Bivouac Equipment - Lightweight Gear for your Outdoor Adventures

Gear up for sleeping in the great outdoors

Hiking and bushcraft often span several days. You therefore need the right bivouac equipment to ensure a good night's sleep without getting cold. Sleep is essential for recovering well after a demanding day of covering significant elevation gain.

At a minimum, you'll need a sleeping bag. Its purpose is to trap body heat and prevent it from escaping. Whether down or synthetic, sleeping bags protect you from the cold air. Shop top brands on Freezedriedandco.com: Therm-a-Rest and Nemo, among others. For extra warmth, a sleeping bag liner makes a great addition.

Your sleeping bag can also be paired with various accessories to enhance your comfort. If you sleep on the ground, you'll need a sleeping mat. There are three types: foam mats, inflatable mats, and self-inflating mats. To find out the differences between each, take a look at our hiking sleeping mat buying guide. The mat's purpose is to insulate you from the cold ground and provide comfort by keeping you off hard surfaces.

Those who love sleeping under the stars may not need anything more. But for most people, a tent is a must. We've written a buying guide to help you choose the tent that suits your needs. It protects you from rain, wind, and insects. The most popular option is the 2-person tent, but tents for 1, 3, and 4 people are also available. At Freezedried & Co, we select lightweight, high-quality tents. Our models are durable and built to accompany you on your adventures for many years. If comfort is a priority, dome tents are a popular choice for the generous interior space they offer.

If you sleep off the ground, a mat and tent aren't necessary — but you will need a hammock. Contrary to popular belief, hammocks aren't just for naps. They work perfectly well for a full night's sleep. You'll wake up with no back pain, and the gentle swaying will help you fall into a deep sleep faster.

To shelter from wind and rain, a tarp is an excellent solution. It attaches above your hammock and is fully waterproof. Water runs off around your hammock, keeping you completely dry.

Discover everything you need for cooking

Alongside sleep, nutrition is vital when hiking. It's an extremely energy-intensive activity, so you need to keep fuelling up and skip no meals. Calorie-dense, nutrient-rich options such as freeze dried food are ideal. It's therefore important to plan ahead and pack the right cooking equipment.

We understand that when it comes to outdoor activities, travelling light is key. That's why we offer stoves that are lightweight, easy to carry, compact, and high-performing. We have:

• gas stoves,
• wood-burning stoves,
• alcohol stoves,
• multi-fuel stoves,
• solar cookers, etc.

These stoves are easy to use and feature a safety system to prevent fire hazards. Self-heating equipment is also available — no flame or gas required. These are safer to use: simply add a small amount of water to the heater to activate the system. This option is highly recommended as it lightens your pack even further. If you opt for self-heating equipment, there's no need to carry a stove or gas at all.

You can choose between zip-lock pouches and flameless heaters. With these tools, you can easily heat your meals and drinks.

To complete your kit, we offer cooksets that sit securely on any type of stove. Our titanium cooksets are among our best-sellers: robust and ultralight. Use them to prepare meals, boil water, or cook freeze dried food. You'll also find cutlery to serve and eat with.

All these accessories are practical for your outings. They are lightweight, sturdy, and compact — perfect for cooking up great meals and sharing a convivial moment with friends.

For those who enjoy more comfort, Freezedried & Co also offers a wide range of pots and pans for refined outdoor cooking. And if cooking isn't your thing, you'll love our insulated food containers, which keep your meals hot or cold for several hours.

Everything you need for hydration

The third key element in hiking and bushcraft is hydration — and it's even more important than nutrition. Hours of walking or running means litres of water lost, water that's essential for survival. It's vital to replace it immediately to avoid severe dehydration. Water is the best drink for this purpose.

Staying hydrated is essential — but does that mean drinking any water you come across? Absolutely not. You can carry water with you, but it quickly adds weight to your pack. You'll need to replenish your supply from natural sources. However, water found in the wild is not always safe to drink, even if it looks clear. It can be contaminated with protozoa, bacteria, and even viruses. That's why it's important to carry water purification equipment with you.

We offer a wide range of water filters, all effective at removing pathogens from water. On our site, you'll find many types of water filter:

• pump water filter: ideal for filtering turbid water. Even if only muddy water is available, you can drink it safely. Some models are also effective against viruses;
• gravity water filter: this filter is ideal for drinking safe water wherever you are in the world. It's even easier to use than pump filters — no effort required. A great example is the LifeStraw Mission gravity filter, which effectively removes viruses;
• water filter straws: for individual use, filter straws are a great option. Their main advantage is their light weight. However, they cannot filter turbid water as this risks clogging them. They remain the most common water purification accessory for hiking;
• filter water bottles: highly effective, these are suitable for all types of outdoor activity. Simply fill the reservoir and drink — the water is filtered instantly as you drink;
• water purifier: unlike a standard water filter, a water purifier is guaranteed to be effective against viruses — a great way to avoid falling ill when you're in a remote area.

All these accessories are lightweight and easy to carry. They pack away neatly and won't clutter your bag. You'll also find chemical filtration systems on our site. Despite the technical-sounding name, it's straightforward: simply drop a tablet into your water to make it safe to drink. Micropur tablets are very well regarded in the outdoor community. With these filters, there's no need to carry heavy water reserves — saving you significant weight and space.

In addition to these filters, Freezedried & Co offers a wide range of water bottles and reservoirs. You'll find: soft flasks, insulated bottles, jerrycans, recycled plastic bottles, hydration bladders...

Our survival accessories for optimum safety

You can never be too careful, especially in the wild. Accidents can happen quickly and turn serious. When an emergency situation arises, you need high-quality emergency equipment to hand. It will allow you to send distress signals, find safe shelter, or treat yourself in the event of illness or injury. You'll find first aid kits, survival accessories (emergency blankets, whistles...) and other essential gear for your outdoor activities.

Our range also includes evacuation bags, developed in collaboration with Secouristes Sans Frontières. These bags are fully-fledged survival kits designed to support you for up to 3 days. They contain all the essential modules for emergencies: first aid kits, water, food, torches, communication equipment, GPS devices, and much more. You can also personalise the bag with your own belongings. It's spacious enough to accommodate them.

You'll also find survival shelters to protect you from downpours or gusts of wind. These shelters can be set up in a single movement, making them ideal for emergency situations. Hand and body warmers are also available.

Wide choice of bivouac equipment

Our catalogue contains many other useful items for hiking and bushcraft. Among them, you'll find trekking poles, tools (knives, shovels, axes) and lighting equipment (head torches, lanterns...).

The "Energy" category also includes power banks (also known as portable chargers) and solar panels. Everything you need to hike in complete autonomy.

Of course, we haven't forgotten backpacks. Check out our guide to choosing the right hiking backpack for you.

We also stock care and hygiene essentials: umbrellas, foot cream, microfibre towels, concentrated shampoo, and portable showers. You're sure to find what you're looking for.

These shelters are perfect for summer bivouacs as well as winter bivouacs.

Explore our range of books and maps

For entertainment, we've put together a selection of books. These will help you learn more about hiking and other outdoor activities. They cover essential life-saving techniques in detail and explain how survival gear works and why it matters.

The book "Osez l'autonomie" by Jean-Louis Étienne teaches you how to be self-sufficient. It gives you all the fundamentals you need to fend for yourself in the wild, so you won't panic when things get difficult. With "Coureur de l'extrême" by Vincent Hulin, you'll discover the full breadth of his extraordinary adventures — sure to inspire your own. Likewise, in "Le Contient Blanc", Mattieu Tordeur recounts his incredible adventures in Antarctica.

You will also find topographic maps to guide you on your journey. These maps are cleverly laminated so they can be used even in heavy rain. They are also durable and resistant to damage. They clearly mark the various trails within each area and provide all the relevant information you need.

You can read these books before your outdoor adventure (which is highly recommended). You can also take them with you on your trip, to lose yourself in gripping tales of exploration.

A team here to help

If you have a technical question about any of our products, get in touch. Our experts will answer your queries and provide valuable advice to help you get the best experience possible.