When you are out hiking and backpacking by yourself you want a 1 man tent that is as light as possible and that you will be able to pack up without taking up too much space.  In this case you might not want or need a tent that maximizes sleeping space. 

You just want something that will help you be covered when sleeping.  Bivy tents and Bivy sacks are a great option when you are trying to keep your backpack weight down but still want some sort of shelter to sleep in at the end of a long day of hiking.  They are also a great bike tent option if you don’t want to use bike tents that require your wheel.

Bivy Sack:

Bivy sacks are about as compact as they get.  It’s about the size of a giant sleeping bag but with a breathable and hopefully weatherproof shell.  You still might want to consider a ground tarp with these if you are camping in particularly damp conditions.  They are best when used in dry conditions.

Cabella’s  XPG Bivy Sack:
$89.99
Cabella’s makes it with their dry-plus design that is supposed to be 100% waterproof.  It is a mummy style so the top around your head will be wider than the base where your feet are.  It is also available in 2 sizes so for $10 more you can get a large one instead of the regular.

Outdoor Research Bug Bivy:
$79.99
This is another Bivy sack option that also comes with a mosquito netting to put around it.  The netting does require one tent pole to hold it up around the tent.  It has a hydroseal waterproof floor so that water doesn’t get inside. 

Bivy Tents:

You might not feel as comfortable just in a sack.  There are also bivy tents that give you slightly more room and are built more like a tent.  These are great 1 man tent options for people who aren’t quite minimalists yet.

Basspro has their own tent line called Ascend which offers a couple of choices.
 Ascend Hiker 1- 1 Person Bivy tent-
$59.99
I’ve read some mix reviews on this tent.  While one person said it was great in tough weather the majority seemed to think it didn’t hold up very well.  The rain fly allowed a lot of condensation to build up within the tent.  This is pretty normal for cheap tents though and weighs under 3 pounds. You can buy the tent by clicking the link
Ascend Hiker 1 1-Person Bivy Tent and they also have the
Ascend Hiker 1 1-Person Bivy Tent Ground Cloth that will help protect your tent floor.

Trekker Classic Bivy Tent-
$39.99
This is a very inexpensive option and is designed like a traditional A frame tent with a tub floor.  One drawback is that it doesn’t come with a rain fly so you are definitely going to have to get one or a tarp to make up for this or better yet not use it in wet weather.  It is big enough for one person to sleep in but probably not with your stuff.  The ventilation within the tent also seems to be poor. This one is about three and a half pounds.

Texsport Saguaro Bivy Shelter Tent-
$49.99
This is very easy to setup and weighs about 4 pounds.

Also, check out our article on the Eureka Solitaire Bivy.