The North Face  Assault FUTURELIGHT Bivy

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Arrived at the house yesterday. Took it out of the box, went to unzip the opening and the zipper basically just fell off of the bivy. Minimal tension was put on the zipper end.

Used on a recent RCGS Expedition of ARGO Canada's Longest Cave. Packability and moisture wicking was ideal for camping within the system for multi-day trips.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Used in winter, bivouac at -3ºC with winds of 60 km/h. Sleeping on snow. Good wind protection and excellent breathability. Zero condensation inside in the morning. The poles can be difficult to put up in cold and windy conditions but the small tent makes it easy to feel comfortable inside with a mat and a pillow without feeling claustrophobic. The zipper works well, does not get stuck, with two sections to adjust the necessary opening. Lots of space inside, both at the feet and at the head to store clothes. The materials look good and durable. I haven't tested it in rain but in conditions like that I would sleep in a snow cave. It seems that would hold up a light snowfall without problems. Good for winter bivouac. So far very happy with it.

Solid, basic and compact Biak for lightweight shelter - but should only be used in colder weather or rain when there are little chances of insects being around. One of the fatal flaws of this particular bivy is that it will be limited to the above use because it does not have an integrated mosquito net. That prevents you from keeping the top open for ventilation during hotter weather when there are bugs around. A simple zip-in accessory could solve the problem, if the North Face takes this technical detail seriously.

This bivy seems like it would be really nice and hold it's own in the elements for which it was made, the problem is the time it takes to setup is almost comical. In cold and potentially deadly extreme weather, time is of the essence, and I simply cannot imagine setting this thing up quickly. The poles have to fit into these poorly defined corners and then be secured via velcro straps to the bivy in order to keep the shape and the fabric off your forehead. As opposed to products like Big Agnes, which, much like a tent, uses a sleeve to support the pole(s). Due to the lack of ventilation (which is a good thing if used as intended), this bivy would be a bad choice in warmer weather where time to setup doesn't matter. I ultimately returned it in favor of a different bivy.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Tested in a winter bivouac, -4ºC and winds of 50km/h. Used on snow with a mat underneath. The bottom protects the sleeping bag well. The small tent on top can be a little difficult to put up in cold and windy conditions but it is appreciated once set up. It gives space and is not claustrophobic. The zippers work very well with two sections to open as you want. Very good wind protection. Excellent breathability, no condensation inside in the morning even leaving a small ventilation opening throughout the night. The bottom protects the sleeping bag well. The materials look durable. Plenty of head and foot space to store clothes. I haven't tested it in rain but in conditions like that I would sleep in a snow cave or use a tarp over it so I'm not worried about that. Looks like it could handle a light snowfall. Perfect for winter bivouac.

Purchased for an Antarctic trip, worked fine. One major issue is that this bivy is mostly for folks using in cold weather conditions - if you simply need something for moderate weather where bugs are an issue, the lack of insect screen is a handicap, especially if ventilation is necessary! North Face - PLEASE design an add-on where a screen can be fastened in to these expensive bivy sacks!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I purchased this Bivy (My first) for a trip in the Jungles just outside of São Paulo Brazil. This exceeded my expectations. On top of working fantastically well with the moist atmosphere the inside was actually more spacious than I had initially anticipated. Fantastic purchase.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This product is very interesting I really like the color and I want to use it quickly

Lightweight, packs down super small. Super durable. Highly recommend!