Rab Ridge Raider Bivi Review 2017/07/14
Lets get something out the way first. Sleeping in a bivi does require
a special type of person. Either you are very hardy and able to cope
with claustrophobia. Or someone who is foolhardy enough to cope with
rolling around in the dark while accidentally trapped inside their
bivi because they cannot find the zip in the dark. Here is our review
and field test of the Rab Ridge Raider Bivi.
Introduction
The bivi experience is dark, cramped and probably a bit damp so why do I
use them? Sleeping out on top of a hill with nothing but stars above you
is something you simply don't get inside a tent. You are connected to
the land in a greater way because you are outside as opposed to confined
within a tent. I guess that may only make sense to people who have slept
in a bivi.
The Rab Ridge Raider
The Rab Ridge Raider Bivi is a waterproof groundsheet and breathable
eVent upper. As well as having a layer of midge netting to keep bugs out
and a single hooped pole to keep the whole thing off your face when
sleeping. Quality and packsize are two of the reasons I keep coming back
to this bivi over others time and again.
Design
The performance of the fabrics is exceptional. The eVent breaths as it
should and I seldom have any condensation on the inside of the upper.
For instance due to the use on a non breathable groundsheet there is
sometimes condensation that can build up there. It's something I have
sadly noticed many times. It sounds pretty bad but this is a side effect
of using non breathable fabrics for the groundsheet but the advantage is
that its less likely to tear and break because its stronger than the
eVent. To get around this issue try to air your sleeping bag and
bivi inside out any chance you get.
Internal Size
I also have an issue with its internal dimensions as you can only get a
Thermarest Size Regular in there. If you try to use a Large size it puts
the whole feet section under tension. Consequently your feet are bent
when you are sleeping. When you are spending two weeks solid in one this
certainly gets on your nerves. The upper has never let the water in and
because of the midge layer you can sleep bug free without having to
close the whole thing. On this subject the eVent is labeled as an
exchange fabric. This is supposed to mean it will let enough gases pass
through to allow the user to zip the whole thing up and not asphyxiate.
Definite bonus there. I am no stranger to using a bivi and having been
in many other models where rolling over half asleep have accidently
closed off the air hole. Only to suddenly wake up hyper ventilating.
This has never happened in the Rab Ridge Raider. No matter what fabric
manufactures claim I would always leave a fair size gap in the zip open.
The Rab Ridge Raider has a great big storm flap over the zip so you can
safely leave a large opening in the zip without water getting in. Fresh
air is great to have!
Pack Size
The whole piece packs down to a tiny size. Adding to the versatility as
you can just stuff it into your pack and off you go! If you are after
more protection then you could add a tarp as well. This provides you
more space to move around under cover but the Ridge Raider is more than
waterproof enough on its own. However if it's already raining you have
to get into it first before you are protected. Also not having a place
to store your kit beside you out of the rain is an issue with all bivis
when used without a tarp over your head. The Rab Ridge Raider has four
tent peg holes, two on each end. You can keep it place in high winds and
this also prevents the material shifting around too much when rolling
around at night. This is especially useful if you are a side sleeper.
Use
Life inside the Rab Ridge Raider is pretty cramped but this is something
you have to get used to. There are 4 zips so you can fine tune the
amount of air circulation. Two zips control the bug net and two for the
outer. It's a great decision that Rab has made these glow in the dark
which is fantastic as in some bivis you can literally be trapped inside
until you figure out where the zips are.
Conclusion
Overall its a great bit of kit and has stood up to the test of time with
only one seam starting to come away on the inside which can be easily
repaired. One very noteworthy point is that at least two pegs should be
used to create some tension at the head end to keep the midge net taught
and therefore against your face. So pack at least two tent pegs!
