Best Bivy Sack Reviews 2023

Outdoor Research, or OR, is an award-winning, US-based company that was established in 1981 by Ron Gregg, a brilliant scientist and adventurer. The Outside Magazine Gear of the Year Award in 2012, Men's Journal Gear of the Year Award in 2012 and an ISPO Award are only some of its accomplishments. Being the passionate innovator that it is, Outdoor Research isn’t resting on any of them. This company was created by an adventurer for the enjoyment of fellow adventurers, with its technologically advanced and superior quality gaiters (this particular item played an important role in OR’s creation), apparel, storage and bivy sacks.

The Outdoor Research Alpine Bivy is made with Gore-Tex fabric that’s more waterproof than other fabrics used in the manufacture of bivies. It has a greater waterproof durability over time. This means that you can take those long hikes and climb those heights as often as you desire, without having to worry about this bivy holding up and keeping you dry, because it is designed to do exactly that.

Gore-Tex is a breathable fabric and doesn’t allow moisture to build inside the bivy. It is also fully seam-taped to prevent water from finding its way into the bivy, so even on rainy days (and nights) you are fully protected from any water seeping in. The overlapping zipper gives you extra protection from precipitation. This zipper design means you can leave it open some inches for ventilation and not be affected by the rain.

At 87 inches long and 25 inches at its widest point (the shoulders), this is a roomy bivy that should accommodate most people. At its foot end, it has a width of almost 20 inches. The head of the bivy features a stiffened piping that gives shape to the top, and the bottom section has the same, but not as stiff. It has a zippered foot vent that allows moist air that may have formed at this end of the bivy to escape; it (the zipper) is about 13 inches long and is accessed from outside, under the storm flap.

Other great features of this bivy include:

• A hydroseal, anti-fungal coated floor that keeps water and mildew out
• No-see-um mesh at the head that allows air in while effectively keeping bugs out
• Sleeping pad straps that’ll hold your sleeping bag in place
• Internal mesh pocket for storing batteries, small flashlights, etc.
• Five stake loops and one guy-line loop for extra-securing the bivy

With all these features, the Alpine Bivy makes a great all-seasons bivy.

Tender Corporation is the proud maker of the internationally acclaimed Afterbite - an insect bite treatment. It’s also the parent brand of Survive Outdoors Longer and a number of other brands. It was established in 1973 and became a corporation in 1977; it has since been guided by two concepts, adaptability and change. Tender Corporation promises to continue improving and adapting for the success of its customers and the motivation of its employees.

Survive Outdoors Longer’s Escape Bivvy is constructed to be lightweight for easy packing. This means easy carrying for hiking, camping and recreational activities. This bivy is made with a proprietary fabric that’s not only durable but breathable, with its micropores, as well. It allows moisture from your body to escape through it, thus creating a condensation-free interior for a comfortable night outdoors.

The inner surface of this proprietary fabric is heat-reflective. When you’re wrapped in it, the heat produced by your body is trapped within the bivy – as much as 70% of it, effectively keeping you warm even on icy nights. The product is long-lasting due to the quality and strength of its materials, which can stand any kind of weather conditions. Its seams are waterproof. When its zipper is pulled close and its hooded closure is drawn shut by its drawstring, you can get a good night’s rest without worrying about what the weather is doing outside.

The Escape Bivvy is also designed to be used like a traditional sleeping bag. At 84 x 31 inches, it’s roomy enough for nights spent outdoors, and when packed into its accompanying stuff bag, its 8.5 ounces don’t add any troublesome weight to your gear.

This bivy’s bright orange color means that in the (unwanted) event of an emergency, it’ll be easily spotted by a rescue team, even in areas with dense tree cover. Some other features it has include:

• When compared to products by other brands, it is quite affordable
• High fabric material that endures intensive use without puncture or tear
• Windproof to keep you safe even in high winds
• Comes in a stuff bag for easy storage and portability

Since 1957, Black Diamond has supplied its customers with inventive gear designs that have set the pace in many areas. This is a brand that’s all about climbing and skiing, and it considers itself the purveyor of the world's best gear for these activities. The company itself is made up of a team of committed climbers and skiers who are in the unending process of improving the quality of the brand through a hands-on approach. With a dedicated workforce in Asia, Europe and the US, Black Diamond is hard at work, creating a promising future for skiers and climbers worldwide.

The Black Diamond Big Wall Hooped Bivy features a dual slider zipper, which can be opened to a desired length for improved air flow in and out of the bivy. The opening has a no-see-um net covering that will let the air in and keep mosquitoes and other flying and crawling pests out. It has waterproof, RF welded fabric (the RF welded fabric means that the fabric is not only impenetrable, but resistant to tearing). It also has a Spectra runner that is sewn in its side for the attachment of loops, ropes and lines for secure anchoring.

The wall of this bivy is made with Toddtex trilaminate fabric that is waterproof and breathable, while its floor is made with 70 Denier coated nylon taffeta. With these, you’ll be protected from the elements. Water won’t seep up through the bivy’s bottom, thus keeping you dry. Another feature that keeps precipitation out is the factory-taped seams, with a complete absence of any seams at all on the storm flap and rain gutter. At 99 inches along its length and 35 inches across its shoulders, this bivy is spacious. If you’re under six feet, it might even accommodate your boots and some of your gear.

Some of its other features include the following:

• Boxed head and foot ends offer extra comfort and room
• Stuff sack for portability and ease of storage
• Tube of Seam-Grip is included to seal the seams
• Applicator is also included for use with the seal
• It also includes a patch kit.

Tennier Industries Inc. is a top contractor for the United States military for technically constructed items, gear and sleep systems. This company is committed to product quality, product improvement and innovation through redesigning and compliance with the particular nature of military specification. Its manufacturing processes combine sophistication with cost effectiveness, enabling it to meet the demands of the military and sub-contractors. By outperforming its competitors, Tennier has grown to become the military sole provider of sleeping bag systems.

The Tennier Modular Sleep System is a combination of four different sleeping components that can either be used separately in warmer climes, or together as an inter-operable system that keeps out the cold even at extremely low temperatures. It consists of layers, with the outer layer being a covering for a user to shield from weather conditions. The other two parts could be used as patrol sleeping bags and extreme climate conditions shelter bags. Various components are used independently, but if combined, they can also create a unique sleeping compact system. The last component serves as a packsack that all other components can fit into easily for movement. The system is fairly easy to assemble; each bag is equipped with a number of snaps allowing them to be used independently or with one another. This conjoining of the bags ensures that they perform as a single unit. This is military gear with military-grade specifications.

Similar products on sale by Tennier include:

• The ACU Digital Bivy Cover: 100% water and windproof cover with a two-way zipper that allows for both top and bottom ventilation. It’s also machine-washable and non-flammable
• The Multi-Season Sleep System: A lightweight system that contains Tennier’s recently developed insulation and high-tenacity fabric
• The ECWCS GEN III L6: Moisture and vapor permeable, waterproof Parka-Trouser known as the hard shell Layer VI of the Gen III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System. It’s made for use in cold and wet weather

Earning the military’s trust isn’t an easy task, but Tennier Inc. has done just that with its reliable sleep systems.

Chinook Technical Outdoor is inspired by the beautiful Canadian outdoors and a great love for nature. By utilizing its immense experience in this field, it endeavors to create nothing less than excellence, and its resilience has paid off for 20 years and counting. It has broken new ground in general outdoor products, including sleeping bags, tents, apparel, technical cookware and much more.

The Chinook Base Bivy is a lightweight solution to your outdoor protection needs. It features waterproof nylon material that keeps all the rain and snow out, no matter how hard it falls. If you’re worried about the weather turning sour when you’re out enjoying the sights and sounds of Mother Nature, this bivy is a practical way to stay one step ahead.

Its contoured hood allows more space, and that can mean a lot if you’re claustrophobic. To further get you snugly protected from the elements, there's a roomy foot box. This way your legs don’t get cramped from staying in a limited range of positions for the period you’re in the bivy (and that can be an unexpectedly long time in some storms).

The Base Bivy's factory-taped seams do not allow groundwater to seep into your bivy and soil your sleeping bag or dampen your space. With its 88 x 36-inch size, it’s quite roomy.

Here’s another bivy from Chinook for your consideration:

• The Chinook Ascent Bivy Shelter: Has a facial ventilation system and waterproof fabric