Favorite Emergency Shelter?
I take long dayhikes (20-30 miles) and am looking for an emergency shelter to use in case I don't make it out before nightfall. Will a waterproof bivy sack on its own be sufficient in case of rain?
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Question:
I take long dayhikes (20-30 miles) and am looking for an emergency shelter to use in case I don’t make it out before nightfall. I don’t want to carry a tent. I have been considering a bivy sack – something just to keep me warm and dry. Will a waterproof bivy sack on its own be sufficient in case of rain?
Submitted by – Phil Hostetler
Answer:
Dear Phil, Though it’s no honeymoon spending the night in a superlight emergency bivy, yes, it will keep you dry and give you a bit of warmth, as well.
We recently interviewed a Yosemite search and rescue ranger, Jeff Webb, to find out about his favorite emergency gear. One of the items he always carries: Adventure Medical Kit’s Heatsheets Emergency Bivy. It weighs only 3.5 ounces, packs down as small as a half of a burrito, and costs 16 bucks. It’s got a silvery coating on the inside that reflects your body heat back at you, and it’s a little less crinkly than many in its class.
