ANATOLY IVANOV / PROSE / 2008-09-12

OUTDOOR 2008: RAB SUMMIT SUPERLITE BIVI & SUMMIT MOUNTAIN BIVI PREVIEW

by Anatoly IVANOV

BACKPACKING / CLIMBING / PREVIEWS

Bivy? Does that look like a bivy? No way.

Rab Summit Mountain Bivi

Photo: Rab Summit Mountain Bivi / With permission from Rab / Author unknown

WHY NOT CALL IT WHAT IT IS: A TENT?

Because of the Common Law system in the US and Canada. Because of the Anglo-Saxon culture of suing anything that moves. Remember that McDonald’s coffee case? Well, same here.

Rab’s new Summit Superlite Bivi and Summit Mountain Bivi tents use the very breathable eVENT fabric. The same waterproof / breathable material used in rain jackets. Better than Gore-Tex. The best available today.

What happens when you use the eVENT as a tent fabric? You get a very light, simple, almost condensation-free shelter! I have an Integral Designs MK1 Lite eVENT tent and it’s simply amazing.

Problem is, eVENT does not comply with the CPAI-84 flame retardancy standard developed in 1980. Yep. That’s 30 years ago.

That standard does not mean a compliant tent will not burn when exposed to open fire. It will. Only seconds later, compared to a non-compliant tent. Retardant. Slow-mo. You’ll probably die anyway.

OK, why should we give a damn about CPAI-84?! We shouldn’t.

But a US-based company open to potential lawsuits does give a damn. What would you do if you knew some weirdoes burning up their tents could sue you anytime? With charges like facilitating serious injuries and even death?

Does this sound crazy? This is crazy. It is the US!

And BHA Technologies, the original inventors of eVENT, bought in 2005 by General Electric, is an American company. So 3 years ago, they initiated a detailed analysis of the situation:

// Is there a way to make eVENT fire-resistant?

Maybe. But as of today, the technical solutions tried by the BHA guys lead to either lower breathability (similar or worse than the competition), or to a very expensive fabric (2 000 USD per tent).

// How non-fire-resistant is eVENT compared to other single-wall tent fabrics?

BHA / GE and even external tent manufacturers still compare and evaluate the fire-retardancy of the current eVENT.

// What exactly would happen if BHA / GE was sued?

The GE legal team is warping their minds over this problem.

// Is the single-wall tent market viable?

Cost-benefit analysis.

The current market for single-wall tents is small. On one side: a horde of burned backpackers crawling to the courts. On the other side: a dozen hardcore users ready to buy high-performance tents.

However, the market size could change with intensive communication (advertising, press relations, etc.) Have you noticed the new REI eVENT rainwear?

CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS

While BHA / GE evaluate the fire-retardancy situation, they keep the eVENT tent use in a stand-by mode. In other words, since 2005, tent manufacturers can no longer purchase and use eVENT for their tent projects.

In the end, who’s suffering?

ANY WORKAROUNDS?

Well, a few.

// Renaming

A bivy is not a tent. A bivy is, by legal definition, too small to cook inside with a stove. No flame inside, no need to fire retard.

// Reshaping

Reduce the tent height to the absolute minimum. Again, discourage fireplaces inside. At least, in the eyes of the lawyers.

// Relocating

Produce and sell the tent some place else. Not in the US. Not in Canada.

THE FUTURE

It seems to me the durable solution would be to either change:

For 3 years, there’s been movement in the background that may result in a definite “no” or a definite “yes” to eVENT tents.

Meanwhile, we’ll have to live with artificial scarcity and legal workarounds.

WHAT’S NEW AND INTERESTING?

A couple of super rare, single-wall, eVENT, bombproof tents.

Rab Summit Superlite Bivi

Photo: Rab Summit Superlite Bivi / With permission from Rab / Author unknown

Designed with alpine climbing in mind:

Both tents share the same fabrics, floor size and basic design. The difference is in the ceiling height and features.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

// Common

// Model-specific

Rab Summit Superlite Bivi

Photo: Rab Summit Superlite Bivi / With permission from Rab / Author unknown

Rab Summit Mountain Bivi

Photo: Rab Summit Mountain Bivi / With permission from Rab / Author unknown

Rab Summit Mountain Bivi with vestibule

Photo: Rab Summit Mountain Bivi with optional vestibule / With permission from Rab / Author unknown

AVAILABILITY

Both tents should be available in spring 2009.

Most probably, the roomier Summit Mountain Bivi will not be available in California, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey and maybe elsewhere for reasons explained above.

MY QUESTIONS AND DOUBTS

I have no doubts about the tents’ construction. I’ve closely inspected the Summit Mountain Bivy at the Rab’s booth during the Outdoor 2008 show in Friedrichshafen. Top notch quality, precise stitching, great attention to detail.

However, although I do have a similar eVENT tent, I rarely use it:

If you climb a super exposed route, then a no-brainer, bombproof tent might make sense. However, digging a tent platform is still a lot of work. Pulling a kilo per climber adds to fatigue as well.

Luxury lightweightish camping and polar backpacking is a different story though…

ALTERNATIVES

Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there’s none.

Integral Designs, Marmot and Mountain Hardware do make single-wall, bombproof tents, but they all use less breathable fabrics.

CHANGE LOG

2008-09-12 Improved historical accuracy and details.
2008-09-06 First publication.

9 COMMENTS

Matt / 2010-03-26 17:33

Thanks for the run-down.

Everything I can find about eVent tents is from 2005 or older it seems. Now if I could only find an in-situ review of either rab tent, but more specifically the Summit Mountain Bivi. There is a dearth of photos available of this tent (how does the vestibule attach compared to the bibler/BD vestibules–what kind of a ‘seal’, is that a vent at the top of the Summit Mountain?), how has this tent performed on the likes of rainier or north cascades or really anywhere for that matter (I assume well, but I’d love to hear some actual feedback).

Cheers on a great site! Thanks for your review of these two.

ANATOLY IVANOV / 2010-03-26 18:23

Everything I can find about eVent tents is from 2005 or older it seems.

Well, you know the reason, right? ;-)

Sorry for not providing more coverage of the Rab tents… Don’t have any to play with.

My Integral Designs eVENT tent remains absolutely great, but I don’t use it for climbing… Too much weight, bulk… And, well, it’s so cold in winter! I prefer a snow-cave.

Thanks for the cheers!

Matt / 2010-03-29 17:56

Yes, the only reason all the eVent tent info is pre-`05 is because…:P they weren’t exactly around after that.

Well no need for an apology on your review of these two shelters from RAB, as your prose on them is about the most authentic write-up I can find on both outside of chatter about the extreme on backpackinglight — I happily read your review.

I think you must be in far colder conditions than the pacific northwest. it is relatively mild here, except during storms or bursts of arctic air, not often anywhere below -6C, and often just a few degrees below 0C. Not that it cannot be -20C, just not too often, from my experience. Thus the breathability of eVent is important out here, I think.

Thanks for the response to my initial comment!

ANATOLY IVANOV / 2010-05-03 19:28

I think you must be in far colder conditions than the pacific northwest. it is relatively mild here, except during storms or bursts of arctic air, not often anywhere below -6C, and often just a few degrees below 0C. Not that it cannot be -20C, just not too often, from my experience. Thus the breathability of eVent is important out here, I think.

Oh yes, my working temperatures are more in the -10° C to -35° C range.

Actually, I now recall 1 night when it rained on my Integral Designs eVENT tent in winter, at altitude. We were 2 in the tent, and it worked well, not much condensation. We just had to scrape the rain freeze when the temperature dropped back to -5° C.

Norton / 2010-06-16 05:34

I’m looking into this tent for a June ski trip, but hate the price. Anyone want to donate another $200 to get me to bite on one?

ROBERT TANGEN / 2010-08-07 22:13

“In summer, a tent is almost always overkill, even above tree-line .”

EVEN ON ACONCAGUA?

“In winter, a tent is simply too cold: a snow cave is much more comfortable.”

BUT, NO CAVES ARE POSSIBLE ON MOST ROUTES ON ACONCAGUA BECAUSE OF LACK OF SNOW. WHAT TENT WOULD YOU TAKE TO DO ACONCAGUA?

ANATOLY IVANOV / 2010-08-07 23:36

Aconcagua…

1) Depends on the route

2) The “normal” less technical routes, yes, with a lack of snow, I’d take this or any other eVENT tent.

Also, even though I put the Rab’s tent into a wider backpacking context, I, nevertheless, add:
“If you climb a super exposed route, then a no-brainer, bombproof tent might make sense. However, digging a tent platform is still a lot of work. Pulling a kilo per climber adds to fatigue as well.”

ROBERT TANGEN / 2010-08-08 05:44

Thanks for your quick reply. Would you choose as your Aconcagua tent, the cramped but wind-resistant Superlite, or the roomy Mountain, which one might say has sail-like sides? How useful on Aconcagua is the tunnel vent on the back? Does it make it easier to cook inside the tent by cracking open the door? Can you empty a pee bottle out of it? How useful on Aconcagua are two doughnut tie-ins instead of one. Thank you.

ANATOLY IVANOV / 2010-08-08 15:53

Woha! I’d say everything depends on your climbing style and route selection.

If you climb hard all day and need something where you can drop half-dead and sleep, the Rab’s tents would be the choice.

If you stop more often and need something where you can “base-camp”, cook and wait… I don’t think the Rab’s tents are spacious enough.

Personally, I haven’t climbed Aconcagua. Just not my interest. And I prefer the ultra-marathon climbing approach. So maybe I’m not the best person to advise you on this particular project.
Otherwise, both tents will work in high winds. My Integral Designs MK1 Lite eVENT tent is taller than both Rab tents and it has been through some impressive winds without a problem.

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