hi i am looking for a lightweight waterproof bivi bag for lightweight camping/biking trips (usually under tarp or some other form of shelter) have considered the alpkit hunka. anyone used this or have any other ideas?

For the money you won’t go wrong with a Hunka. It’ll offer the same kind of performance you’ll get from something like a £60-£70 Rab or Terra Nova.The beathability is the real issue with bags, something made from eVent will offer far higher levels of breathability but the cheapest eVent bags are going to be in the £120 upwards bracket.

Having said that, the Hunka isn’t designed for full coverage so condensation should be less of an issue. If you want a touch more space and perhaps the option of not using a tarp then have a look at a Snugpak Stratosphere hooped bivvy … work very well in all but the most humid conditions.

If you’d like the word, Goretex on the bag (less breathable than eVent though) your cheapest but heaviest option would be ex MOD. I think http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk stock grade 1 bags at the right price.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the advice just ordered a hunka yesterday. was considering the gortex army issue bag but I’m joining the army next summer so didnt see the point splashing out on something I’ll be issued with anyway.

I’ve got a hunka, only used it twice now and both times in good weather with only a few drips of rain on one night. First night was in dense wood no breeze and it was a little clammy but second night there was a little breeze. This seemed to make a difference for the better. Only a straw poll of two I know but having a little air flow seems to help with breath-ability, and so it should when you think about it.

ahem, “straw poll”

I have a big army goretex bag. At 6’4″ I wanted something a bit more spacious. Not had any condensation/clammy issues although I have had some seam seepage when I woke up in flowing water during a deluge one morning 😮

damp didnt get through to me, and Im very proud of managing to get into my wet weather kit whilst getting out of the bag and staying under the tarp without getting wet. 10 hrs of non-stop welsh water falling from the sky. Unbelievable. But all my wet weather stuff did well.

I used a Hunka on the recent STW winter bivvy expedition to a far away place in the middle of nowhere. Worked a treat – no condensation, but mainly because it was minus 5… For the money, I think they’re exceptional value. Hope you get good use from yours.

got a hunka and found it a bit on the small side for me (6ft) with a 4 season bag. replaced with a hunka xl and much better – plenty more space and length

yep – over 6′ and you’ll need the xl hunka really. i’m 6′ and it’s tight. (not adding anything to gazc!)

My hunka arrived yesterday so kipped it last night. Started in about 2 inches of snow and woke up in about 5. must have been below freezing because my water bottle froze although i used two 2 season sleeping bags so was warm as toast! I used a waterproof jacket suspended with para-cord over my head to keep the snow out which worked quite well although i did get a bit of wind blown snow come in at the hood (didn’t close it properly-was worried about condensation). Stayed mostly dry there was quite bit of condensation in the bag(some frozen!) although non came through the sleeping bag. As for size I’m 5’11 and found the bag plenty wide enough for sleeping in and i could just about get changed in it but i wouldn’t want the bag to be any shorter. Very impressed so far will see how it does in the wet weather we inevitably get in the lake district!

Slept in my hunka many times from -7 to plus 20

Had a small issue with condensation only once otherwise all good

Especially for the price

I’ve got an MOD one and used it in all weathers, from torrential rain to -14 etc. and it’s been great. Mind you I always use a bash a!

I must be getting old, as the one of the last things I could imagine now is camping in the current weather; I’ve did it when younger, but… no.

I think the downside of the Hunka (and others at this price) is the closure. All the cheaper bivi bags I’ve experienced have a draw cord closure which have limitations. More expensive bags have more sophisticated designed closures better suited to the usual UK wet weather climate, but then there is usually a price and weight penalty. In the current conditions (very cold and snowy) there isn’t going to be much of an issue, you just need to be warm, but in the usual UK weather, draw cord closures (over more sophisticated designs) will not be as practical.
I have a cheap ex army gore-tex bivi with a draw cord closure, used it in the alps for many years and it’s big enough to disappear down inside to escape the UK weather (as long as you don’t suffer from clostrophobia), but the draw cord closure isn’t that great for keeping the usual UK weather out, especially when performing duties ie cooking.

Cooking, in a bivvy bag?