We also managed to fit our rucksack down at the bottom of the bag – the length is 250cm in total which is about optimum for bivvys. In our tests, we had minimal condensation in the morning after an overnighter – a small amount of moisture is pretty much guaranteed with any bivvy bag – we found the Highlander Hawk perfectly acceptable on that front.

In summary, although it is highly expensive and rivalling some of the better one person tents as a purchase, the Rab Ridge Raider has the best performance of any bivvy bag we’ve tested. The Highlander Hawk bivi bag packs into a tiny 37 x 12cm ripstop stuff sack, making it brilliant for all kinds of adventures.

The fly sheet is 5000mm waterproof and the bivy tent has two ventilation windows – one behind your head, one at your feet and there is also a big side door which can be left partially unzipped. We recently reviewed the OEX Bush Pro Bivvi and feel we have to include it in this roundup of the best bivvy bag choices. It was wonderful to see the stars, and I recommend reading this great stargazing guide if that’s of interest to you. Its a very spacious little thing, and well ventilated to minimise condensation, but you will get some. The hood area can be zipped up to obtain complete coverage at night, although this does increase the chances of condensation forming inside.

Sign up here to receive marketing communications from GO Outdoors Retail Limited (t/a Fishing Republic).I do wonder if the Oex Bush Pro would be safer from bears in the sense of always being able to use the bear spray because you are never inside a tent. The larger the surface area of the tent or bivvi, the more inconsiderate this might be to air and dry it in a cramped hostel bunk room, which will in a few cases be packed full of migrant workers. The top layer material is unfortunately not breathable and so condensation is likely to be a bit of an issue – it should be noted though that we have not found a single bivvi bag which does not suffer from this problem slightly if fully done up and you’re inside breathing all night. Even when pitching a tent is possible, some campers favour the bivy bag to save weight and space in their pack, and save time when trekking or running from point A to point B as fast as they can. The Mountain Warehouse bivvy packs down into a 23 x 11 x 8 cm bag and comes with a stuff sack included.

Our technique is to get it all set up with the head section fully unzipped, then undo our boots and literally step out of the boots one at a time onto the top end of the bivvy. A fantastic company based in Seattle on the West Coast of the USA, they have continuously been at the height of innovation and quality since their inception in the early 1980s. Yes if a bear did find me one night and the pepper spray worked I doubt I could sleep anymore that night, I would probably pack up and find the nearest village with a park bench and sleep there instead.What is the deal with very small tents (or bivvy bags with supporting poles) vs more basic bivvi bags in regards to safety from bears and dogs, including from a situational awareness perspective? If the hostel is in an urban centre, it may not have a garden to air the bivvi or small tent outdoors. If the weather takes a sudden turn for the worst, then the Bush Pro Bivvi is a life-support that weight less than half a kilo. When there's a breeze, you can set it up so there's plenty of venting, or leave the porch side wide open. The Bush Pro Bivvi is a waterproof defence against the weather that weighs less than a lot of standard sleeping bags.

The inside mesh layer has 1600 holes per square inch and will stop any bugs from disturbing your evening’s relaxation. My friend swears by this and I've read about a cycle tourer finding one invaluable/life saving in Turkey. They are very lightweight, but it must be said that the total combined weight of the bivvy is not the lowest at 1.Turkey is huge and has innumerable sights worth visiting so it depends on your interests, the Lycian Way is a popular trail. A bivi bag can be a real joy in the right conditions but utter misery when the weather turns against you.