Tried the Zpacks black DCF bivy on a few CDT sections last summer-love the weight (hit 11oz with ti stakes on my scale), but that “99%+” blackout claim? Eh, it’s damn good (no glow from headlamp tests inside), but not 100% if you’re picky about horizon light at dawn. Evidence: My Lux meter app showed 2-3 lux bleed vs true zero in a sewn blackout pouch.
Condensation’s the real killer in humid zones; vents help, but I rig a polycro floor + slight nose-out pitch now. Vs tarp + mask: Tarp wins for views/venting if bugs are low (Rocky Mtns), but dark bivy crushes for forced 4hr sleep shifts on flip-flop thruhikes. Mask alone? Peripheral light kills deep REM-proven in sleep studies if anyone’s curious.
Alternative UL pick: Borah Gear’s Warbonnet Blackout Bivy at 10oz. Cheaper, wider entry. Who’s tested it head-to-head with Zpacks? Worth the hype or same issues? Pics of your setups?