The Escape Bivvy from Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) is a breathable, water resistant and heat reflective backcountry shelter.
Escape Bivvy Material
This ultra-thin sleeping bag-like shelter is made of a revolutionary material that reflects 75% of your body heat yet is breathable enough to keep condensation from building up on the inside of the bag. Translation: it keeps your body heat in, lets sweat out and keeps out moisture to keep you warm, dry, and safe increasing the likelihood of you getting out of your adventure unscathed. The spun-bonded olefin material is thin yet durable and feels almost like a Tyvek material that is tear and rip resistant.
Size & Features of the Escape Bivvy
While the Escape Bivvy isn’t the smallest shelter, especially if it is being used solely as an emergency shelter, it packs a lot into a relatively small package at 8.5 ounces and roughly the size of a 32 ounce Nalgene bottle. It features a drawstring hood closure and a side zip so you can seal out the elements more effectively. When rolled out, the Escape Bivvy is pretty sizable and although it wasn’t a roomy fit, at 6’2″ with broad shoulders, I was able to fully get inside of it and put the hood up leaving very little of myself exposed to the elements.
Uses for the Escape Bivvy
The Escape Bivvy could potentially be used as a stand alone backcountry shelter, but that wouldn’t be my primary use and is not the situation in which I tested it. I have been and plan to continue using it as an emergency shelter for long backcountry adventures. Having been in situations where wrong turns, mechanical issues, or injuries had me wondering if I was going to make it off trail before the cold dark night set in, having the SOL Escape Bivvy is reassuring that I’ll make it through the night if need be. I have thrown it my mountain bike hydration pack on epic high-country Colorado rides and have used it in my backcountry ski pack on longer tours or hut trips. Again, it isn’t the smallest or lightest emergency shelter, but the breathability and reflective aluminum coating would make a bad situation a bit more tolerable if worse came to worse.
Overview
Bottom line on the Escape Bivvy is that it may not get a ton of use on a regular basis, but when it does you’ll appreciate the technology and features when you most need it. I’ll continue to toss it in my back in place of a traditional space blanket on days when a big adventure is in store. More info can be found at www.rei.com or www.amazon.com/solbivy.
