One Man Tents

Bivvy bags

A bivvy bag is a waterproof, breathable cover that goes over a sleeping bag, giving a shelter that weighs as little as 300g but has no room for kit. The bivvy bags below suit British nights: damp air, wind and ground that is rarely dry. Some people spell it bivi or bivy; it's the same bag. New to sleeping without a tent? Read What Is a Bivvy Bag?

A bivvy bag is a waterproof, breathable cover that goes over a sleeping bag, giving a shelter that weighs as little as 300g but has no room for kit.

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The bivvy bags below suit British nights: damp air, wind and ground that is rarely dry. Some people spell it bivi or bivy; it's the same bag. New to sleeping without a tent? Read What Is a Bivvy Bag?

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3 products

Highlander Hawk Bivvy Bag

£74.97Out of stock

Good for: Nights under the sky when insects are about: it has a built-in mosquito net.

What is a bivvy bag?

A bivvy bag is a waterproof cover for a sleeping bag, used on its own or under a tarp. It keeps rain, dew and wind off the sleeping bag and adds a little warmth. Unlike a tent, a bivvy bag has no room to sit up, change or store kit, so your rucksack stays outside or in a dry bag.

Should you choose a bivvy bag or a tent?

Choose a bivvy bag for short, dry-forecast nights where weight and a small footprint matter most. Choose a one man tent for your first nights out, for rain that lasts, or for anywhere you want to sit up and cook in shelter. Many campers own both and pick by the forecast.

Do bivvy bags get condensation inside?

Yes, all bivvy bags collect some condensation, because your body gives off moisture all night. A breathable fabric lets much of it pass through; a non-breathable bag, often sold as a survival bag, soaks the sleeping bag by morning. Leaving the opening slightly open and keeping your face outside the bag both reduce it.

What's the difference between a hooped and a basic bivvy bag?

A hooped bivvy bag has a short pole that holds the fabric off your face, giving a little headroom and space to read. A basic bivvy bag has no pole: it weighs less and packs smaller, but the fabric rests on your face in rain. Hooped bivvy bags suit wetter nights and longer trips.

Can you use a bivvy bag with a tarp?

Yes. A tarp pitched over a bivvy bag keeps rain off your head and gives a dry spot to sit, pack and cook outside. The pair together weighs about the same as a light one man tent, and pitches in more places.

What do you need with a bivvy bag?

With a bivvy bag you need a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat and a dry bag for everything else. The mat goes inside the bivvy bag on most nights, so it can't slide away, and outside it if the bivvy is a tight fit. Kit that would sit in a tent porch goes in a dry bag beside you, or under a tarp.

Where can you bivvy in the UK?

The law treats bivvying as camping. In Scotland, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code allows it on most unenclosed land; on the Dartmoor Commons it's permitted too. Everywhere else in England, Wales and Northern Ireland you need the landowner's permission.

One Man Tents doesn't encourage anyone to break the law. Wild camping rules differ across the UK: it's permitted on most unenclosed land in Scotland under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and on the Dartmoor Commons in England. Elsewhere in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you need the landowner's permission. Always check before you pitch. Wild camping in the UK

A bivvy leaves the lightest mark of any shelter: arrive late, leave early and take everything home. Read how we camp

Put the rest of your kit together

A bivvy bag only works with a warm bag and a mat underneath. Pair it with a 3-season sleeping bag and a sleeping mat with an R-value of at least 3.

Questions people ask

Is a bivvy bag warm?
A bivvy bag adds a little warmth by blocking wind, but it isn't insulation. Your warmth comes from the sleeping bag inside it and the mat underneath.
Is a bivvy bag waterproof?
A good bivvy bag has a waterproof base and a waterproof, breathable top. The opening is its weak point, so in rain pitch a tarp above it or close the hood around your face.
Is a survival bag the same as a bivvy bag?
No. A survival bag is a cheap, non-breathable plastic bag for emergencies. It keeps rain out but traps moisture inside, so it isn't made for sleeping in night after night.