Emergency Sleeping Bag, Waterproof Thermal Bivy Sack | Retains 90% body heat • Reusable design • Weighs 6 oz • Waterproof & windproof • For Hiking &...
Features
| Occupancy | 1 Person |
| Seasons | Winter |
| Temperature Rating | Below minus 5 degree Celsius |
| Sport Type | Camping, Climbing, Fishing, Hunting, Mountaineering |
| Additional Features | Foldable, Lightweight, Reversible, Windproof |
| Closure Type | open |
| Material | Polypropylene |
| Fill Material Type | Polyester |
| ShellMaterial | Polyester |
| Color | Orange |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Brand Name | Sierra Madre |
| Age Range Description | Adult |
| UPC | 860013443009 |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Included Components | Sleeping Bag |
| Model Number | ESP-1 |
| Manufacturer | Sierra Madre |
| Warranty Description | 2 Year Manufacturer Warranty |
| ASIN | B0DY2YM8PN |
| Item Dimensions L x W | 84"L x 36"W |
| Size | Pack of 1 |
- STAY WARM IN ANY EMERGENCY: Designed for survival in extreme conditions, Sierra Madre’s thermal bivy sack reflects 90% of body heat, keeping you warmer for longer in cold weather. Ideal for survival kits, bug-out bags, camping, and hiking.
- WATERPROOF & WINDPROOF PROTECTION: Mylar was originally designed as a tear-resistant, insulating material by NASA for space exploration. Our durable PET emergency sleeping bag shields you from rain, wind, and snow, ensuring you stay dry and warm no matter the conditions.
- ULTRALIGHT WITH FULL COVERAGE: Weighing just 6 ounces, this survival bivy sack packs down small, fitting effortlessly into any backpack, glove compartment, or emergency kit for easy portability. Despite its light weight, our bag is larger for full coverage, fitting more body types comfortably.
- DURABLE & REUSABLE: Unlike flimsy emergency space blankets, our survival bag is tough enough for multiple uses. Just fold it up and store it back in the drawstring stuff sack for your next adventure.
- VERSATILE USE - A SURVIVAL ESSENTIAL: According to the Red Cross, the elements are the #1 killer in any crisis situation. Whether you're a backpacker, hiker, prepper, or a parent, the Sierra Madre Emergency Sleeping Bag is a must-have—because safety should never be an afterthought.
SURVIVE Survival Tent with Doors, 2 Person Mylar Emergency Camping Hiking Shelter for Survival Kits, All Weather Thermal Protection, Includes 22 ft of...
Features
| Occupancy | 2 Person |
| Seasons | 4 Season |
| Occupant Capacity | 2 |
| Installation Type | Free Standing |
| Closure Type | Flap |
| Water Resistance Level | Water Resistant |
| Number of Rooms | 1 |
| Is Waterproof | true |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Tent Design | Personal Emergency Tent |
| Color | Orange |
| Material Type | Polyethylene |
| Product Care Instructions | Hand Wash |
| Tent Floor Material | Polyethylene |
| Rainfly Material | Mylar |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 92"L x 40"W x 34"H |
| Item Weight | 11 ounces |
| Floor Width | 40 inches |
| Size | 2 Person |
| Floor Length | 92 inches |
| Floor Area | 25.5 square_feet |
| Minimum Trail Weight | 11 ounces |
| Brand Name | SURVIVE |
| Recommended Use | Camping & Hiking |
| Included Components | Paracord and Whistle |
| Warranty Description | 1 year |
| UPC | 716987786430 |
| Model Name | Survival Tent |
| Manufacturer | Survive |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| ASIN | B0FWVPYBB7 |
- PERFECT GIFT for yourself and loved ones for camping, hiking or hunting. Help your family and friends be prepared to survive in emergency situations. Teach your kids important survival skills with these essential survival items included with this Survival Tent!
- THE TENT HAS DOORS ON BOTH SIDES. Use a rock to close up the doors on both sides. The doors will keep you warm and out of the wind, rain and snow.
- WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. Packed Size: Ø3 x 6 inches, weight: 11.0 oz.
- 3 IN 1 items: Mylar space blanket material Tent, Emergency whistle, 22 Ft of Paracord
- MULTIFUNCTIONAL: Military grade paracord can be used for shelter, secure your items on your bag, or to set traps. Mylar tent can be used as shelter or a survival sleeping bag or blanket. Whistle used to be heard from far distance, helps to be found easier by rescuers.
A shelter that disappears in a side pocket can become a very long night.
The trouble often starts after a wrong turn, a soaked layer, or a pace slowed by fading light—when the daypack is already packed tightly and stopping was never part of the plan. In that moment, pack volume matters only if the shelter can meaningfully reduce heat loss and block the conditions actually present.
A reflective emergency bivy is exceptionally compact and suits short, solo exposure when wind and precipitation are limited or a natural windbreak is available. It can trap warmth, but condensation, restricted movement, and fragile film become more consequential over hours. A two-person mylar tent takes more room yet can shelter two bodies, provide a larger air space, and make a delayed exit less punishing; it also needs a suitable anchor line or improvised setup. The right minimum depends on expected weather, terrain, companion count, spare insulation, and how long an unplanned stop could last.
Pick the enclosure that matches the delay
| Listed weight | Occupants | Packed size | Wind protection | Ground insulation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ultralight Waterproof Thermal Emergency Bivy Smallest solo carry | 6 oz | 1 person | Not listed | Windproof shell | Separate layer needed | View |
|
Two-Person Mylar Survival Tent With Extras More livable shared shelter | 11 oz | 2 people | 3 × 6 in | Closable doors | Separate layer needed | View |
A reflective shell is only one part of the heat balance
- Radiant loss
Reflective film can return some infrared radiation when it faces a warm body with a small air gap. It does not create heat, and its benefit drops when clothing or film is pressed wet against the skin.
- Convective loss
Wind strips away the warmed air around clothing. A sealed bivy or well-pitched tent matters most when it blocks drafts without becoming a rain-catching bowl.
- Conductive loss
Cold ground draws heat continuously through clothing and shelter fabric. Neither the Ultralight Waterproof Thermal Emergency Bivy nor the Two-Person Mylar Survival Tent substitutes for a foam pad or other ground barrier.
- Evaporative loss
Rain, snow, sweat, and wet clothing consume substantial body heat as moisture evaporates. Waterproofness helps only if the enclosure also limits direct wetting and permits manageable ventilation.
- Condensation
A nearly vapor-tight reflective enclosure can collect interior moisture. Space to vent, change position, and keep insulation dry can matter more than a smaller packed bundle.
Compare the shelter with the gear that makes it work
- Ground layer carried alongside itA compact bivy can be an efficient wind and rain shell, but its practical warmth depends heavily on the pad, pack, spare clothing, or natural insulating layer beneath the occupant.Look forA credible ground-insulation plan included in total carried weight.AvoidTreating reflective fabric as protection from conductive ground loss.
- Dryness and usable interior volumeThe two-person tent’s extra room can keep two people, packs, and clothing less compressed, while a close bivy reduces exposed air volume. Either arrangement can become less effective once wet clothing and condensation dominate.Look forVentable coverage with room to protect critical insulation.AvoidA tightly sealed enclosure with no moisture-management option.
A palm-size emergency bivy may be the lighter shell, yet the warmer carried system can be the one that includes ground insulation, dry layers, and a way to manage moisture. Shared body heat can improve a two-person tent’s margins, but it also raises humidity; ventilation and dry clothing still determine whether that advantage lasts.
Sierra Madre thermal bivy for always-carried backup
Best for maximum warmth with minimal pack weight
This one-person reflective bivy is built for the hiker who treats an emergency enclosure as standard pack insurance rather than planned overnight lodging. At a listed 6 ounces, it is small enough to remain plausible on short walks as well as long, remote days.
Its bag shape is the point: there are no poles, guylines, or broad panels to manage when conditions make fine motor tasks and site work difficult. Once inside, the small enclosed volume leaves comparatively little body area exposed to moving air.
- Six-ounce listed carry weight
- No poles or guylines to deploy
- Low exposed area blocks wind effectively
- Waterproof reflective shell
- Close cut restricts movement
- Condensation can build quickly
- Open end needs careful orientation
- No insulation beneath the body
In brief A notably compact contingency shelter for one person. Its speed and coverage matter most during an unexpected stationary stop, not as a comfortable camp system.
| Capacity | 1 person |
| Weight | 6 oz listed |
| Material | Reflective PET film |
| Weather barrier | Waterproof, windproof |
| Heat reflection | Up to 90% claimed |
| Entry | Open-end sack |
| Design | Reusable |
For solo hikers, this is a compelling carry-every-outing shelter: deployment is essentially opening the sack and getting inside. The tight envelope reduces convective exposure, but that same geometry makes damp clothing, breathing moisture, and prolonged stillness increasingly uncomfortable. It works most credibly alongside dry layers and a barrier or insulation beneath the body.
SURVIVE two-person mylar tent for paired delays
Best for shared emergency shelter and versatile survival gear
This is a thin-film, cord-supported emergency enclosure rather than a conventional backpacking tent. Its value appears when two hikers can share the carry, sit out a weather delay together, and keep essential tasks—sorting layers, tending a stove where conditions allow, or organizing gear—out of direct wind.
The supplied 22-foot paracord makes the package more self-contained, but the shelter still depends on suitable anchor points and a setup that puts its closed end into the wind.
- Room for two people and critical gear
- Two doors can reduce awkward entry
- Paracord and whistle included
- Weight can be split between partners
- Requires anchors and deliberate pitching
- Thin mylar is vulnerable to punctures
- More exposed area than a bivy
- Setup takes longer in wind or darkness
Quick take A compact shared system with more usable protected space than a bivy, provided the group can find anchors and pitch it before conditions become difficult.
| Capacity | 2 people |
| Listed weight | 11 oz |
| Packed size | 3 × 6 in |
| Paracord | 22 ft |
| Material | Mylar film |
| Access | Two flap doors |
For a pair, this tent can turn an emergency wrap into a small working space and divide the carried weight. Its warmth is conditional on the pitch: use available anchors, present the narrow/closed end toward prevailing wind, and seal the door flaps without tearing the film. A rushed setup on exposed ground can leave the extra volume colder and less useful than a fast-deployed bivy.
Field setup decides the outcome
A printed warmth claim says little about a shelter pitched on saturated ground. It is also unclear for shelters left open to gusts.
Additionally, choose a spot away from drainage channels. Additionally, place the shelter behind a natural windbreak, and clear sharp debris before spreading the film.
A foam sit pad, pack, spare clothing, or dry vegetation beneath the torso can matter more. It matters more than a small difference in reflective coating.
For a bivy, keep the opening as small as comfort permits and treat it as the smallest emergency shelter.
However, a two-person mylar tent needs its windward door or end secured low.
Loose cord and broad, flat panels quickly lose their insulating air space.
Leave a small high opening when conditions allow, since condensation can wet clothing.
A mylar blanket versus a bivy in mild emergencies is mainly about enclosure.
In this comparison, a blanket blocks radiant loss only when it stays wrapped.
A bivy forms a low‑volume wind shell.
For the smallest emergency shelter, neither is dependable ground insulation or a substitute for dry layers.
Common assumptions under field conditions
Seams, openings, abrasion, and pooled water can admit moisture.
They are usually water-resistant shells, not fully engineered rain shelters.
It can retain more shared body heat, but also encloses more cold air.
Warmth improves when occupants fit closely and wind is excluded.
A bivy encloses the body; a blanket remains an open wrap or reflector.
The enclosure reduces convective heat loss but increases condensation risk.
Match the shelter to the trip
For a fast-and-light solo day hike, the Ultralight Waterproof Thermal Emergency Bivy is the most rational always-carried layer.
Additionally, it has little bulk, fast deployment, and less interior air to warm.
However, for paired shoulder-season outings, this smallest emergency shelter, the Two-Person Mylar Survival Tent With Extras, justifies its added weight.
Two occupants share warmth and tasks.
Its cord and dual entries make a windbreak, provided anchors and insulating layers support both people.
Conditions that change the choice
- Exposed ridges: prioritize the smallest wind-sealed profile. A bivy often presents fewer failure points than a broad tarp-like tent.
- Humid forests: favor ventilation and a site above saturated ground; both reflective shelters can accumulate condensation, but a roomier tent allows more separation from wet walls.
- Group travel: one two-person tent is not a group shelter. Carry enough enclosures, insulation, and repair material for the party’s likely separation or delay.
No option replaces a planned sleeping bag or quilt.
Sleeping pad and weather-appropriate shelter are also not provided when an overnight is foreseeable.
A five-minute pre-trail shelter check
-
Open and inspect the shelter
Check film, seams, corners, doors, cord, and sack for pinholes, tears, or failed tape. Damage is easier to address before wind and rain arrive.
-
Rehearse deployment with cold hands
Practice opening, orienting, and securing the shelter while wearing gloves. A packed bivy and a cord-rigged tent have very different failure points.
-
Pack insulation alongside it
Keep a sit pad, foam panel, or other ground barrier accessible, plus dry insulating clothing. Reflective material cannot stop conductive heat loss into cold ground.
-
Store it within reach
Place the shelter where it can be reached without unloading the pack, especially when weather is changeable.
-
Inspect again after use
Dry the shelter fully, remove grit, and examine stressed tie-outs and folds before repacking.
Emergency Hiker Shelters: Common Questions
Is an emergency bivy the same thing as a mylar blanket?
No. A bivy encloses the body like a sack, which reduces convective heat loss but increases condensation risk, while a blanket remains an open wrap or reflector that blocks radiant loss only where it stays wrapped against the body.
Does a reflective shelter replace the need for ground insulation?
No. Neither a solo bivy nor a two-person mylar tent stops conductive heat loss into cold ground. A foam pad, pack, spare clothing, or dry vegetation placed beneath the body still matters as much as the shelter itself.
Is a two-person emergency shelter automatically twice as warm as a solo one?
Not automatically. It can retain more shared body heat, but it also encloses more cold air. Warmth improves mainly when occupants fit closely together and wind is excluded through a proper pitch.
Are emergency reflective shelters fully waterproof in any storm?
Not reliably. Seams, openings, abrasion, and pooled water can let moisture in, so they generally function as water-resistant shells rather than fully engineered rain shelters. Site drainage and pitch quality make a real difference.
How can condensation be managed inside a sealed emergency shelter?
Leaving a small high opening when conditions allow helps vent moisture that would otherwise wet clothing during a long wait. A roomier two-person tent also allows more separation from damp walls than a close-fitting bivy.
Small shelter, complete plan
- Capacity and exposure matter as much as packed weight.
- A post-use check preserves reliability for the next delay.
The smallest workable shelter is the one that can be deployed quickly, covers the actual party, and fits the likely wind, wetness, and waiting time. A solo reflective bivy may suit an always-carried backup; a two-person tent can make more sense when shared protection and cord anchoring are realistic.
Shelter film is only one layer of the system. Ground insulation, dry clothing, accessible packing, and practiced setup determine whether its compact size remains an advantage when conditions deteriorate.
9 Comments
The cold-hand rehearsal suggestion is excellent. I opened a mylar shelter once in wind with numb fingers and turned it into a very expensive shiny flag.
I’m skeptical of calling the two-person option 11 ounces if the practical kit also needs spare cord, stakes or natural anchors, and some kind of ground layer. Still, for two people waiting out rain, I can see the appeal.
That is a fair criticism. The listed shelter weight is not the whole system weight; a ground layer and insulation should be considered separately. The included cord helps, but the tent works best when the route offers usable trees, rocks, or other anchors rather than assuming a perfect campsite.
Good checklist. I just moved my emergency bivy from the bottom of my pack to the outer pocket after reading this. “Always carried” doesn’t count for much when it’s buried under lunch, rain gear, and a week’s worth of mystery receipts.
For humid eastern trails, would you favor the tent simply because it can be vented at both ends? I usually hike with my teenage son, and an emergency delay is more likely to be rain plus wind than deep cold.
We already carry short closed-cell pads, so the ground issue is covered. I’m trying to decide whether the extra five ounces is worth it.
With two people, existing pads, and likely wet delays, the two-person tent is the more sensible match if you can reasonably expect anchor points. The extra room and dual-door ventilation can make a long wait less damp and less miserable. If your routes often include exposed terrain without trees or secure anchors, the bivies may be more reliable as individual backups.
Really glad you emphasized that reflective material does not magically make a cold ground disappear. I see “thermal” and people act like they packed a furnace. A sit pad or even a small folded CCF panel is the part I’d hate to leave behind.
I keep going back and forth on the Ultralight Waterproof Thermal Emergency Bivy versus the Two-Person Mylar Survival Tent With Extras. For day hikes with my wife, the tent seems more useful if one of us gets hurt, but I hate relying on finding anchors above treeline.
Which one did you end up choosing for your own pack?
For solo day hikes I carry the bivy because it is faster to deploy and takes almost no room. For trips where I expect to travel with a partner, especially below treeline where anchors are likely, I prefer the two-person tent. The key distinction is that the tent offers shared space and warmth but asks more of the site and setup.
Same conclusion here. I have the bivy in my running vest, but my partner carries the tent on shoulder-season overnights. Neither is much fun without a foam pad, though.