BIVOUAC

Whatever the brand or bag construction of the backpack, the most important thing is to know the strengths and weaknesses of each option to choose the one that works for you. for a light bivouac backpack

It’s possible to choose a polyvalent mountain bag (transformed into a light bivouac backpack) as shown here, or a bag designed for bivy.

The advantage of a polyvalent mountain backpack is: lightness. The disadvantage: the absence of a padded ventral strap and comfortable foam padding for carrying. It is therefore lighter but less comfortable to carry. Moreover, it sometimes lacks pockets and straps designed for external carrying of bivy gear (tent, mattress).

Whether you’re bivouacking or hiking, the 3-layer technique is preferable. Three layers of clothing are easier to modulate than one thick one. This means you can adjust the way you dress according to temperature and weather conditions.

In summer, for example, you can take a single T-shirt, a down jacket or a fleece and a rain jacket. (A down jacket is more compressible than a fleece, and has the best thermal/weight/size ratio. It also doubles up as a comfortable pillow!) You don’t have to take both, it’s up to you.

If you want to eat/drink hot, you’ll need to bring a stove with you. (Don’t forget to take a lighter or fire starter in case your gas lighter is capricious).

With lyophilized food, plates are not necessary because you can eat directly from them (here, we took large folding bowls to serve Simba’s meal 🐶).

Cutlery are useful if you don’t want to eat like Simba 😋. Glasses (and the Nuyama cup) for morning coffee are appreciated.

Water is essential… To minimize the load without running dry, literally, you can study potential refreshment points on your route before setting off. Filter bottles/flasks/water tablets can also be an alternative.

When bivouacking, it’s always best to opt for light, and easy-to-prepare dry foods. Pasta, rice, quinoa, couscous, lentils or red beans are good choices for their complex carbohydrate content and ease of preparation.

If you don’t want to carry a stove with you, many meals can be cooked in cold water (semolina, chinese noodles, powdered mashed potatoes, etc.). So all you need to do is wait a little longer. In around 15 to 30 minutes, the meal is ready!

Here, we took lyophilized ready meals (there are practical but more expensive). As well as instant coffee and bags of herbal tea; cereal bars and applesauce for a snack.

Don’t forget your garbage bag to carry your waste.

Toiletries can include a toothbrush, toothpaste, towelettes and a roll of biodegradable toilet paper.

It’s often a good idea to pack a first-aid kit as well, just in case.

Sleeping bags are chosen according to their thermal capacity, weight and compressibility: synthetic or feather, the choice is yours!

If your sleeping bag isn’t warm enough, you can also take a sleeping bag liner.

A headlamp is a small object with a big purpose. Indeed, even if the sun sets late in summer, having a source of light is essential when night falls.

Mattresses are chosen according to their insulating capacity, weight, comfort and compressibility.

In addition to your mattress, you can take a survival blanket to insulate yourself from the ground: lightweight and space-saving, it’s a good alternative to a mattress with low insulation capacity.

To save weight, you can use your down jacket rolled up in the hood or in a neck roll to make a comfortable pillow.

Here, we’ve chosen an inflatable bivouac pillow: light, compressible, pleasant (and superfluous, except when you’re cold and use your down jacket to sleep).

A tent is a bulky object… Once again, your choice of tent will depend on your needs and objectives.

Here, we’ve chosen a 2-person tent, lightweight and relatively compact.