Emergency Shelter for Hiking: 15 Best Picks for Trails 2025

An emergency shelter is a packable refuge — a bothy bag, bivy, tarp or mylar tube tent — carried for the night you didn’t plan or the squall you can’t outrun. Every hiker should stash one because it shields against hypothermia-inducing wind and rain, creates an instant morale-boosting micro-climate, and buys precious time for search-and-rescue to reach you.

Gear has moved on for 2025: Dyneema®, Nano-ripstop and other feather-light fabrics now shrug off 3 000 mm downpours, integrated reflective panels help helicopters locate you, and recycled yarns keep the planet on the itinerary. To earn a place in this round-up each shelter had to meet:

• sub-1 kg pack weight
• fist-size stow volume
• 3 000 mm+ waterproof rating
• deploys in under 60 sec
• stocked by UK retailers

So, what counts as ‘an emergency shelter hiking’? A bothy bags several people, a bivy cocoons one. If weight alone decides, a tarp or mylar tube tent is the quickest answer. Below are 15 trail-tested picks ranked by use-case, ready to drop straight into your kit.

1. Terra Nova Bothy 2

If you only add one group refuge to your day-pack this season, make it Terra Nova’s updated Bothy 2, the benchmark for lightweight storm protection.

Quick Specs & Materials

• Capacity: 2 adults plus kit
• Weight: 370 g packed
• Fabric: 70 D ripstop nylon with PU 5 000 mm HH
• Packed size: 12 × 22 cm
• Extras: clear window, roof pole sockets for trekking poles
• Colour options: high-vis red or lime

Why It Tops the 2025 List

Terra Nova trimmed 10 % off last year’s weight and switched to 100 % recycled yarn without sacrificing strength. Pop it open and users routinely record a balmy +12 °C rise compared with the wind-lashed outside world.

Best Use Cases on UK Trails

• Windy Lake District day walks
• Mountain-leader safety kit essential
• DofE emergency shelter drills

2. Lifesystems Survival Shelter 2

Trusted by mountain leaders across Snowdonia, this fluoro-orange refuge tips the scales at under half a kilo yet feels positively roomy when the weather turns.

Key Features to Highlight

• 460 g weight
• High-vis 70 D fabric with reflective piping
• Vent chimney cuts condensation build-up
• Stuff sack converts to a soft pillow

Trail-Tested Pros

• Generous floor space fits two plus 50 L packs
• Drawcord hem cinches tight against spindrift and spray

Possible Drawbacks

• Packs a little bulkier than the Terra Nova
• Omission of a clear window limits outside visibility

Perfect For

• Scout or Duke of Edinburgh groups
• Weekend backpackers who favour comfort over shaving every gram

3. Rab Survival Zone Lite Bivi

At a feather-light 200 g, Rab’s Survival Zone Lite Bivi disappears in your side pocket until the skies open. Tougher than a crinkly mylar sack yet far lighter than hooped competitors, it hands solo hikers a waterproof, breathable cocoon for unplanned stops or full-night epics alike.

Specs Snapshot

• Pertex® Quantum Pro shell, 10,000 mm HH
• Quarter-zip side entry for speed
• Taped seams; stows to orange-sized bundle

What Makes It 2025-Ready

• PFC-free DWR plus tapered footbox trims 12 g
• Low-key reflective logo aids night-time SAR spotting

Ideal Scenarios

• Fell-running mandatory kit lists
• Solo fast-and-light bivies under stone shelters

Expect internal temperatures to sit a few degrees above ambient thanks to the snug cut and heat-retaining fabric.

4. SOL Emergency Bivy XL

The SOL Emergency Bivy XL is affordable, bright, and roomy enough to swallow winter layers without feeling coffin-tight.

Technical Details

• 240 g heat-reflective mylar with taped seams
• Internal length 213 cm; width 91 cm
• Reflects up to 90 % body heat; hi-vis orange

Stand-out Benefits

Under £40 and packs smaller than a Coke can.

Limitations to Note

• Condenses quickly, so interior gets clammy
• Mylar tears if snagged on rock or branch

Best Users

Great for budget hikers and ultra-race kit checklists.

5. Lomo 4–5 Person Bothy Bag

Group-Size Specifications

• Capacity: 4–5 adults
• Weight: 680 g; 210 T PU-polyester
• Packed size: 14 × 26 cm
• Extras: viewing window and reflective strips

Why It’s a Group Favourite

Trekking poles slot into the reinforced roof sockets, creating usable headroom so the whole crew can share a brew and a map check. The tough polyester shrugs off rocky cairns, while hi-vis panels pop in torchlight and helicopter search-beams.

When to Pack It

Perfect for DofE supervision days, family hill rambles, or winter bike trails where one roomy refuge beats five solo bags.

6. Vango Storm Shelter 200

6. Vango Storm Shelter 200

Essential Specs

• Capacity: 2 persons
• Weight: 430 g
• Fabric: Protex® 3000 polyester, fully taped
• PVC window and drawcord hem

Unique Selling Points

Reinforced “seat pads” let you perch on sodden turf without soaking your backside, while the window means you can watch for the next clear spell without opening the bag.

Things to Watch

Drawcord toggle is titchy—fiddly with winter gloves. Packs slightly longer than the Terra Nova rival.

Best Trail Match

Ideal for Scottish Munros where gusts exceed 40 mph and cloud curtains drop without warning.

7. Outdoor Research Helium Bivy (2025 Revision)

Outdoor Research’s Helium Bivy remains the classic pole-free “tent”; the 2025 update makes it lighter on the trail and kinder to the planet.

Product Data

• 510 g packed
• Pertex® Shield+ 3-layer shell
• 15 D nylon floor
• Single DAC pole adds headroom

New for 2025

Wider shoulders and solution-dyed fabric slash manufacturing water use by 80 %.

Pros & Cons Breakdown

Pros: bug-proof mesh, 510 g weight. Cons: ~£280 price, minimal internal space.

Ideal Owners

Suited to thru-hikers needing emergency shelter for hiking that rivals a one-skin tent.

8. MSR E-Bivy

Fast Facts

• Weight: 173 g
• Fabric: Xtreme Shield™ silicone nylon with DWR top, 15 D floor
• Pack size: 10 × 7 cm — apple sized

Why It’s a “Just-in-Case” Essential

Lives forgotten at the bottom of your pack until summit naps, torn tents or unscheduled bivies need quick cover.

Limitations

Head opening only; no hood or zip, so sideways rain can creep in. Not meant for sustained storms.

Best Use

Fast-packers and alpine climbers wanting the lightest emergency shelter for hiking, not a nightly home.

9. Snugpak Special Forces Bivvi Bag

Bred from military kit, Snugpak’s Special Forces Bivvi gives you a rugged, waterproof cocoon that outlasts flimsy mylar when your route ploughs through scree, heather or bog.

Core Specifications

• 340 g Paratex Dry (5 000 mm) shell
• Half-length centre zip
• Packs to 15 × 10 cm in stuff-sack

Tactical Advantages

• Olive or multicam colourways for stealthy wild-camping
• Zips directly to Snugpak sleeping bags for a modular system

Consider Before Buying

• Less breathable than Pertex rivals — crack the zip to vent moisture

Suited To

• Bushcrafters, cadets and winter hillwalkers who punish gear

10. Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nano Tarp-Poncho

Multi-Function Specs

• 230 g, 15 D Nano ripstop, 2 000 mm HH
• 265 × 145 cm with taped hood
• Serves as poncho, groundsheet or two-person tarp

Why It Excels

A fist-sized pouch that replaces coat, shelter and footprint; the 2025 weave is 30 % tougher without adding a gram.

Deployment Tips

Clip the hood shut, run a trekking pole through the press-stud eyelets for the ridge, then peg four corners—60-second A-frame sorted.

Best For

Weight-watching hikers, bikepackers and anyone wanting clothing and emergency shelter for hiking rolled into one.

11. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Flat Tarp 8'6" × 8'6"

Hyperlite’s square Dyneema tarp suits hikers who bank on Scottish storms yet pinch grams; it’s the lightest way to guarantee a dry patch when the sky falls in.

Vital Statistics

• 262 g, DCF8 Dyneema®, 16 tie-outs; packs to 15 × 10 cm
• Footprint 2.6 m² lets two sleep head-to-toe or four sit brewing tea

Upgraded 2025 Version

2025 update adds laser-cut patches and carbon-neutral production with zero fabric off-cuts.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Strength: handles 50 mph gusts without flapping or stretching
• Weakness: £345 price will scare casual weekenders

Ideal Adventures

Best on Cape Wrath Trail, multi-week section hikes, or alpine fastpacks where grams equal miles.

12. DD Hammocks SuperLight Jungle Emergency Hammock

If trees dot your route, DD’s SuperLight Jungle Hammock lets you sleep dry and bite-free above the mud, not in it.

Shelter Details

• 860 g complete package
• Waterproof base panel (2 000 mm HH)
• Integrated 1 000-mesh mosquito net
• Packs to 28 × 14 cm cylinder

Double Duty Benefits

Flip it over and the waterproof underside becomes a ground bivy; reflective trim makes camp easy to spot after dark.

Potential Issues

Needs two sturdy anchors and, at almost a kilo, outweighs tarp-only solutions.

Recommended For

• Woodland trails
• Multi-day expeditions
• Hammock-curious hikers

13. Arcturus Heavy Duty Survival Blanket Shelter

Cheap yet impressively tough, the Arcturus blanket is the Swiss-army square you can sling into any day-pack as an all-round emergency shelter for hiking.

Specifications

• 540 g
• 3-layer polyester / mylar laminate
• 210 cm × 150 cm coverage
• Metal grommets on each corner

Why Carry It

Reflects roughly 80 % of body heat and moonlights as tarp, lean-to roof, groundsheet or wraparound blanket when the mercury dives.

Usage Example

String paracord between two trees, clip the rear edge to the line, peg the front to the ground, then heap leaf litter along the sides for a speedy wedge shelter.

Best Audience

Budget-minded day hikers who want one bit of kit to tick multiple safety boxes.

14. Alpkit Rig 3.5 Tarp

14. Alpkit Rig 3.5 Tarp

Product Stats

• 350 g; 3.5 m² coverage
• 12 reinforced attachment points
• Ripstop poly-sil fabric, 3 000 mm HH

2025 Enhancements

Now ships with four mini-karabiners and colour-matched guylines; new PFC-free coating boosts UV resistance without adding weight.

Pros & Cons

Pros: sewn in Derbyshire’s “Factory in the Peaks”, pitches drum-tight even in 45 mph gusts. Cons: limited batch runs mean it sells out fast.

Trail Fit

Ideal for wild-campers, bikepackers and micro-adventurers needing one sheet to serve A-frame, porch or diamond pitches across moorland, cliff tops and wooded terrain.

15. Amazon Basics 2-Person Mylar Tube Tent

Quick Facts

• Weight: 270 g; aluminised PET film
• Includes 7 m paracord + stakes
• Dimensions pitched: 240 × 150 cm

What Makes It Worth Considering

Sub-£20 price and 30-second set-up between trees or trekking poles let novices tick the “emergency shelter for hiking” box without torching the gear budget.

Shortcomings

Single-use durability; crinkles loudly in wind, and condensation builds fast.

Best Use

Beginner kits, charity challenge events, or as a backup that lives at the bottom of the rucksack.

Pack Smart, Hike Safe

Getting the balance right between grams and guarantees is the name of the game. Ask yourself: does your typical terrain demand a full-size bothy or will a fist-sized bivy do? Solo winter runner? Go light but waterproof. Leading a group on exposed ridges? A bigger shelter spreads warmth and morale. Whatever you choose, practise pitching or deploying it on a dry day so muscle memory kicks in when rain lashes sideways at 700 m. This weekend, tip your pack onto the living-room floor, weigh each item and decide if your shelter still matches your routes and weather windows. Need an upgrade? Browse the latest lightweight refuges and complementary trail kit at Take a Hike UK.