TOD: TENTS & BIVVIES

HOME FOR THE WEEKEND(ER)!

LAST MONTH WE TOOK A LONG, HARD LOOK AT “FAST-SET SHELTERS” AND HOW THE ABILITY TO GET ONE UP AND RUNNING QUICKLY CAN BE A MAJOR BENEFIT WHEN YOU’RE IN A MILSIM ENVIRONMENT. THIS MONTH BILL TAKES THIS ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN HIS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AS HE LOOKS AT BIVVYS AND SMALL TENTS THAT ARE IDEAL FOR HITTING YOUR FAVOURITE WEEKENDER!

C’mon, who doesn’t love a good weekender? As I write I’ve just started getting the team set for the National Airsoft Festival (NAF) 2022 here in the UK, and we’re all really looking forward to spending some quality time camping over the Bank Holiday down in the New Forest at Ground Zero! Whilst this is by no means a “survival setting” (although some would no doubt disagree, but that’s “survival” in a very different way!), we will be creating our home for the duration when we arrive, and this will include everything you’d expect for three nights camping under the stars!

Returning to my old adage that “any fool can be uncomfortable” I’ll be ensuring that the guys and I have everything that we’ll need in hand before we set off; okay, “fighting kit” is down to the individual, but I will make certain that everyone has somewhere sheltered and dry to sleep, a decent sleep system, food, and above all lots of fluids. We’ll be looking at “team roles” in issues to come as a CAGE topic, but one of the most vital in my mind, and one that is often overlooked to the detriment of the team, is that of “quartermaster” or “the guy that looks after logistics”.

As I get older I like to bring my experience of many battles fought and many games played to the team; whilst I may not charge as hard as I used to, or indeed have the energy to kick doors at will, my experience of attending many games both at home and abroad can now be valuable to my younger team members who are now finding their own path in this respect. Add to this my many years in the outdoor pursuits/performance industry and I believe it’s fair to say I have a pretty good grasp of “outdoor living skills”.

Now whilst this is not overtly “tactical” those same skills do cross over into a game situation, and some of the basic decisions as to which bivvy or tent to choose, how and where to pitch said shelter, and how to operate from it effectively over an extended period of time all have a bearing on how well you as an individual will perform. Being able to get your game on for one day is fine, but how are you going to perform without decent rest, and a stable base where you can police up all your necessary kit?

“WE’LL BE LOOKING AT “TEAM ROLES” IN ISSUES TO COME AS A CAGE TOPIC, BUT ONE OF THE MOST VITAL IN MY MIND, AND ONE THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE TEAM, IS THAT OF “QUARTERMASTER” OR “THE GUY THAT LOOKS AFTER LOGISTICS”.”

IN GAME SHELTER

The fact is, in my experience that games where you are required to camp out overnight tactically are actually very few and far between unless you’re getting into the realms of full-on, hardcore MilSim. For many weekend games your camping site will either be out of game entirely, or at the very least in an area where the majority of the action will not be taking place. Even if your camping area is a quieter one “in game” where eyepro will still be required, for the majority of the time once you are actually inside your tent or shelter this will be inviolate, and “out of bounds” as long as you keep the door zipped up.

When you head to a more social weekender like the NAF then the camping area is physically removed from the game area, and 100%-not-tactical-in-the slightest, but although you’re not going to need any form of cam and concealment the possibility of bad weather means that your requirements for a tent or bivvy are largely the same as if you WERE in game, so one actually equals the other in many ways.

So, what IS the difference between a tent and a “bivvy”? These days the term “bivvy” is a bit of a catch-all description that covers everything from a simple fast-set shelter up to and including what is basically a single person tent. I looked at the classic “bivouac” last month, so this month I’ll look at the more hi-tech solution to the same problem, and that’s the hooped bivvy.

The Airsoft Action team and I have worked with Snugpak a LOT over the years, and have huge respect for what they create, and as their gear is used, and much loved, by serving military personnel you can rely on Snugpak to get the job done each and every time. This is something we know to be true, as we’ve used the gear extensively around the globe in differing environmental condition ourselves, and we’ve never found Snugpak gear to be anything less than exemplary. To this end the bivvy I use personally is the Ionosphere. This is effectively an extremely compact and lightweight two pole, one person tent. The Ionosphere has an extremely low profile and is great for those looking for a stealthy sleeping solution sturdier than a basha, tarp, or bivvy bag but not as bulky and heavy as a traditional tent.

The Ionosphere flysheet is a lightweight 210t Polyester RipStop pu with a 5000mm waterproof polyurethane coating, whilst the inner is constructed of 190t Nylon and 50D Polyester No-See-Um-Mesh; all seams are tape sealed. Both poles are high-quality DAC Featherlite NSL anodized models with easy and quick to use pressfit connectors, made from TH72M aluminium, and there’s also some great alloy stakes included. Both inner and outer feature a single, angled door with two way zips. There’s also a small Repair Kit included should you need to make repairs can be made on the move (or indeed any time you’re away from home!).

The weight of the basic tent (Fly, Inner Tent & Poles) is a measly 1.2kg/2.64lbs with the total weight (Fly, Inner Tent, Poles, Stakes, Repair Kit & Carry Case) coming in at 1.52kg/3.35lbs. The Ionosphere takes up little space in your pack but offers a luxurious 240cm x 111cm x 96cm sleeping space once erected.

SNUGPAK IONOSPHERE

The black inner is pitched first, and can be used on its own in dry, hot weather environments where you still need protection from biting bugs and nasties, and it’s simply a case of pushing the two individually marked poles through corresponding, colour coded pole sleeves and then pegging it out with the alloy stakes. If the fly is needed it has velcro attachment points which are affixed to the poles, and then this too is pegged out as well. Once you’ve practiced a few times you can get the whole thing up in a matter of minutes.

Once up this is exceptionally sturdy, and although I haven’t yet used it in very high winds, given the low profile and amount of pegging/guy points I guessing that it would stay put once properly set. The angled inner and outer doors make ingress and egress straightforward, and there’s even enough space to drag in your pack with you. The minus side of the low profile though is that you’re not going to sit up straight once you’re in, but there’s certainly enough length for me to lay out flat, and I’m 6’2!

This is a very impressive small and compact tent by anyone’s standard, and the design allows a free flow of air, negating condensation build up; for this reason only I’d have to say this is a three rather than four season design, but the fly certainly shrugs off even the heaviest of rainstorms as I found out in the Brecon Beacons on a number of adventures!

BASECAMP LUXURY!

Now as good as the Ionosphere is if you’re more “in game” than out, I do like a little more space to play with if I’m going to be out more than a couple of nights! This is where my Scorpion 3 tent comes in, and this is most certainly what I’ll be taking to the New Forest with me!

The Snugpak Scorpion 3 weighs in at just 3400g and is a nominal three-person base camp and expedition tent for when a semi-permanent camp is required. The Scorpion design is a ‘fly-first’ pitch that allows quick and easy set-up using an opposing pole design, protecting you all year round from severe weather conditions.

A tried and tested design that is a favourite of mountaineers, climbers and adventurers, the Scorpion 3 has an impressive floor space, measuring 2.25m long and 1.75m wide, as well as 1.1m of headspace, creating ample room for three people in a top-toe sleeping arrangement, or enough space for two people and all their gear; indeed, just for me it will be somewhat luxurious!

In terms of “fabric technology” the Scorpion 3 is

SNUGPAK SCORPION 3

right up there with some of the best; the Flysheet is 210t 100% polyester ripstop with (5000mm HH) waterproof polyurethane coating, whilst the Inner tent is 190t 100% nylon inner fabric, with a 50D polyester No-See-Um-Mesh (1600 holes per square inch). With a high standard of outer protection the Groundsheet is 190t 100% nylon with (5000mm HH) waterproof polyurethane coating in a “bathtub” style, which means that water is not going to get in

and soak you from underneath! Rounding things out the Scorpion 3 comes with industry-leading DAC® Featherlite NSL® Anodised Aluminium Poles with pressfit connectors, and these are colour-coded for ease of pitching.

The design also offers a spacious front porch for storing equipment and cooking in really bad weather. As it comes in simple olive green the Scorpion 3 is an ideal, fully waterproof and windproof design that’s ideal for airsoft weekenders, even during the winter months.

BOTTOM LINE

On both these models I’ve gone quite heavily into detail on the fabrics and components as I believe that what’s used by Snugpak is currently amongst the best you’ll find out there unless you get into full-on expedition-level gear. I hope that this will give you a few pointers on what to look for when it comes to buying a really serviceable hooped bivvy or tent for yourself.

The bottom line of course is that neither of these models is what you’d class as “cheap”, and of course if you’re only going to use this type of kit very occasionally then a simple, cheap-as-chips “pop-up festival tent will probably do you! However, if you have any intention of using your shelter regularly for airsoft, and indeed for other outdoor adventures then you need to look at your shelter as a longerterm investment.

Even an Ionosphere or Scorpion 3 is going to set you back LESS than a baseline TM NGRS AEG, but in the right situation will mean that you’re going to be able to USE that cherished AEG more than you might think, for longer durations as you visit more sites, further away from home, and stay comfortably the night before, and even after, a game.

And now when it comes to “camo solutions”, Snugpak has a whole collection of products featuring the brand’s best-selling “Terrain Pattern”. You can now mix and match products to offer both a simple camping setup, and a more tactical one! A “Terrain” flysheet is now available for anyone like me who already owns an Ionosphere so that this really becomes an “in-game item”, and I’m hoping that Snugpak will soon also offer an upgrade for the Scorpion 3. I’ve just got the new flysheet and it marries up perfectly with my existing bivvy, and at a quarter of the cost of a new Ionosphere it means that my old bivvy now has a new lease of life… I just wish the same could be said of its user!

I’ll be taking a break from “TOD” next month as we have another special issue planned, but in October I’ll be back to talk about sleep systems that can serve you year round, but for now, for more information on the Ionosphere, the Scorpion 3 and all the other great kit offered by Snugpak please pay them a visit at www.snugpak.com AA

“... IF YOU HAVE ANY INTENTION OF USING YOUR SHELTER REGULARLY FOR AIRSOFT, AND INDEED FOR OTHER OUTDOOR ADVENTURES THEN YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR SHELTER AS A LONGER-TERM INVESTMENT.”