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But if you’re racing, then pace tends to take precedence. In a short race (only one or two nights), it’s easier to rough it and sacrifice a good night's sleep in favour of better running performance. But for long, expedition style races or Fastest Known Time (FKT) attempts, the situation is more complex, with the aim of the game being to maximise performance over a prolonged period and changing circumstances. In this situation, you'll need to consider the following: will you be able to cope with prolonged sleep deprivation? Will you be able to dry out your kit? What is the terrain on the course ? What is the climate and season? When you’re ready to camp, the Ridge Raider is effortless to put up. Thread the 8mm pole through a duct in the head section of the bivi, a bit like putting up a dome tent. This then lifts the top of the bivi off your head meaning you can easily lie down and read a book, or even tend a stove located outside close by. The OEX Bush Pro Bivvi Sleeping Bag offers the versatility of a sleeping bag inside a bivvy. It is perfect for all seasons, giving you protection from rain, wind and cold weather. The OEX Bush Pro Bivvi Sleeping Bag has extra insulation at the feet to keep your toes safe and warm on those chilly autumn evenings in Tasmania. The Bush Pro Bivvi is a lightweight sleeping bag that will keep you dry in wet or windy conditions. Constructed with tough ripstop nylon and fully taped seams, this bivvi can accommodate most builds – perfect for campers who sleep in less than desirable weather. A sleeping bag is an insulated bag that is designed to keep you warm. This warmth is provided by either a down or synthetic filling that traps air around your body as you sleep. In contrast, the single-skin fabric of a bivyy bag provides negligible warmth. It is designed to keep out moisture (from rain, dew or snow) while having sufficient breathability to minimise moisture build up on the inside. A sleeping bag will often cover the head but doesn’t cover the face, where most bivvy bags allow for the whole person to be sealed inside (i.e. the bag is closed fully over both the head and face). Do I need a sleeping bag with a bivvy?
This thing’s made from Pertex’s impressive Diamond Fuse fabric, a 2.5-layer ripstop nylon with specially shaped yarns that are intricately woven together to create a robust, abrasion resistant and highly durable fabric – one that’s both waterproof and highly breathable too. And why on earth would you use one when tents exist? Well, such an approach – with your head open to the elements – offers an even more intimate interaction with the wild. The sounds of night creatures are unmuffled, the stars dazzle above you, and your senses are highly attuned to every raindrop and every gust of wind. Exposing the Bush Pro Bivvi sleeping bag to any wet conditions will not cause it to leak or spring a ‘roof-shaped hole. It is made of tough ripstop canister fabric with a water-resistant rating of 5000 mm hydrostatic head, and its seams are fully taped for thorough protection from bad weather. Some one-man tents are now so small and light, it’s hard to imagine that it’s even possible to take a more minimalist approach. But it is: enter the bivvy bag. What is a bivvy bag?We are massive fans of Snugpak gear – they are leaders in well thought-out, rugged outdoor gear. The Snugpak Ionosphere bivy tent is no exception and straddles the line between bivvy bag and compact 1-person tent really well. There’s no wonder it’s often used by the US military – not bad for a company from Yorkshire in the UK!
The hood area can be zipped up to obtain complete coverage at night, although this does increase the chances of condensation forming inside. There are two options for sealing the bivvy: you can either zip up the mesh panel or you can pin the mesh panel up with a toggle and zip the whole thing closed. Unlike many other bivvy bags, it doesn’t taper at the foot end, so it’s good for those who don’t like the feeling of being in a mummy bag. It also has a reinforced brow, to help keep the bivvy off your face, which makes things so much more comfortable on a wet night. According to North Face, the DryWall single skin also ‘provides unparalled single-wall breathability’. At 420g, the Assault Bivy is not the lightest, and for some it might seem just too big. But, if you’re after a top quality, waterproof bivvy bag with extra space for your boots and bag, then look no further.Although you can sleep in just a bivvy bag, it’s generally a pretty unpleasant experience – both should be used in combination. In all but the warmest weather you would feel uncomfortable and cold without a sleeping bag once the sun has gone down. The hydrostatic head of the Helium is 20000 mm which is exceedingly waterproof and the Pertex material is also supposedly resistant to rips – however I didn’t wish to test this claim out! If you want to spend more money, then Outdoor Research also do a full Gore-Tex bivvy called the Alpine, but this is actually heavier. ripstop nylon with PU coating / fluorocarbon free DWR / 10,000mm hydrostatic head / 10,000 MVTR / taped seams / snap opening and stiffened peak. If you are in the UK there is usually a risk of rain. The cheapest way to stay dry is with one of these orange survival bags. They are a handy thing to own anyway if you are heading into the hills.
It’s no-frills, but no-frills is sometimes fine if the bag is light and protective, and that’s certainly the case here. Downsides are the same as for any bivvy of this kind. If it’s raining you can find yourself having to get into it when you otherwise wouldn’t with a small tent. Using a tarp can overcome that problem, and we would certainly recommend that if you think there will be trees to set it up. Alternatively bring along some poles for the tarp. The material used for the top section of the bivvy is Rab’s eVent waterproof and breathable technical fabric which is 40 dernier and consists of three layers sandwiched together. The bathtub uses a more weighty 70 dernier nylon waterproof floor – this won’t be letting any moisture up from the ground. Even the best bivvy bags leave some condensation on your sleeping bag. For a single-night trip this is no problem, but for extended use you need to be able to hang your sleeping bag up to dry occasionally. Outdoor Research should need no introduction. A fantastic company based in Seattle on the West Coast of the USA, they have continuously been at the height of innovation and quality since their inception in the early 1980s.
For overnight microadventures, however, I encourage people to try using a bivvy bag instead. What is a bivvy bag and why do you recommend it? The top of the bivvy bag completely zips up, but there is no way of keeping it off your face, and sleeping can get difficult. On warmer nights this isn’t a problem as you can open more of a gap. As a result, we would say this is three season only, but of course your mileage may vary! Bluesign approved Pertex Shield Diamond Fuse 2.5L / 100% Nylon, 30D ripstop upper / 100% nylon, 40D with TPU lamination floor / bluesign approved100% polyester mesh / single-pole system / reflective Logo and Trims / two stake loops / one guy line loop / high volume toe end / clamshell opening / two Internal fly fasteners. Fancy it? If you do, then you’re in the right place. We’ve done the hard work for you, putting several products – ranging in design, style, size and price – through their paces on wild camping trips to Scotland, the Brecon Beacons and the Lake District. So, whether you’re looking to venture into bivvying for the first time or if you’re a seasoned pro at sleeping under the stars, there’s something for everyone here. The Best Bivy Bags Tested by Our Team The picture below shows an Army bivvy on the left, a Rab one in the middle and a snoring Welshman in an unknown bivvy on the right.
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