Light weight bivy tents

Several companies now make light weigh bivy tents similar to the now-classic BD Firstlight.  Are any real stand-out models? Or all they all similar enough?

seems like everyone has a hard on for the EV direkt 2.... ed is the man though so prob a justified hard wang

Here's one that is not particularly well known, but which uses breathable (eVEnt) cuben fiber fabric.  

I don't have this particular tent, but I have one of their pyramids, and it rocks.  

Locus Gear

Kai Larsonwrote:

Here's one that is not particularly well known, but which uses breathable (eVEnt) cuben fiber fabric.  

I don't have this particular tent, but I have one of their pyramids, and it rocks.  

Locus Gea

I was pretty excited about that until I did the currency conversion.  Yikes. 

Jake907wrote:

I was pretty excited about that until I did the currency conversion.  Yikes. 

They are expensive.   However, they are also the only tent company I know of that's making lightweight tents with eVent cuben fiber.  

Kai Larsonwrote:

They are expensive.   However, they are also the only tent company I know of that's making lightweight tents with eVent cuben fiber.  

zpacks.com also makes tents from Cuben material.

Kai Larsonwrote:

Here's one that is not particularly well known, but which uses breathable (eVEnt) cuben fiber fabric.  

I don't have this particular tent, but I have one of their pyramids, and it rocks.  

Locus Gear

Other than the material, the design is the same as a Bibler Eldo/I tent

I think pretty much all bivy tents use a similar design (2 crossing poles). Some put the poles inside VS outer sleeves VS outer clips. Some poles a bit thicker than others. Some may have a small crossing pole. Some a bit more spacious. Besides that the fabric is the major differentiator. 

I like the Rab Latok Mtn. Long track record (formerly Integral Designs), name brand fabric (eVent) so no guessing, reasonably burly name brand poles (9.6m DAC), fits a 6 footer (many don't), mid panel guyouts (what are they thinking on the Firstlight?), bit lighter than the Eldorado. 

But I don't think any of these are likely to cost you a summit. 

FrankPSwrote:

zpacks.com also makes tents from Cuben material.

Tons of companies make tents from Cuben material.  Locus is the only tent company I know of that uses eVent Cuben, which is waterproof and breathable.  

Allen Sandersonwrote:

Other than the material, the design is the same as a Bibler Eldo/I tent

Construction also is different.  Locus uses welded seams rather than sewing. (I'm pretty sure Bibler still uses sewn seams.)    Otherwise, you are correct, it's a lighter weight Bibler/Firstlight clone.  

Big Agnes makes a 4 season bivy called the 3 wire. It has a small canopy over your head so when unzipped you don’t get wet if it’s raining or snowing. That can help with ventilation for condensation issues.

It’s also roomy enough above your face that it doesn’t feel claustrophobic for me.

When I have used it, the space savings in the pack compared to a tent is so good I use a 35L pack, and when a few things are taken out and put down by my feet, I can fit the pack up under my head as a pillow if weather was really foul and I didn’t want the pack outside.