tent v bivvy

[asp383]

ok then, am i being silly, but what exactly is the difference between a tent & bivvy? (i don't mean those day shelters (a large brolly is good enough for me lol)
having never used a bivvy before, my previous night fishing experiences have been in summer with warm dry nights, so just had an extra jacket or something if the temp dipped.
i'm not in the market for a bivvy as i have some brilliant small tents with plenty of space, plus i couldn't justify the cost of a decent bivvy, when 2 or 3 man tents are a whole lot cheaper.
my oldest tent cost £45 back in '93 & my thermal sleeping bag £30 at the same time. both have done me well in all weathers, including - temps in gale force winds on welsh hillsides. i also have a couple of other tents of similar price about 4 years old. they're all still perfectly servicable & got years left in them. i can also have them set up with my gear inside & kettle on within about 15 minutes or less time than it takes to set up a caravan awning (whichever is quicker).
from what i've seen & read, decent bivvy tents are starting at nearer £150, ok, some say they're put up in minutes, so guess there is a time factor involved, but is that all?
i'll be fishing around easter for 2 days & i know the order of setting up ... keepnet, rods etc, then once that is all out, i'll do the tent & same packing up, so time won't be an issue for me.
so, what are your views?

[Banana Steve]

I used to have a tent and i found that the bedchairs dont fit when you lay down you are touching the sides of the tent and if it is a twin skin then the water will come through. also i found that even a 4 man tent is the same once the bed chair is in there is no room for anything else. Bivvys are higher than most tents unless your talking about a huge tent and then you will find that alot of fisheries don't allow tents. I found my bivvy realy good and in the winter they can hold the warmth in.

[asp383]

i see, more for extra space then than anything else?
my tents are regular 2 & 3 man dome, so guess not much size difference with a bivvy then?
not used proper fishing bedchairs, usually slept on the floor, but after a back injury a few years ago, height isn't an issue as i now can't move for about an hour after waking up if i slept on the floor, not so bad if on an air matress, but i still end up crawling out on hands & knees lol. got a reclining chair with foot rest that i've found quite comfy, fits in my tents fine & i can fall asleep anywhere lol.
i'm fine on my local lake as is council run & not planning on night fishing at local private fisheries (most local fisheries around here don't allow nights unless they know you or become a member of the fishery) but at most during the day, i've got my umbrella.
i've still got a lot to learn about the modern kit & stillwater fishing as before my sebatical, i'd only ever really done rivers.

[Greenheart]

Most Bivvie's have a larger opening at the front to allow you to exit in a hurry when you get a screaming run in the small hours of the morning. Likewise most sleeping bags designed for fishing have a zipper or velcro fastening that won't jam & also allow for a quick exit. As steve has already said, quality bivvie's are definately warmer, more durable & more weatherproof than the average small tent.

[asp383]

will stick with my tent for now due to finances ... maybe look later in the year at a bivvy if i do enough nights in colder weather.
just looking at my local tackle shop & they've got the chub discovery 1 man at £89.99, 2 man at £99.99, nash hooligun 1 at £89.99 & hooligun 2 at £129.99, don't think i'd be able to justify spending much more than that. proper beds start from £75 & just coughed at the prices for the sleeping bags lol.