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| BIVVIES | ||
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This month I would like to take a look at Bivvys,
which are basically tents after all,
but for a few modifications it does madden me how much
these tackle giants charge. especially when you could go to your local camping shop and buy a tent for a fraction of the cost, but unfortunately hardly ever in green or camouflage. I myself have had countless bivvys upgrading every time a new one catches my eye, that I like the look of, but hopefully now I can stop looking I have three main Bivvies and one spare not including my profile umbrella with storm sides. So lets take a look at a few and I will give my likes and dislikes.  | ||
| 1. Sundridge one man double dome, very strong and thick 7oz oxford nylon, I have fished in winds upto 70 miles an hour and torrential rain using one of these, it did not move or leak being 100 percent waterproof, brilliant porch design, my only dislikes were the threading of poles, also the main area was white though not for long needless to say. |  | |
| My main dislike was that Sundridge do not carry spares, so if poles broke which they did due to them being so thick, they could not be
replaced,saying that Sundridge bent over backwards
and got me some. | ||
| 2.Chubb Discovery dome, these can be erected in very quick times, due to the external clipping system, have a large porch area ideal for cooking etc, folds to a very compact size. | ||
| Dislikes, pole ends come off with ease, end ones often being lost their biggest problem is they leak like sieves, I have had two and both leaked,saying this I keep one for summer two day sessions. |  | |
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| 3. Nash Titan, very strong and thick material, easy to erect and one of the most common bivvies on the banks, especially with the introduction of the viper, which is much larger thankfully as the original was a bit cramped. | ||
 | Dislikes single skins so you need an overwrap ie: winter skin or extreme canopy condensation in the old titans was terrible even with an overwrap, taped seems came away with ease after a bit of use, however with the introduction of the Viper TT all this has been eliminated. | |
| Built using a new material known as Rainmaster and with the tension technology system condensation just runs down the rear of the bivvy, used with a canopy and their is little or no condensation at all, the only downfall is that with the overwrap, storm poles and storm stick attachments does make this an expensive system, but these are built well and will last years.I have used one extensively now for twelve months and am very impressed. | ||
| 4. Hutchy Geo 2 man, my favourite you could hold a disco in this, used solely for my week sessions, and as I get nearly six weeks off a year it gets used quite a bit, its very roomy, strong and completely waterproof, no condensation,square backed so no loss of space, enough pegging points to hold a Rhino. |  | |
| Dislikes, threading of poles, mosquito door has no central zip,
porch area could be a bit larger. | ||
| 5.Shakespeare Cypry dome, lots of these on the banks also possibly due to their price, I have not owned one due to the entrance/exit being very low, but all in all a good budget Bivvy as far as I know that does not leak. |  | |
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| 6. Aqua Products Armadillo, a new consept in bivvie systems and if they are as good as all the other bivvies in their range it will be almost faultless, except this one has a single skin, but an overwrap is available at a price. |  | |
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Tracker have based theirs on this design and with a captive rigid frame and an
ingenious pegging system, so easy to erect.
Dislikes, none except you need the overwrap to stop the condensation.
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| 7. Fox easy dome, which chubb have now based their new one on,I must admit I like the fact that there are no poles to thread through, all you do is take them out of the bag lift them up click the pole supports into place and its done. |  | |
| I
recently erected one of these in seconds I was amazed, however they are a bit
cramped but have a good sized porch, waterproof and will fit into most swims as
they are very compact. | ||
| There are so many companies out there making Bivvies, it would be impossible for me to list them all, for this I apologise. Incidentally my very first Bivvy was a Kevin Nash Zig Wrap, placed around a 45inch brolly the first of its kind to take a full sized bed chair, which I still keep for emergencies. | ||
