• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • H&K MP-5 Sub-Machinegun: Famous but not FriendlyH&K MP-5 Sub-Machinegun: Famous but not Friendly
        • Glock-17_1A Former Delta Force Operator’s Glock 17 Setup
        • 300-blackout-used-for-home-defense-ar-15-pistol-fThe Home Defense AR-15 – Setting Up for Success
        • lossy-page1-1280px-Da_Nang_Vietnam…._Sergeant_Robert_E._Fears_clears_an_area_using_his_flamethrower._-_NARA_-_532491.tifThe Brutal Reality of the Flamethrower and the Men Who Carried It
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Winter-AdventureGet Ready for Winter Fun: The Ski Gear Guide
        • RIP-MVehicle Preparedness: Fast access to essential items | Grey Man Tactical RIP-M
        • Midland radioOverland Essential | Midland Radio MXT275 | GXT1000
        • ppGrab your gear and go | Here’s everything you’d need to build an adventure go bag
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Georgia-Army-National-GuardHow to Use Military Mindset While Preparing for a Race
        • jelmer-assink-gzeTjGu3b_k-unsplashFitness Gear Standard Weight Bench: A Budget Gym Equipment Review
        • alexander-andrews-BX4Q0gojWAs-unsplashEDC 101: What EDC Means and 4 EDC Gear to Have
        • 275067423_3229648577268120_1392851511843662528_nFit or Flop?: A Review of the WOOBIES Men’s Mod-1 Canvas Shoe
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
Survival Gear

Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) Escape Bivvy

April 11, 2017 by Isaiah Burkhart 7 Comments

Review: Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) Escape Bivvy

A while back, I had the pleasure of meeting up with one of my old buddies from Ranger Battalion. We thought, “Hey, it’s Veterans Day; let’s go to the woods, drink some whiskey, and talk about the good ol’ days!” No harm in that, right? I knew there was a cold front moving in, but decided to pack light and see how it would go up in the mountains. I brought the Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) Escape Bivvy with me along with a 20-degree-rated synthetic sleeping bag to see how much, if any, extra protection from the cold the Escape Bivvy would provide during our outing.

We hiked into a high lake in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. There was no snow on the ground, but the wind was ripping between 20-40 mph, and I was hoping this emergency bivvy was going to perform the necessary job. Due to the windchill, the temperature was ranging between 5 and -10 degrees F. I was expecting to have a very poor night’s sleep considering the temperature was substantially colder than what my sleep system was rated for.

To my surprise, I slept very comfortably, and only had slightly cold feet throughout the night. In very cold conditions, bivvy sacks tend to ice up substantially on the inside due to the moisture from the body freezing before it has a chance to travel through the fabric’s pores. The SOL Escape Bivvy was slightly icy on the inside near the opening, but much less than other waterproof bivvy sacks I have used in similar conditions.

 

Review: Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) Escape Bivvy
Image courtesy of surviveoutdoorslonger.com.

The bivvy is made more as a survivalist mummy sack. Unlike a basic survival blanket that looks like a giant aluminum-foil cape, the SOL product is covered in a hunter orange proprietary fabric and lined with a metallic-looking material made to reflect body heat. This product is not made to replace a tent or a waterproof bivvy sack, but due to its light weight and compactness, it could work very well as a backup or standalone when the weather is dry and temperatures are no less than 40 degrees F. The bivvy weighs in at 8.5 ounces and is about the size of a Nalgene water bottle.

Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) Escape Bivvy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Considering its $50 price tag and compact nature, this product would do well in a go-bag or survival kit. Throw a couple of these in your vehicle, and they could very well save you during an unfortunate breakdown in a remote location. If SOL made these in more subdued colors, they could serve well in the kit of a soldier or hunter. Overall, if you are looking for a product to add some warmth, block the wind, and provide shelter in an emergency, this might be the product for you.

Share This

About the Author

Isaiah Burkhart served in 3rd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment. Almost four years of my time in 3/75 was spent in the sniper section. In all, I spent over 11 years in military service. I am a firefighter/paramedic and hold a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Oregon State University. When not working, I spend most of my time rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, trail running, and occasionally picking up heavy objects.

See All Isaiah Burkhart Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates daily and to hear what's going on with us!

Find Us on Facebook

The Loadout Room

Recent Comments

  • DBS5347 on You Can Get These Flashbang Grenades (100% Legally!)
  • AlwaysCorrect&EveryoneKnowsIt on You Can Get These Flashbang Grenades (100% Legally!)
  • Kogashuko on You Can Get These Flashbang Grenades (100% Legally!)

Latest From SOFREP

Gear

Video Gear Review: An In-Depth Look at the Bremont Broadsword ‘Dirty Dozen’ Watch

Videos

SOFREP Video Interview with SEAL Team Six Founder Dick Marcinko – Episode 2: ‘Sleep, Eat and Live it Up’

The Pic of the Day

SOF Pic of the Day: 24th Special Tactics Squadron Operators

Ukraine

Ukraine’s Vampire Bomber Drones: A Menacing Nightmare for Russian Forces

© Copyright 2023 SOFREP Media Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...