Earlier this summer, a good friend of mine was hiking with her boyfriend. They were traveling off trail, the sun was setting, and the terrain was extremely rocky. They weren’t comfortable scrambling down the rocks with just headlamps, and decided to bivouac! They spent an unintended night in the wilderness without a tent or sleeping bag, and just the equipment that was in their daypacks. They managed ok, but they now both own bivy sacks!
A bivy sack is a small, water repellent shelter that can be used for emergency purposes. Some backpackers looking to shave pounds off their pack weight substitute a bivy sack for a tent.
Hiking Lady Video review of the Brooks Range Alpini Bivy Sack
The Brooks Range Ultralite Alpini Bivy Sack Put to the Test
I want piece of mind when I hike, and now hike with a bivy sack on long day hikes in unfamiliar areas. I put this Brooks Range Ultralite Alpini Bivy Sack to the test in an overnight simulation of truly bivouacking. I brought along my 40 degree summer sleeping bag, but no sleeping pad.
Did the Hiking Lady survive a night in a bivy sack?!
Yes! And I actually slept for several hours! I expected to the bivy to feel claustrophobic, but the big yellow cowl proved to be very breathable. Plus, light was able to come through, so it felt less claustrophobic.
The night was relatively windless, with low humidity and cool temperatures (low of 40 degrees), so the material stayed propped away from my face. In the morning there was a slight bit of condensation on the inside of the cowl, but far less than I had expected. My 40 degree sleeping bag is a 750-fill down bag, and combined with the bivy I did not get cold.
The Best Features of the Brooks Range Ultralite Alpini Bivy
- Truly ultralight. This bivy sack weighs less than a pack of butter. It is just 15 ounces (410 grams)!
- Compact and packable. It stuffs into its own clam shell storage bag, similar to many down jackets. Very convenient!
- Very roomy. Unless you’re a very large person, this bivy sack will fit most people and their sleeping bags. It is 42 inches wide and 98 inches long.
- Suitable for sub zero temperatures. It is designed for use in alpine conditions, which means it will be a nice addition this winter for some of the snowshoeing and mountaineering trips I’m planning!
- Water resistant. Because this is designed for alpine environments, it isn’t a waterproof bivy sack. The floor is totally waterproof, but the top is just water resistant. That makes it even more breathable, which is probably why I had very little condensation on the inside after a full night in the bivy sack.
I did a quick waterproofness test. I know that this sack isn’t intended to be used in wet conditions, but I always like to test the extremes, so I know the limitations of my equipment. Bottom line: the Brooks Range Alpini can handle a light rain or snow shower, but if the forecast calls for rain you’ll want a fully waterproof (but likely less breathable) bivy sack.
Despite an expensive price tag (all bivys are pricey, and this one is actually a great value for the quality), I love the piece of mind of having this bivy sack with me, even if for that just in case scenario…And it is great if you’re willing to leave your tent at home and just take a bivy sack instead!
