Finest Bivy Sacks, Bug Bivies, and Web Tents for Ultralight Backpacking

There are three various kinds of ultralight bug shelters appropriate for cowboy tenting, sleeping in a lean-to, or beneath a flat tarp or a pyramid tarp: bivy sacks, bug bivies, and web tents. All of them have their execs and cons, however that’s true of all ultralight backpacking gear. Whereas bivy sacks are confining, they supply wonderful insect safety. Bug bivies normally supply extra residing house, however are typically tougher to get out and in of and should be used with a tarp or trekking poles. Web tents supply essentially the most residing house, but additionally are typically the heaviest choice. For a deeper dialogue of those concerns and tradeoff, see our Ultralight Backpacking Bug Shelter Choice Information beneath.

With these elements in thoughts, listed below are our high bug shelters for ultralight backpacking that we advocate.

Make / Mannequin	Sort	Weight	Worth
Katabatic Gear Pinon Bivy	Bivy Sack	7.3 oz / 207g	$139
Borah Ultralight Bivy	Bivy Sack	5.0 oz / 142 g	$105
Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy	Bivy Sack	5.5 oz / 156 g	$185
Paria Out of doors Breeze Bivy	Bug Bivy	13 oz / 369g	$70
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Bug Bivy	Bug Bivy	5.7 oz / 162g	$250
Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Bivy	Bug Bivy	6.5 oz / 184g	$140
Six Moon Designs Serenity Web Tent	Web Tent	11 oz / 312g	$150
Out of doors Analysis Bug Bivy	Bug Bivy	16 oz / 454g	$99
SlingFin SplitWing Mesh Physique	Web Tent	11.2 oz / 318g	$145
Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter	Web Tent	9.3 oz / 272g	$159

1. Katabatic Gear Pinon Bivy

The Katabatic Gear Piñon Bivy supplies a water-proof ground with a water resistant higher to guard your quilt from spray and mist. It has an extra-large mesh window and lengthy U-shaped zipper extending from waist degree throughout the highest, permitting for straightforward entry and exit. It’s designed to work nicely with each pyramid shelters and tarps. Katabatic Gear additionally makes the Bristlecone Bivy which has a smaller mesh window that’s higher for cooler climate however has the identical U-shaped zipper for straightforward entry or exit.

2. Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy

The Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy is an ultralight bivy sack with a water-proof silnylon ground, mesh noseeum netting over the face and head, and a breathable and water resistant high cloth, both Argon 67 Argon 90, that gives sufficient insect safety that it may be used as a bug-proof sheet in scorching climate. The bivy has a horizontal zipper over the chest for entry. A grosgrain pull-loop can be utilized to droop the mesh out of your shelter and features a shock wire. A number of lengths and widths can be found. Learn the SectionHiker Borah Bug Bivy Overview.

3. Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy Sack

The Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) Superlight Bivy Sack is a water resistant bivy bag that’s accessible in a number of totally different variations: with or with out full head netting, with a water-proof silnylon or Dyneema DCF ground, a left-side or right-side zipper, in a number of colours, lengths, and widths. The highest cloth is a breathable, insect-proof 10 denier nylon with a 3X DWR coating for enhanced moisture safety whereas a high gear loop enables you to droop the netting off your face for higher air flow and luxury. Learn our Mountain Laurel Designs Superlight Bivy Sack Overview.

4. Paria Out of doors Breeze Mesh Bivy

The Paria Out of doors Breeze Mesh Bivy has a mesh cover with a 9-inch deep tub-style ground to guard you from wind, splashback, and biting bugs. Whereas the cover sides are mesh, the back and front finish partitions are made out of strong rip-stop nylon, offering extra wind safety and privateness. The ground and sidewalls are made with 30 Denier ripstop silnylon which has a Sili/PU dual-coating and totally taped seams, offering 5,000 mm of hydro-static resistance. There’s a zipper entry on the highest ridgeline. Learn the SectionHiker Paria Breeze Mesh Bivy Overview.

5. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Bug Bivy

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Bug Bivy is a spacious bug bivy that has multipple attachment factors on high for pitching with or with no tarp or shelter. It has a seam-sealed 9 inch deep Dyneema DCF 9 bathtub ground for moisture management and a NoSeeUm mesh higher for breathability and bug safety with 4 nook tieouts. Weighing 5.7 oz, it’s 72 inches lengthy with a tapered ground plan that’s 24″ on the head finish and 18″ huge on the foot. If you would like extra safety, Hyperlite additionally presents the Splash Bivy, which provides a partial nylon overlaying over the mesh for wind and splashback safety below a tarp shelter

6. Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Bivy

The Mountain Laurel Designs Bug Bivy is an all mesh bug bivy with a 3″ bathtub ground. It has two ridgeline tie-out to attach it to a tarp in addition to nook stake out factors. Entry is thru the highest through a zippered door on the ridgeline. A second mannequin, the Bug Bivy 2, can be accessible with a 5″ deep bathtub ground if you happen to desire extra wind, splashback, or insect safety. Learn the SectionHiker MLD Bug Bivy evaluate.

7. Six Moon Designs Serenity Web Tent

The Six Moons Serenity Web Tent might be arrange by itself with trekking poles, hung from a rafter in a lean-to, or beneath all kinds of tarps. It has a peak peak of 45″ with loads of headroom so you may sit up inside or change garments. The pinnacle and foot ends are 8″ excessive to assist hold the netting off your head and toes, whereas a 3″ bathtub ground retains you dry. The tent has nook stake-out loops and a big facet door for straightforward entry.

8. Out of doors Analysis Bug Bivy

The Out of doors Analysis Bug Bivy is a 16 oz bivy sack with a water-proof ground that works nicely below an A-frame tarp pitch. A brief fiberglass pole holds the mesh away out of your face, preserving the bugs at a distance, whereas the entrance zipper opening seals out mosquitoes and different small bugs. A water-proof ground retains the moist floor from soaking by means of your bag. Stake loops across the perimeter allow you to safe the bivy to the bottom whereas inside sleeping pad straps assist hold your sleep system from shifting at evening.

9. SlingFin SplitWing Mesh Physique

The SlingFin Mesh Physique is appropriate with any tarp, mid, or as a standalone bivy sack held up by trekking poles. It’s additionally accessible by itself or as a part of the SlingFin SplitWing Bundle. Weighing 11.2 oz, it’s roomy for one individual and may even match two associates, with nook guylines, ridgeline guylines, and inside ceiling o-rings for hanging gear or a clothesline. Entry is thru the entrance zippered entry. Learn the SectionHiker SplitWing Bundle Overview which fits into element concerning the Mesh Physique as nicely.

10. Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter

Whereas the Yama Mountain Gear 1P Bug Shelter is designed to be used below Yama’s tarps, it can be pitched by itself utilizing trekking poles or below virtually every other tarp shelter. The 1P Bug Shelter can be accessible in an assorted variety of materials mixtures, together with Dyneema DCF. The 1P Bug Shelter has a mesh cover and a tub ground that’s 10″ deep alongside the edges. Entry us by means of a big entrance door, whereas peak peak is 40″ on the head finish and 25″ on the foot finish. Arrange requires two poles and 4-6 stakes. Learn the SectionHiker YMG Cirriform DW-1 Tarp Overview.

Ultralight Backpacking Bug Shelter Choice Information

Bug Shelter Sorts: Execs, and Cons

Ultralight bug shelters might be bivy sacks (meant for heat climate use), bug bivies, or web tents. You can too repurpose the internal tent of a double-wall tent though it is going to be a lot heavier and awkward to make use of in additional constrained areas.

Bivy Sacks

Ultralight bivy sacks would not have waterproof tops as a result of they meant for use in dry circumstances below a separate waterproof shelter in non-winter circumstances. Most have mesh hoods for insect safety and luxury with a strong, extremely breathable cloth, overlaying the torso and legs. A water-proof ground is usually included as comfort together with a zipper or drawstring closure. Grosgrain loops are normally included to droop the mesh overhead with wire and to stake out the bivy sack corners. Bivy sacks made totally with mesh tops might be problematic as a result of bugs can chew by means of the mesh in case you are sleeping on high of your quilt or sleeping bag in scorching climate as an alternative of inside or below them.

Benefits
- Present wind and splashback safety below tarps. (Splashback is when water bounces off the bottom close to a tarp and again at you.)
- Good for insect and dew safety when cowboy tenting below the celebrities.
- Straightforward to make use of in a lean-to as a result of they are often suspended from rafters and take no extra room.
- Present inflatable sleeping bag safety when a pad is used inside bivy sack.
- They can be utilized like a sheet for insect safety in scorching climate.
Disadvantages
- Extra claustrophobic than options
- Low to the bottom so much less waterproof in opposition to pooling water

Bug Bivies

Bug bivies (to not be confused by all mesh bivy sacks that some producers name bug bivies) are just like bivy sacks however have sidewalls and should be suspended overhead utilizing trekking poles or an overhead shelter. They’re normally supplied with a water-proof ground. Many include high zippers on the ridgeline which generally is a little tough to get out and in of relying in your stand and talent to steadiness whereas stepping out of them.

Benefits
- Extra residing house
- Should be suspended on the ends utilizing trekking poles or overlaying tarp
- Larger sidewalls present higher insect and water safety.
Disadvantages
- Prime door entry might be awkward.
- Heavier than a bivy sack.
- Tougher to make use of in a crowded lean-to.

Web Tents

Web tents are the equal of an internal tent from a double-wall tent however are normally designed to be arrange utilizing trekking poles and staked out on the corners. as an alternative. Web tents have waterproof flooring and a zippered entrance. In case you are planning to mix a web tent with a tarp, it’s necessary to ensure that the door areas align correctly for ease of entry.

Benefits
- A number of headroom so you may sit up inside and alter clothes.
Disadvantages
- Heavier than bivy sacks or bug bivies.
- Tougher to make use of in a crowded lean-to, particularly if they’ve a facet door.

Zipper Location

On bivy shelters with zippers, it’s typically extra handy to have a facet zipper or one on the head finish than a zipper that runs lengthwise down the middle. In the event you’re sleeping below a tarp, there’s going to be restricted headroom beneath it, notably in inclement climate when it’s pitched low to the bottom for extra wind and rain safety. Bivy sacks with facet zippers and massive bivies with finish doorways are simpler to get out of in comparison with bivy sacks with middle zippers or bug bivies with high zippers within the ridgeline.

Bathtub Ground and Sidewall Depth

If you must sleep on high of your sleep insulation on scorching nights, bugs can nonetheless chew you thru the mesh if you happen to are available contact with it. In the event you sleep on a 2″, 3″, or 4″ excessive inflatable pad, you may take into account selecting a shelter with larger sidewalls made with strong insect-proof cloth as an alternative of mesh,

Breathable materials

When selecting a bivy sack, attempt to get one with a extremely breathable high cloth to assist scale back the prospect of inside condensation contained in the bivy again. Keep away from shopping for a bivy sack with a water-proof/breathable high cloth for heat climate use as a result of they’re rather more liable to inside condensation.

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