Chapter 48: How to Set up (and Fold) An A-16 Bug Bivy

The Adventure 16 Bug Bivy gives you great lightweight bug protection and weighs only 6 ½ ounces. Consider how easy it is to use.

The nylon carrying bag is 15” in diameter and has a daisy chain with 6 openings to use as attachment points for easy carrying if you choose to carry it on the outside of your pack.

To set it up, just remove it from the bag and it will set itself up automatically. It has a peak height of about 21” and is about 30” wide, so 2 sleeping bags could share it if needed.

When you tuck your sleeping bag inside, the netting fits under your head area forming a barrier against crawling bugs.

Gravity will hold the netting on top of the middle part of your sleeping bag. There is enough netting to tuck under your bag if you like.

You can enjoy tarp camping even when the bugs are active.

If your tent has a light, “fast pitch” option using only the fly, you can put the bug bivy inside for mosquito protection.

And, of course, it can stand alone on dry nights.

Folding the bivy is easy, too. Grab both sides of the hoop structure at the top of the bivy. Twist the poles to form a loop at the top of the bivy. Holding this small loop with one hand, grab the opposite side of the pole structure. Twist this larger loop to form two more small loops. Put these 3 loops together and adjust to equal diameters.

Place your bivy in the nylon bag and pull the drawstring closed.