The Recon splash bivy is one of the lightest shelters on the market today. The compact and lightweight design let you sleep anywhere with minimal setup.
When prepping an area to set up your bivy, you want to choose an area that is flat as possible with minimal obstructions. Make sure the area is clear of rocks, sticks, and anything else that could tear your bivy or make for an uncomfortable night's sleep. Once this is done, you're ready to set up the Recon!
Pull the bivy out of its stuff sack and lay it out flat. Decide how you want to position the bivy to best fit your needs, take into account the slope of the ground, nearby trees and vegetation, and even the direction the sun will rise. All of this may play a factor in how you want to set your bivy up. The ground slope will affect you the most as it could cause you to slowly slide, which some may find annoying. Make sure you put your head at the top of any slope.
Next, go ahead and stake the corners of the bivy out to form its bathtub floor. Some may choose to lay a ground tarp down first; it's up to you. Take care in how you stake down the bivy to avoid rocks and debris beneath the surface of the ground. You want to make sure that you pull the stiffeners in the corners upright, but not too tight.
Once you have the corners staked, use your trek pole, a nearby tree, or a stick to pull the face tie off up and taut. This will help keep the netting off your face for a more comfortable night's sleep. You do not have to do this, but we definitely recommend it.
Now that the Recon bivy is set up, place your sleeping pad, quilt, and any other gear inside your shelter and prepare for a nice night's sleep. Remember, you still need a tarp above you to protect you from inclement weather. But of course you may choose, on clear nights, to sleep out under the stars. Sweet dreams!
