Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
Rab Ridge Raider Bivi vs Rab Storm Bivi
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Bivy Sacks: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Ridge Raider has the stated hoop, laminate shell and mesh door that make a bivy livable. The Storm Bivi gives up some breathability and the hoop for a lower spend.
Rab Ridge Raider Bivi
Buy itA hooped, freestanding single-skin bivi with a three-layer breathable shell and room to sit up.
- Rab states an overhead hoop at the head end plus a micro pole at the foot, so the fabric stays off your face.
- The 15D Pertex Shield Air shell is stated at 15,000 mm hydrostatic head and 20,000 g/m2/24h MVTR.
- A zipped entry with an internal mosquito mesh door, nine DAC V-stakes and three guy lines are included.
- At 890 g it weighs well over the Helium UL Bivy at 511 g.
- It packs to 32 x 15 cm, much bigger than a flat bivy.
- It is the most expensive way to avoid carrying a tent.
Rab Storm Bivi
Buy itA coated-nylon bivi with a stated spec sheet, sized for larger sleeping bags.
- The 40D nylon top is stated at 10,000 mm hydrostatic head with a tougher 70D nylon base also stated at 10,000 mm.
- Rab says the 3D construction is meant to fit larger sleeping bags.
- It packs to 25 x 12 cm at 547 g, and the maker names bikepacking, mountaineering and multi-day treks as uses.
- The shell is a coated fabric stated at 10,000 g/m2/24h MVTR, half the stated figure of the Ridge Raider's laminate.
- The maker page does not say whether it has a hoop or pole.
- It is 36 g heavier than the Helium UL Bivy, which lists a pole and mesh.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Rab Ridge Raider Bivi Our pick | Rab Storm Bivi | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Hikers and bikepackers who want rain protection and sitting room without carrying a tent. | Buyers who want a real waterproof bivy with published numbers and a lower spend than the laminate models. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
| Type | Hooped single-skin bivi | Bivi, hoop not stated |
| Weight (maker stated) | 890 g (31.4 oz) | 547 g (19.3 oz) |
| Packed size | 32 x 15 cm | 25 x 12 cm |
| Shell fabric | 15D Pertex Shield Air, 3-layer | 40D nylon, PU coated |
| Hydrostatic head stated | 15,000 mm | 10,000 mm |
| Breathability stated (MVTR) | 20,000 g/m2/24h | 10,000 g/m2/24h |
| Stated dimensions | 240 x 80 cm, 60 cm head height | 230 x 80 cm |
| Stated use | Hiking and biking without a tent | Mountaineering, bikepacking, multi-day treks |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Rab Ridge Raider Bivi if
hikers and bikepackers who want rain protection and sitting room without carrying a tent.
Know before buying: at 890 g it weighs well over the Helium UL Bivy at 511 g.
Pick the Rab Storm Bivi if
buyers who want a real waterproof bivy with published numbers and a lower spend than the laminate models.
Know before buying: the shell is a coated fabric stated at 10,000 g/m2/24h MVTR, half the stated figure of the Ridge Raider's laminate.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Rab Ridge Raider Bivi - A hooped, freestanding single-skin bivi with a three-layer breathable shell and room to sit up. Choose the Rab Storm Bivi instead if buyers who want a real waterproof bivy with published numbers and a lower spend than the laminate models.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Bivy Sacks: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).