Dutch Army Bivvy Bag

UK Outdoor Life - Dutch Army Bivvy Bag Review
Note: This is the XL version.

[@jasonnunn673]

First night I slept ruff, was 1984, some skin head bird told me to put my boots in the bag, some prick will nick them, best advice I ever got,

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Aye, I leave nothing to chance!

[@dragonklaus]

yes I use the same bivy in L -- and when the weather forecast says rain - I add a basha in my ruckssack for more comfort. greetings from Germany

[@Adventures_with_Sog]

6ft2" tall and I can fit myself, my boots and my 60Ltr bergen in with room to spare. *Dutch Army hooped bivvy but the XL version, it's massive.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Thanks for the info, if I ever get a 2nd one, I'll be sure to go for the XL version 👌

[@simonlongman4509]

I see you got the hooped bivvy bag and it looks good but all you need now is an army poncho for emergency shelter whilst setting up and they double up as your waterproofs and for a bit of shelter over your head when it is absolutely tipping it down. But apart from that it looks pretty good. You never know I might bump into you one day around there. that's where I do a lot of my nights out. Keep the videos coming buddy👍👍👍⛺⛺⛺

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Cheers Pal. Might keep my eye out for a poncho. I've just subscribed to your channel. Pop over to my Facebook group if you want pal. Uk Outdoor Life. And another group called H.O.B.S

[@Paul-eu9jp]

Great review mate. I’m looking at buying one after seeing this it’s just what I’m after 👍

[@RobertsBulgaria]

The audio was fine on my Laptop, but I use Headphones that help a lot. About the Dutch Army Hooped BIVI, two things, they come in size Large and Extra Large. You might well be 6'3'', but without knowing whether yours is L or XL then we can't really judge the length. Secondly, look under the base and you will see that there are four corner straps to hold your roll mat in place and help reduce that cold sucking the heat out of your body. I prefer one underneath and another one inside.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes this is the XL version. Thanks for pointing that out. I will add this to the description. I knew about the straps underneath, just forgot to mention it in the video. Thanks for watching!

[@RobertsBulgaria]

@@UK_Outdoors. You were really lucky to pick up an XL for the price you did. They can easily fetch £100 nowadays. I have a couple of them, but they're both just L.

[@Mat-kr1nf]

Managed to get mine brand new, can’t remember which site, it wasn’t eBay, it was a surplus site. I bought a FECSA one for £90 (pretty standard price at time), but the zip sort of caught at one point, it still worked, but given the tendency for the FECSA bivi zips to fail, I wasn’t paying that much for something that had already been abused and was ready to stop working. I found mine on another site. They were brand new, never used, selling for £150. It was still a FECSA one, but I decided it was worth it, as long as I am careful with zipping and unzipping, it should be fine, I can well imagine the abuse the zips get by young soldiers with no patience and, what the f*ck, “I’ll just get issued another if I break it” attitude!🤣😂🙄. I got a German army folding sleeping pad and German army “elephant skin” ground sheet to go under, the mat fits in purpose made slots. It just protects the bottom and then, when you climb out, you’re not stepping on damp ground. I find the folding mat is great to sit on, it’s about 2 or 3 inches thick, so gives you a better and more comfortable centre of balance, than sitting cross legged on the ground. I did find I got a bit claustrophobic, because my sleeping bag was a tad tight also. I got a Softie Elite 3, which have an expansion panel, this makes a world of difference! It’s one of my main “go to” forms of camping, combined with a smallish tarp, sometimes I use a Russian Plash Palatka, or the newer Ratnik tarp for an admin space over it.😁

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Sounds like a great setup you have there. I'll have to look out for the "elephant skin" 😂😂

[@Mat-kr1nf]

@@UK_Outdoors. Military Mart have them in again, not sure if they’re unused or not, last one I got from them had a couple of taped repairs, previous ones I’d bought were new, though from different places, one on Amazon (no longer available), one from eBay (I think). Anyway here’s the link: www.militarymart.co.uk/products/german-ribbed-ground-sheet I just find them a really handy size for sleeping on with a bit of room on the sides. If you’re using a British Army tarp or similar size, they’re just right- nothing sticking out too much, so if it rains, it doesn’t land on the sheet and puddle up under you!😁😩🤣. Oh...and very tough, hence their nickname.🤣

[@fitnready4]

I did the same thing, got on ebay for £40.00 in pretty much perfect condition, then bought the poles separately. So for £65.00 that's a really good deal because I think that these are starting to become pretty scarce. A few years ago they were all over at cheap prices, now it's much harder to find decent ones. The zips on the Fesca models are notoriously weak and although mine is OK, I am very careful when opening and closing etc.

[@AlexDhyan]

where did you get the pole?

[@dragonklaus]

I did prepare the zippers with a silikon spray.... it works

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Ebay pal

[@StephenTurnockMIRPCertRP]

Hi Steve was good to catch up on your reviews. KZbin needs more concise & practical reviews like yours! I would quite like like a Bivvy camp for a few reasons not least the stealth nature of it and so versatile as to where to pitch as well as a lighter kit pack. I do tend to be a tent guy but over the recent couple of years had become quite a 'chunky monkey' as you would say -so going lighter is great and I will be out again shortly having lost a few stone (day 31 of juice fast today - 29 more to go) - those steep hills were doing me in with a big rucksack! I see your have not posted for a while and I have been the same also in not posting vids until recently but will be out again soon with the boots and a the OEX Bivvy (would love a Dutch Army set up as I do like the more stealth camo) going up to a great spot on the llyn peninsula to complete a long-planned video - where I want to camp (on actually what I suspect is the site of king Vortigern's Grave !!) the Bivvy low profile is a great option. Hope to see you making vids again soon. I found I put a lot of effort & time into vids but got few views! Oh well never mind! Need to stay positive!

[@theleadshedvlog3994]

Love these. 👍

[@xix94]

Cold weather bivvi bag camping is the best did it last year on ben nevis

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Yeah? I went up Ben Nevis 20 years ago with a massive rucksack full of gear and a tent. The plan was to camp at the top only to find it was full of rocks at the top. The survival tin shelter smelt of Pee, so we went back down and camped at the bottom. Where abouts did you camp for the night?

[@xix94]

Inside the metal box hahaha How waterproof is the bivvi bag I wanted to camp at the top but to many rocks so used the bovie I think its called

[@stealthandysteath1069]

Nice one mate 10/10. But I would use a basher mate lol. Great kit easy to use and easy access in an out. An bloody great camouflage dpm all the way 👍✌️🔥🇬🇧. Tc Andy

[@cubgsan]

Good day to you! I am HONDA Cross Cub senior rider from Japan. Enjoying touring , camping and video editing. It is great bivy introduce video ! So nice ! Have a nice day my friend !!

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Thanks! All the best!

[@Dean_Cooling]

pretty sure that the bag that Carinthia made for the dutch army. Their own version ( just different colour) is called the Explorer Plus. If this is the case...the closure method, where the snaps are etc all look identical.....then theyre awesome!!! enjoyed the vid alot. Love Bivi bags. Very VERY lucky in that i have a Carinthia Observer Plus. Its a life long keeper. Ive got an Exped bergan liner i put all my gear in and use a carabiner to attach it to my bivi stake point near the opening so if someone did try to grab it its gonna shake the heck out of the bag and wake me. have an Exped scout tarp extreme i use when the rains hammering. Some may say use a tent, but using a bivy has that feeling a tent cant provide. Looking forwards to seeing more vids. All the best! Dean.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Thanks for watching mate. Great tip with the carabiner. I will try that one for sure.

[@kayakcobber524]

Also had a Dutch one...but now for many years the Carinthia observer plus as well. Third one already! As I sell things after a while. Does the job and I use it months in a row as I do long-distance walking projects. Used it from the North Cape till deserts in California. FB Kayak Cobber And offcourse you will have condensation, this all depends on the weather and can not be prevented. Always have the sleeping mat outside and just a foam one. Never leaks and never fails..as I slept many years on airmats but sooner or later problems.

[@erikvels3606]

The first batches of bivibags where from Carinthia, made in Dutch DPM, later made by Feuchter (same quality). Than the budget changed and cheap knockoffs were made by the Spanish FECSA, which also makes the copies of the Carinthia Tropen and Defence 4 sleepingbags for the Royal Netherlands Army and British Army. Carinthia also built the Observer Plus bivi in Dutch DPM which are really rare to find. Cheers from the Netherlands.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Great info

[@BrianRPaterson]

Audio was fine. Nice bivvy. Cheers

[@sternkiekerschnuppe6383]

Hello, In my opinion the best bivi for the price

[@kevinwhite6091]

Hi thanks for the reply , one more question on the subject if tarp was put up with bungees or Para cord would that be just as bad as putting it up with a pole ?

[@tamasbarad8202]

This was the best review on the Dutch bivy I found so far. Great info on the UK camping laws too, didn't know the resting part. Thank you for it! PS. Sniffing the boots all night long over the head definitely test that goretex breathability haha. Probably best to put them into a drybag.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Thanks for your kind words!

[@deanoboland]

Great work on video mate greetings from spain 👍👍👍

[@christopheradrien4643]

I like my old British army bivvy bag but this one has room for a friend 😊

[@darrenwaller1123]

No links in description

[@kevinwhite6091]

Hi mate back to the rules of wild camping taking poles out is shit hot Brilliant , but my question is if you had a tarp and used a pole would the same thing apply ?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Same rules apply pal, if its a "sheet to keep you warm while you are resting, you are doing no wrong. Once you put a pole under it, you have created a structure so you have set up camp.

[@xix94]

How waterproof is this I know my. British army one has never leaked

[@ridingismymedicine941]

The Fesca models are a disaster. I've got access to the Carinthia model now which I will definitely get! :-)

[@Chrisbreslin]

Great vid

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Cheers Bisto!

[@BoulderCreekSteve]

Try putting your ruck at your feet, all the way at the bottom, then slide yourself up. I’m shorter than you, but that’s what I do with my Dutch Army hooped bivi and Karrimor SF Sabre 45. Didn’t see you place any mat underneath? If you used a well insulated one, you could switch to using a lightweight down quilt. I have to just bear the heavy weight of the DAH bivi, and cut grams/ounces elsewhere. You can be sitting in two inches of water, and that bivi will remain lek free. Using an ultra light insulated pad, and a down quilt did the trick for me, as well as a very minimalist cook kit.

[@MegaOotje]

He has a mat underneath the rucksack that can be placed under the tent.

[@gfp9336]

where can i buy it?

[@saturnphp]

the jacket tghou ?

[@AlexDhyan]

Could you use it like a simple bivy bag without the loop pole?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Yeah of course. Stick your bag in the hood. Away you go

[@sebastianforbes1]

Hi !.. I need to get a new/replacement pole - can you tell me please... 1) the width of your bag, 2) the height of the hoop, and 3) the length of the pole ?

[@Pauls2025]

Hi. I found your question whilst browsing the comments. Its worth asking a chap on Ebay, username - troll1952uk as he often sells poles that he has made for the bivvy bag as well as bivvy bags. Worth a try if you get stuck. Paul

[@huaweimate1419]

It turns out that Netherlands has a military?🤣

[@trioultimo]

What about suffocation effect? dont you wake up in the middle of the night tearing it down?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

No mate, plenty air gets in, but I can see if you were claustrophobic you might get a bit flustered...

[@chrisendersby5791]

Can you say where you got the poles thanks.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

I got them off ebay 👍

[@xix94]

Do you still use this item ?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Yeah, I use it when woodland camping and also use it when hammock camping in groups, to put all our gear in under the hammock.

[@fintonmainz7845]

I really dont like the zip on mine. Very hard to open during the night

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Yeah i know what you mean. Not the best design after using it a few times. I might get it modified to velcro or stud buttons

[@Tch5802]

I really wished you’d described how it performs thermally in winter. What sort of sleeping bag do you need? What about wind protection? What about a tarp underneath to keep water out. Thanks.

[@charleypower6330]

Worth the buy ?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Yeah definitely. I'm going to buy another soon for my lad to join me

[@JustDoit-bl6pq]

Where possible buy now?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Ebay I would say

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

Good job on the video. I was wondering if the bivy has mosquito netting that can be deployed with the hood flap open for warmer weather? Also, I would recommend a thermal base layer under shirt in men's long...or a jacket with better bottom coverage...lol.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

😂😂😂 great observation, my ass is always flashing a moony 🙈🙈🙈Thanks for watching pal. Yes, it does have a net to zip across to stop the little blood suckers. Perhaps when lockdown is lifted I will do a field test video to show the extra features.

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

@@UK_Outdoors. Your reply brought the best laugh I had in a while 😂😂😂. I have decided to buy one of those DAH bivies. Most on Ebay dont come with the hoop or compression sack though. I also wish they had it in Flecktarn camo. I believe I will have to order it from UK or Lithuania. I did find a tarp in Flicktarn after much searching but that will also have to come from the other side of the pond. Any links or recommendations for surplus deals would be much appreciated. Cheers.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

@@JohnSmith-vb6jx lol, glad I could be of service 😄😆 , here is the link for some poles.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

@@JohnSmith-vb6jx here is a full setup www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TENT-Dutch-Army-GORETEX-Hooped-bivi-bivvy-size-Large-SNUGPAK-stuff-sack-/284235633121?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

@@UK_Outdoors. Thanks.

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

Ruck at the bottom (holds) Bivi off yer.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

Yeah I did think of that but figured if you need anything out of your bag it might be a bit awkward to get to. Suppose there are pros and cons to each option.

[@jaydunnavoci]

What length pole did you use?

[@UK_Outdoors.]

I think its a 1.3m pole. It was just a cheap budget trekking pole from gooutdoors

[@hiddenidentity8291]

Unfortunately, your understanding of the law is incorrect. Trespass, is trespass fortunately though once asked to leave (providing you do, without undue delay and do not return within three months) it's only a civil matter - should you not leave, or return within a three-month period that would be aggravated trespass (a criminal offense). Of course, this is not legal advice - you should consult a solicitor/barrister should you need legal advice.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

A public right of way is a public right of way. As long as you are on a public right of way you are doing no harm. If the law was as you stated, public foot paths wouldn't exist as all farmers would simply barricade their land, including footpaths to stop anyone. They don't do this, because they can't.

[@hiddenidentity8291]

@@UK_Outdoors. I'd first start by saying I would implore you to seek formal legal advice. It's my opinion, that your understanding of the law is simply incorrect. Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which defines public rights of way clearly stipulates what you can and cannot do, on open access land (which, is notably not all land - what is public right of way is explicitly defined) A specific except from Schedule 2, paragraph 1(s), of the above act, "engages in any organised games, or in camping, hang-gliding or para-gliding, or" If you think your defense, of "I was just resting" will work in a court of law, you're grossly mistaken. For the avoidance of doubt, "Camping means erecting a tent or shelter or arranging bedding, or both, for the purpose of, or in such a way as will permit overnight use." So, if you do wilfully breach Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 then you will be trespasser.

[@simongreaves3727]

uugh :)

[@carforumwanker]

who ever is signing these off for the Forces to buy .Should be sacked .They are shit designed . When the weather gets bad .All your gear will be damp .There needs to be a LOT more space between a sleeping system and the bivi bag to allow air movement .

[@UK_Outdoors.]

I'm yet to find out for myself but thanks for the heads up and thanks for watching 👍

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

Relax! It's a bivy, made for stealth. If you want more room and comfort get a tent.

[@UK_Outdoors.]

@@JohnSmith-vb6jx 😂😂😂

[@carforumwanker]

@@JohnSmith-vb6jx if you have. Use this for a few days in bad weather . You will see how poor they are . If you cannot sleep well . You don’t function well Also in any form of emergency these things are a joke to get in and out of quickly

[@JohnSmith-vb6jx]

@@carforumwanker I suppose one would need to pitch a poncho overtop for more coverage in bad weather. The US Army Gortex BDU bivy and sleep system is even less roomy then the DAHB but the zipper is designed to separate when the two sides are pulled away from each other rather than having to operate the slider. So they traded comfort for fast exit. Point being, for military purposes, comfort is not necessarily the goal. Coverage from the elements to a survivable degree and stealth keep one alive long enough to accomplish the mission. It has its applications. If I can reduce my profile and blend with my surroundings better, and that keeps me from being detected by the enemy, maybe its worth getting used to being less comfotable then in a roomier shelter. I'll get the quality Z's when the mission is complete and I'm back at base camp. I think for the minimalist camp application I am considering, the DAHB would be more comfortable than the US Army bivy when combined with a small tarp or poncho. Or even on it's own in a pinch. It's roomier overall and I like the hoop and mosquito netting on the DAHB. Definately more comfortable. I have a tent and/or hammock as other options depending on the circumstances or mission elements...and so does the military.