power pack. 

For me if it's cold I'll keep myself wrapped up, decent boots, decent socks, longjohns, with joggers over the top, thermal top with a t shirt, hoodie, coat, wooly hat and gloves.

In the bivvy I don't mess with heaters, I'll take a hot water bottle for the sleeping bag 👍 tbh, if it's too cold I just won't bother going 🤣

[jules007]

Simple, DO NOT USE ANY KIND OF FUEL HEATER, fil a hot water bottle for sleeping bag, also consider a rechargeable heated vest thing

[elmoputney]

If its really cold use 2 hot water bottles and just stagger the start times, that way when one starts cooling the other will still be nice and warm. Also base layers, good socks, sleeping bag, hat and hot drinks and a hearty warm meal are your friend. And use a groundsheet and overwrap on your bivvy, it will keep the free warmth from farts safely stored 😂

[yonny]

I don't use bivvy heaters, electric blankets, hot water bottles, groundsheets, and I use a brolly all winter. The secret is decent togs and a decent bag - I mean really decent - spend some money. Bass layer, micro fleece, hoody (sometimes), but the insulated jacket/salopettes with down/softie filling are what matters. Same goes for sleeping bag - pay the price to get real quality.

The Snugpak stuff is a good place to start and not that pricey compared to some of the other outdoorsy stuff (Rab etc). Avoid anything from fishing brands - most of it is overpriced tat.

 

[Tubbytom]

1 hour ago, yonny said:

I don't use bivvy heaters, electric blankets, hot water bottles, groundsheets, and I use a brolly all winter. The secret is decent togs and a decent bag - I mean really decent - spend some money. Bass layer, micro fleece, hoody (sometimes), but the insulated jacket/salopettes with down/softie filling are what matters. Same goes for sleeping bag - pay the price to get real quality.

The Snugpak stuff is a good place to start and not that pricey compared to some of the other outdoorsy stuff (Rab etc). Avoid anything from fishing brands - most of it is overpriced tat.

 

I’ve got a Snugpak sleeping bag. Have you any recommendations for coats?

[whataclonker]

https://www.anglingtimes.co.uk/advice/tips/how-to-keep-warm-in-a-bivvy-safely/

[kevtaylor]

2 hours ago, Tubbytom said:

I’ve got a Snugpak sleeping bag. Have you any recommendations for coats?

Snugpak SJ6 for me, bought it in black coz I wanted it as an all round jacket not just fishing.  SJ6 is described as spring/autumn but it's good down to -5 even -10.  There's the SJ9 and SJ12 if you want silly warm but for me the SJ6 is perfect.

I've also got Geoff Anderson Dozer - waterproof jacket, very expensive for what it is but cant fault it tbh, and recently bought the Fortis Tundra jacket but in hindsight I don't need this and the SJ6 is more comfy and less bulky.

The original Fortis jacket that you see about is an SJ12. 👍

[yonny]

3 hours ago, Tubbytom said:

I’ve got a Snugpak sleeping bag. Have you any recommendations for coats?

They're all good but for really, really cold weather you want the SJ9 or SJ12, or, if you want waterproof too, you want the Torrent or Torrent Extreme. I have the SJ9 which is brilliant and recently got a Torrent Extreme. The Extreme is ridiculously warm - too warm for Spring/Autumn, but perfect for this time of year when its proper nuggets outside.

19 minutes ago, kevtaylor said:

The original Fortis jacket that you see about is an SJ12. 👍

I think the OG Fortis jobbie was an SJ9 Kev. The SJ12 was released after the Fortis versions.

[kevtaylor]

1 minute ago, yonny said:

They're all good but for really, really cold weather you want the SJ9 or SJ12, or, if you want waterproof too, you want the Torrent or Torrent Extreme. I have the SJ9 which is brilliant and recently got a Torrent Extreme. The Extreme is ridiculously warm - too warm for Spring/Autumn, but perfect for this time of year when its proper nuggets outside.

I think the OG Fortis jobbie was an SJ9 Kev. The SJ12 was released after the Fortis versions.

Oh fair enough good knowledge mate was almost right lol.  For me the SJ6 is the one because I have brilliant mid layers if needed but yeah for all out cold the SJ9, the SJ12 must be ridiculously hot.

In hindsight I didnt need the Tundra jacket coz the Salopettes are so good I was warm enough in a polar fleece and the Tundra salopettes.  If I'd have got the waterfroof jacket (Fortis) you recommended to go with the salopettes I could have saved a fortune.  But then they weren't out when I got the Geoff Anderson, there was nothing as good at the time.

[jh92]

@yonny @kevtaylor with the SJ9 what would you wear underneath it? Just having a look at this:

https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/snugpak-clothing/16045-11608-snugpak-sj9-jacket-dpm-camo.html#/16,size,xl

 

 

[kevtaylor]

21 minutes ago, jh92 said:

@yonny @kevtaylor with the SJ9 what would you wear underneath it? Just having a look at this:

https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/snugpak-clothing/16045-11608-snugpak-sj9-jacket-dpm-camo.html#/16,size,xl

 

 

This is my absolute favourite bit of clothing, expensive but if I lost it I'd buy the same again.

https://www.geoffanderson.com/shop/52-teddy/288-teddy-green/

However on price point I couldn't ignore the Fortis one.

https://fortiseyewear.co.uk/product/tundra-fleece/

I find that if it's dry I only need the fleece over a normal sweater, rarely a coat.

Edited 17 hours ago by kevtaylor

[yonny]

2 hours ago, jh92 said:

@yonny @kevtaylor with the SJ9 what would you wear underneath it? Just having a look at this:

https://johnsonrosstackle.co.uk/snugpak-clothing/16045-11608-snugpak-sj9-jacket-dpm-camo.html#/16,size,xl

 

 

Decent base layer and a microfleece. The jackets work by the down/filling holding the body heat, just like a sleeping bag. If you wear too much underneath it stops the heat getting to the filling, so it won't work so well.

2 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

Tundra salopettes.

Good ain't they! I wore mine one October night with just a thin base layer underneath. I was sweating my nuts off after baiting up 😂

Great for proper cold weather though 👍

[jh92]

2 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

This is my absolute favourite bit of clothing, expensive but if I lost it I'd buy the same again.

https://www.geoffanderson.com/shop/52-teddy/288-teddy-green/

However on price point I couldn't ignore the Fortis one.

https://fortiseyewear.co.uk/product/tundra-fleece/

I find that if it's dry I only need the fleece over a normal sweater, rarely a coat.

 

11 minutes ago, yonny said:

Decent base layer and a microfleece. The jackets work by the down/filling holding the body heat, just like a sleeping bag. If you wear too much underneath it stops the heat getting to the filling, so it won't work so well.

Good ain't they! I wore mine one October night with just a thin base layer underneath. I was sweating my nuts off after baiting up 😂

Great for proper cold weather though 👍

Thanks I will have a look 👍

[salokcinnodrog]

6 hours ago, Tubbytom said:

I’ve got a Snugpak sleeping bag. Have you any recommendations for coats?

I layer my clothing, usually with an army Norgie over a standard tee-shirt and a fleece over that, with a Hoggs of Fife jacket and overtrousers.

As @yonny says, I don't go for fishing brand clothing, preferring shooting clothing, although I do have a Dickies camo smock as well.

 

If it drops to colder than -4⁰ then chances are I will be packing up as it is likely that the lake has frozen over, although I have reeled in a few times as I heard the lake freezing over and just climbed into the sleeping bag for the night and packing up in the morning after coffee and breakfast.

Quite spooky hearing the surface 'tinkle' as the lake freezes.

 

The hard part to be honest is footwear and socks. Yuedge socks and a Merino pair of socks over the top keep my feet warm in normal combat boots to around 4⁰ but I do have a pair of Tundra boots if it is colder. 

[elmoputney]

Do you guys wear your salopettes when in bed? 

Unless it's really cold I tend to remove them in favour of base layer and joggers as I get too hot. 

I also got some fleece lined workwear combats from Aldi a while ago, they are pretty good for when you first arrive as you don't want to be too hot when, carting all your toot about and getting set up. 

I also never wear my baselayers whilst setting up and wait til I'm sorted so I don't get too hot. 

Edited 14 hours ago by elmoputney

[kevtaylor]

1 hour ago, elmoputney said:

Do you guys wear your salopettes when in bed? 

Unless it's really cold I tend to remove them in favour of base layer and joggers as I get too hot. 

I also got some fleece lined workwear combats from Aldi a while ago, they are pretty good for when you first arrive as you don't want to be too hot when, carting all your toot about and getting set up. 

I also never wear my baselayers whilst setting up and wait til I'm sorted so I don't get too hot. 

No just joggers, tee shirt and normal hoody.  Sallopetes would be way too hot and if I fall asleep in the polar fleece I wake up too hot too.

[kevtaylor]

2 hours ago, yonny said:

Decent base layer and a microfleece. The jackets work by the down/filling holding the body heat, just like a sleeping bag. If you wear too much underneath it stops the heat getting to the filling, so it won't work so well.

Good ain't they! I wore mine one October night with just a thin base layer underneath. I was sweating my nuts off after baiting up 😂

Great for proper cold weather though 👍

Yeah mint mate, dry knees and lovely and warm.  Wore mine first in Oct and yeah too hot lol

For the 2 x dec trips they were mint, just wore my light weight trousers underneath.

Good purchase those 👍

[yonny]

12 hours ago, salokcinnodrog said:

The hard part to be honest is footwear and socks.

Nah, the secret to warm feet is warm legs - keep the warm blood flowing to the feet. I tried loads of different socks/boots looking for a silver bullet solution to cold feet - it doesn't exist imo. When I switched to thermal salopettes it made more difference than any socks/boots I'd tried. Toasty.

For info - best boots I ever tried were North Face insulated waterproof snow boots (I think they call todays equivalent the Chilkat). I still use these now as the insulation is like an extension to the salopettes. Army ECW socks. Job done.

12 hours ago, elmoputney said:

Do you guys wear your salopettes when in bed? 

Normally no, but if it's really cold I'll keep them on, but only get under the top layer of my sleeping bag (it's Snugpak so again, insulated really well). This leaves two layers underneath me to insulate from the ground/under the bed. Works really well for icy cold conditions.

Edited 2 hours ago by yonny

[jh92]

With all the gear on do you guys struggle getting into your waders when you get a run? 🤔 

[yonny]

1 minute ago, jh92 said:

With all the gear on do you guys struggle getting into your waders when you get a run? 🤔 

Nah - I always go a size up in the waders to make life easier. 

[jh92]

2 minutes ago, yonny said:

Nah - I always go a size up in the waders to make life easier. 

Fair enough mate, I can get into mine with ease when wearing thermals under my joggers, not sure if I could get into them with something over the top of joggers as well though 🤣