Best Bivy Sack

MSR Pro Bivy Bag

The MSR Pro Bivy Bag is one of the most lightweight bivy bags on the market and most likely the best bivy to go for if you want your pack to be as light as possible.

This bag weighs just 10 ounces and compacts down to just 8×4 x4 inches so you’re always going to have space for it and it’s never going to weigh you down.

It is made from 20d ripstop nylon and features Xtreme shield waterproofing which is said to last 3 times longer than others.

It stands up well to the weather and it’s breathable too in order to stop and condensation build-up so you wake up dry and have a good night’s sleep.

It can be a little tricky to get in and out of this bag as there is no zipper, so you’ll have to master some shuffling. The lack of a zipper also means that water can drip in through the overlapping closure.

But, it is made to be an emergency bivy sack for alpine use, so the thinner 20D fabric and lack of zipper bring the weight down.

Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivy Bag

The Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivy Bag is one of the best bivy bags when it comes to affordability vs quality and if you’re shopping on a budget this is one to take a good look at.

The bivy sack is made from 20 and 30D ripstop nylon which is an excellent material overall but it’s a little thin so you’ll want to use the bivy with care.

The lighter material is what makes this bag so lightweight overall, weighing just 14 oz. It won’t weigh your pack down at all and you’ll always find some space for it considering it packs down to just 1 x 6 x 4 inches.

It has great waterproofing and breathability so you can rest assured that you’ll wake up dry and comfortable. It also features mesh netting so that you can open it up on warm nights and not get bitten by any mosquitos.

There are no poles with this bivy sack so you’ll end up with the top layer on your face but there is a guy rope attachment point you can attach to a near tree to raise it.

Overall, this is probably the best bivy sack around for the price and it ticks all the important boxes too.

Black Diamond Big Wall Hooped Bivy Bag

The Black Diamond Big Wall Hooped Bivy Bag is one of the ideal bivy sacks around for use in cold alpine conditions. It’s the closest you’ll ever get to sleeping out in the snow without a tent.

It bag features a hooped design meaning there is a sewn-in flexible wire where your head goes that raises up the bivy sack. This means you don’t have any fabric sitting on your face and it gives you a feeling of space while sleeping.

The head area also features mesh bug netting so you can stare a the stars on warm nights, or use the dual zippers to tuck up warm and fully enclose yourself when it’s cold out.

The Todd Tex polyester material is tough, durable, and is excellent when it comes to keeping you warm and dry. It can handle all extreme weather types plus it breathes well to let condensation out and keep you as dry as possible.

Weighing in at 1 lb 12 oz, it is not the lightest bivy sack around by a long shot but the weight has to be there for extreme weather protection. Considering what it can do and that it packs up to 14.17 x 4.72 x 4.72 inches, we are happy with the extra weight.

Extra features include taped seams for better waterproofing and tie-downs for anchoring.

Overall this is by far the top bivy sack for use in extreme conditions.

RAB Alpine Survival Zone Lite Bivy Bag

The RAB Survival Zone Lite Bivy Bag is the best bivy bag around if you’re looking for an emergency shelter outside of extreme conditions.

It weighs just 8 oz and packs down to a mere 8 x 5 x 4 inches making it very carriable for those ‘just in case’ emergency situations.

The RAB Apline bag is made from 30D Pertex Endurance fabric which is pretty durable overall but with such a low D number it is a little thin and needs to be treated with care. 

The weatherproofing on the material is excellent and it breathes well too. It’s an ideal energy shelter for mid-spring to mid-autumn but we’re not sure how it would fair in extreme conditions.

There is no zipper on this bivy sack, so getting in and out would require a little shuffle or two. The bag closes with an overlap and a drawcord and is said to let no water in, but in reality, we can’t see this always working.

Overall it’s one of the best emergency bivy sacks or for use in warmer months.

Snugpak Stratosphere Bivy Bag

The Snugpak Stratosphere Bivy Bag is more of a tent that meets a bag in its design. It’s certainly the bivy sack when it comes to spaciousness but loses points due to its weight.

Weighing in at over 2lbs, this is one of the heaviest bags featured and this is due to its pole design. Unlike other bags, this bivy uses two tent poles to raise up the end you sleep on making it super spacious.

There is maximum headroom in the bag and at 91 inches long, more than enough space for a comfortable night.

It’s made from 50D ripstop nylon on top and 201T nylon on the bottom making it super durable. It’s also waterproof to 5000mm and 8000 mm, top and bottom, ensuring no rain gets to you.

There is a full-length zipper along the side for easy access and it comes with a mosquito net for those hotter nights.

The only other issue with this bivy sack, outside the weight, is that it doesn’t breathe well, so condensation build-up is a factor your should consider.

Overall, it’s probably the best bag when it comes to space but the high weight and lack of breathability bring it down.

Aqua Quest Pharaoh Bivy Bag

The Aqua Quest Pharaoh Bivy Bag almost made it onto our top three bivy sacks but fell short due to a few design flaws.

Made of 70D ripstop nylon, this is bivy sack has excellent durability and with heat taped seams, creates a seal to block you from the elements.

The fabric is rated to 10,000 mm of waterproofing and thus will keep you dryer than most bivy sacks out there. Plus it’s super breathable too with a moisture vapor transmission rating of 10,000 gr/m2/day so that condensation build-up is minimal. And when you have a night in your sleeping bag ahead of you, this is all great news!

To top it all off, the bivy bag comes with a lifetime warranty, so where did they go wrong?

Well, it’s a bit heavier than others at 1.1lbs, and the fabric sits on your face, but these are manageable issues overall. The real problem is that there is no zipper.

Without a zipper, the bivy sack is hard to get into, and the included drawcord closure doesn’t create a good enough seal to stop the elements from getting inside, which is what got it our best budget bivy sack award.

Tennier Woodland Camouflage Waterproof Bivy Bag

The Tennier Bivy Bag is the second bag featured that can be used all year round, even in extreme conditions, and this is thanks to the use of Gore-Tex as its base material.

Gore-Tex is highly durable, breathable, and waterproof. you’d usually find it in high-end alpine clothing as it creates an excellent membrane that stops water coming in but lets air out.

This means the bivy sack will always keep you dry from the outside and the inside by letting all the condensation out.

This bag also features a full-length zipper making it easy to climb in and out of plus a storm flap that reduces the build-up of any snow or rain that might fall in the night.

It stacks up to be great but it’s not the best bivy bag when it comes to weight and space. Weighing 2.5 lbs, without any poles in the design, makes it one of the heaviest around plus it has large packed dimensions, so carrying this around will be a burden.

Also, the interior space is minimal too and you’ll be sleeping in a cocoon with very little wiggle room.

Black Diamond Hooped Bivy Bag

The Black Diamond Hooped Bivy Bag is a step down from the Balck Diamon Big Wall featured above and is a bag best used for 3 season camping.

This bivy bag also featured a hooped design that integrates sewn-in flexible wire at both ends that raises the bivy sack to give you a good amount of space to sleep in.

The fabric won’t touch your face as your lie in your sleeping bag and the gaps provide some room for air to circulate helping with condensation build-up.

This model from Black Diamond is made from Todd Tex single-wall fabric which is fully waterproof and breathable too so you’ll be kept dry from the inside and out.

It also comes with a zipper to seal out the elements which also makes it a bit easier to climb in and out of compared to others.

The bag is a little heavy at 1lb 12oz. and bulky with a pack size of 19 x6 inches, but this is expected based on the durability and weatherproofness of the thicker fabric and hooped design.

It’s certainly one of the top bivy bags around for colder conditions but the Big Wall version has it beaten.

LytHarvest Ultralight Bivy Bag

The LytHarvest Ultralight Bivy Bag is the top bivy bag in the review when it comes to affordability and if you’re on a budget and willing to forgo some features, it might suit you.

It’s more of a bag meets a 1 man tent thanks to its poled design. At both ends, you’ll find tent poles, stake down points, and even a guy rope or two which makes the bivy have great headroom compared to others.

You’ll also find it does well when it comes to durability being made of 190T polyester and the 5000mm waterproof coating handles the weather well too.

This ultralight bivy is quick and easy to set up and slide into but it’s overall not so spacious, quite heavy, and bulky to carry around and it doesn’t breathe that well.

So despite the affordability of the bivy sack, there are some issues, so you do get what you pay for, like with all outdoor gear.