Complete Guide to Bivvy Bag Camping
What to look for in a bivvy bag, how to set one up, and what to wear inside. Covers hooped, ridge and bivi styles for wild camping and backpacking.
Bivvying is camping in its simplest form - lightweight with minimalist gear. It's camping without a tent. Bivvying extends the range of adventures whether you backpack, go by bike or a local overnight trip. But before we go over all that, let's start with some basics.
Everything you need to know about bivvying
- What a bivvy bag is and how it works
- Hooped and non-hooped bivvy bags
- Bivvy bag vs sleeping bag: the key difference
- Bivvy bag vs tent: when to choose each
- Bivvy bag waterproofing explained
- How warm a bivvy bag keeps you
- Stopping condensation in a bivvy bag
- Using a tarp with your bivvy bag
- Groundsheets for bivvy bags: when you need one
- Choosing your spot and setting up
- Summer bivvying: long days and starry nights
- Winter bivvying: gear, prep and what to expect
- Bivvy bags for microadventures
- Where to bivvy in the UK
- Bivvying kit list: what to pack for every sleepout
- More bivvy bag resources
What a bivvy bag is and how it works
Bivvy bags are a little like a waterproof jacket for your sleeping bag. They enable us to sleep as close to nature as possible while maintaining some protection from the elements.
Though any kind of waterproof cover would theoretically work, like any waterproof jacket, they need to have a good level of breathability so you don't get a build-up of condensation. No one wants to wake up to a soggy sleeping bag.
Hooped and non-hooped bivvy bags
Bivvy bags come in two broad styles. A non-hooped bivvy lies flat over your sleeping bag. You zip in and the fabric settles around you, with no poles and no air gap. It's the lightest, smallest option and the one to choose when you're counting grams or want nothing between you and the sky. Our Kloke weighs 285g, and the Hunka 330g.
A hooped bivvy has a short pole at the head end. That lifts the fabric off your face, so condensation runs away from you instead of soaking back in. You can read, sit up a little, and wait out a wet evening without feeling buried. It's heavier and bulkier than a simple bivvy, but still smaller than a one-person tent. Our Elan is a hooped bivvy at 900g.
Choose a non-hooped bivvy for fast, light trips and fair-weather nights. Choose a hooped bivvy for longer trips, exposed mountain nights and British weather that won't make its mind up. Our bivvy bag buying guide compares the whole range, spec by spec.
Bivvy bag vs sleeping bag: the key difference
Bivvy bags are like waterproof jackets for your sleeping bags. Your sleeping bag is the insulation designed to keep you warm. Your bivvy bag is to keep your sleeping bag dry. A dry sleeping bag is a warm sleeping bag. Though they keep rain and wind off, bivvy bags are not specifically designed with warmth in mind.
Bivvy bag vs tent: when to choose each
For weight conscious fastpackers, a bivvy bag is the lightest and tiniest of transportable homes. Our ultra-lightweight Kloke bivvy bag is just 285g. That’s about as heavy as your average pomegranate. And our winter-ready Hunka XL weighs just 500g.
On technical, awkward terrain, a bivvy opens up a world of sleeping opportunities. Tucked into a cranny on a scramble or snuggled into a nook of a cave, bivvies fit where tents can’t.
And for minimalist midweek micro-adventures, a bivvy offers full immersion in the huge, dark sky. You can stargaze until you sleep, feel the elements and wake up with the sunrise.
You have the mountains to yourself, and there's nothing quite like waking up to an autumnal sunrise. The colour of the sun mimics those of the trees. The reds, the oranges, the yellows. Whipping up a cup of tea from inside your warm and cosy sleeping bag while listening to the birds wake up around you sets the mood for the day ahead (another reason we love a mid-week bivvy). What's not to love?
Bivvy bag waterproofing explained
A good bivvy bag is fully waterproof. Our Hunka bivvy bag is made from a waterproof, breathable and now 100% recycled material with fully taped seams. It has a hydrostatic head rating of 10,000mm - the British Standard to define “waterproof” is 1,500mm. For sustained rain, winter or alpine nights, the Kloke doubles that to 20,000mm.
Breathability matters just as much, because your bivvy sits close to your face all night. It's measured as MVTR (moisture vapour transmission rate). 10,000 is adequate; the Kloke's 30,000 moves three times as much moisture out of the bag. We have more tips in our blog post How to bivvy in the rain and stay dry.
How warm a bivvy bag keeps you
Bivvy bags are not insulated like a sleeping bag. However as they are windproof and waterproof they will help prevent heatloss through windchill and evaporation. For this reason they are often carried as an emergency shelter.
Stopping condensation in a bivvy bag
Breathing and sweating are bodily functions that produce moisture that condenses in our sleeping bags, making us feel clammy and cooling us down.
In summer, we sweat. You might get into your bivvy bag feeling cold, but you will naturally warm up throughout the night. Try to avoid overheating by not overdressing before turning in for the night.
To prevent condensation - and ultimately cooling down - from breathing through the night, make sure to breathe outside your bivvy bag. Wear a woolly hat to keep your noggin toasty. On still, damp nights, leave a small gap at the hood so moist air can escape.
Using a tarp with your bivvy bag
Tarps are useful in windy, rainy conditions. A carefully erected tarp can be the difference between a restless sleep and a peaceful one. They’re a lightweight addition to your shelter set up. To help you get started we have written a handy guide with six common ways of setting up your tarp.
Groundsheets for bivvy bags: when you need one
In wetter, colder conditions, you can lose up to 30% of your body heat through the ground. A groundsheet combined with a sleeping mat gives an extra layer of protection against the damp and cold of the ground.
Choosing your spot and setting up
With no tent walls, where you lie matters more than anything you carry. Arrive with enough light to look around properly.
- Find flat, firm ground. Lie down on it before you unpack. A slight slope is fine if your head is uphill.
- Avoid hollows and dips. Rain collects in them, and cold air settles in them overnight.
- Look for shelter from the wind, such as a wall, a boulder or a bank of heather, and turn your feet into the wind so the hood isn't catching it.
- Look up. Avoid dead branches overhead and anywhere below loose rock.
- Get your mat in early. Decide whether it goes inside the bivvy or underneath, then lay out your sleeping bag so it can loft before you climb in.
- Keep everything close. Pack your boots and kit in a dry bag by your head, with your head torch and water within reach of the hood.
If rain is forecast, pitch a tarp first and set up underneath it. It's much easier than wrestling a tarp over a bivvy you're already zipped into.
Long days, starry nights and summer bivvying
Summer is a rewarding time of the year to experience your first bivvy adventure. The weather is generally milder and more predictable in the summer, making bivvying a more pleasant experience. Bivvying can bring you closer to nature, as you'll sleep outdoors with minimal barriers between you and your surroundings. Sleeping in a bivvy bag on a clear summer night offers a fantastic opportunity for star gazing that you wouldn't get with a tent. We have put together a lightweight summer bivvying kit list to get you started.
Winter bivvying: gear, prep and what to expect
Heading out for a winter bivvy may seem a little off the walls to some, but we've found that those who try it once usually end up going back for more! We have put together a guide to winter bivvying with specific information about the best equipment to take.
Bivvy bags are ideal for microadventures
If you're short on time or need to stay close to home, a microadventure might be for you: an overnight trip that fits between the end of one working day and the start of the next. Alpkiteer Al Humphreys has been using our Hunka bivvy bags on his microadventures for years.
In our Night of Adventure webinar, Al was joined by Emma Kingston, author of Bikepacking England, and adventure YouTuber Sarah Leighton. Their top tips for a first microadventure:
- Let your mind wander. Write your ideas down, then go and do one.
- Always pack a Soreen loaf.
- Start off in the garden.
- When bikepacking, never pass a cafe without buying something.
- If you're unsure about wild camping solo, plan a route that ends at a campsite. You get the thrill of the adventure and know you'll finish somewhere safe.
You can watch the full webinar on YouTube.
Start with a garden bivvy
A night in the back garden is the easiest way to try bivvying before you head for the hills. Pack your rucksack properly, as if you were going further: sleeping bag, mat, bivvy, stove, pot, spoon and light. When you find out what you've forgotten, you can nip back inside for it, and you'll have a kit list ready for the real thing. Cook dinner on your camping stove rather than in the kitchen, and see how warm your sleep system really is when the dew comes down. If you're sharing the garden with children, it's a gentle first night out for them too.
Where to bivvy in the UK
Though wild camping isn't actually legal in England and Wales, as long as you are kind and considerate by setting camp after dark and getting up soon after light then you're unlikely to come into any hassle if you choose the right bivvy spot.
Be mindful of where you decide to stay, head a good few metres away from the trail so you stay out of anyone's way, and as always, when you're heading outdoors, follow a strict leave no trace policy so no-one can tell you were even there in the first place. Like a bivvying ninja.
Bivvying kit list: what to pack for every sleepout
Every bivvy adventure is different and depending on where in the world you are and what time of year it is, the exact kit might vary slightly. We've thrown together a list of essentials that we always keep on hand for those last-minute getaways.
1 - Bivvy Bag
Although not necessarily essential for sleeping out in the open, it's worth having one to keep you dry. Tall folk will usually have no choice but to use a large bivvy bag (like the Hunka XL). Less tall folk have a little more choice: you could go for a regular sized Hunka, or buy a larger bivvy bag and put your sleeping mat and kit inside. It's all down to personal preference. If you want to go ultralight and pack small, you could also try the lightweight Kloke.
Generally speaking, bivvy bags offer 'unstructured' shelter, but inevitably, there is always one which bucks the trend. Our Elan hooped bivvy bag takes the best qualities of bivvy bags and adds a small hoop over your head.
2 - Cooking system
An essential for midweek and weekend bivvies alike! Bivviers after lighter loads would usually opt for a minimalist system like the Kraku and MytiMug, whereas those who are after a super quick brew would prefer an integrated system like the Brukit. Either way, you need something to eat with chopsticks might look fancier when you're eating your noodles, but we recommend something a little more versatile when it comes to cutlery, such as the Tifoon.
3 - Tarp
When it's not the rain, it's the wind. Tarps aren't strictly necessary for sleeping out in the open, but you won't regret having one when the weather comes in.
We recommend opting for a tarp with a plethora of attachment points, including risers, for ease of use and a wider range of configurations. The Rig 7 is our favourite, as you can fit a friend under it too! But the Rig 3.5 is the solution for solo sleepouts.
See our Tarp Top Tips for some inspiration from our resident tarpologists.
4 - Sleeping Mat
The key to a good night's sleep is a comfy bed (or at least that's what all those mattress adverts say, and who are we to argue with them?).
There are a few considerations when it comes to choosing your sleeping mat. Some bivviers prefer to put their mat under their bivvy bag, whilst other prefer to keep it inside for protection from rocks and the elements. It's up to you to decide what you find more comfortable, but bear in mind that your sleeping mat shouldn't be too wide for your bivvy bag. Our staff picks are the Numo and Cloud Base for lightweight nights out, and Airo 180. All of these fit inside our Hunka XL!
5 - Sleeping Bag
There's nothing worse than being cold on a sleep out - especially when it means you don't get a good night's sleep! We've got some tips for choosing a sleeping bag. The PipeDream 400 is our go-to all-round sleeping bag for use close to home, but for wintry bivvies, we go for high-performance warmth like the AlpineDream.
6 - Lighting
Whether you're reading a book, cooking dinner, or adjusting your tarp configuration, it's worth shedding some light on the situation. Lighting is essential when you're out and about at night; we recommend taking a head torch to keep your hands free.
From camping lanterns to lumen bazookas, make sure you choose the right head torch for the adventure.
7 - Dry Bag
Your dry bag is a must for keeping your stuff (or feet!) dry. It also doubles up as a pillow once everything is inside - neat!
More bivvy bag resources
Ready to choose? Our bivvy bag buying guide compares weights, waterproof ratings and breathability across the range. For wet nights, read how to stay dry bivvying in the rain.
Who your purchase supports
"The award has helped to foster the spirit of adventure, teamwork and independence... Many are also taking an interest in overseas expeditions."Flying towards DofE expeditions →
More bivvy guides
- How to be a creative bivviest - tips for introducing friends to bivvying
- Ultralight bivvy setups - choosing and using the lightest kit
- 3-season bivvy gear - kit list for spring bivvying
- The Elan hooped bivvy bag - the design story behind our hooped bivvy
- Getting ready for your first spring camp - gear up for early season adventures
- Tame your wild camp - a guide to wild camping for expeditions
Your next reads
