Just received my Avid Exo + bivvy and went to put it up for the first time today and it took almost half an hour to get the arms to click into the main block, it's ridiculous I couldn't get the 2 front arms in atall. The material was way too tight on the frame. Contacted Avid and apparently alot of people are having the same issues with the first batch of bivvies sent out. They said to return it and wait for the replacement batch to come around the end of January. My question is do I wait for the replacement and hope they're right or do I go for the Fox Frontier X?
Which is the better bivvy?
I've had tempests and nash bivvies so not interested in those just between the Exo + and the Frontier X

Thanks chaps

In reply to Post #1
Lets be straight here mate.

First off Avid have never designed a bivvy, they're just brass platers, the only bloke that came up with that bivvy was a Chinerman based on a production cost.

Second, have you seen the size and weight of them fox bivvies? Packing down is a bit like killing a bloke rolling him in carpet and trying to bury the body.

Third, think Trakker, ok they're a bunch of robbing ****s but to be fair they have a bit of history when it comes to bivvies, theres still plenty of Armo's out there for a reason. They're also the most copied bivvies for a reason, just ask Fox.

Nash? For the kids 👍

In reply to Post #2
Yeah very true think I'm leaning towards letting other people test the avid bivvy out for a year and see how many issues they have. The tempest aquatexx ev weighs the same as the frontier X at around 14kg with the pegs and groundsheet, which is 2kg lighter than the avid bivvy
I've had tempests, they are good but I think theyre just behind the rest in terms of features for the price, you can't open the vents from the inside, cant open the vents completely as a window, there isn't any storage pockets on the inside. You can't fold a little flap at the front of the groundsheet to stop it getting muddy. They're all little things but they do make a difference and seeing as the fox bivvy is £200+ cheaper than the tempest you get a hell of alot more features for your money.

In reply to Post #3
In general my experience with avid is not overwhelming

I've had their compact rod pod and TARDIS bivvy.
The rod pod fell apart after using it +- 10 times...

The TARDIS bivvy wasn't delivered with all required tension bars. It took them 3 attempts and 3 months to get the correct tension bars.
Nevertheless, the bivvy is performing well once everything was sorted out.

I have the frontier X and it is heavy but as it goes on the barrow it doesn't bother me. Feature wise and build quality is great though......

The Frontier X is big, yes, but that is the only downside.

In reply to Post #2
Pretty much the ethos I stick with. If a company were making decent items of tackle 30 years ago, then I stick with them for that product if they have a track record for doing so.

Why would I want an Avid rod for £100 quid when Daiwa have been making very good £100 quid rods since the 90's?

One thing about bivvies is we seem quite content when a bivvy lasts us 4 years, but when you think about it, the average angler may only manage two overnighters a month. Three at a push. If we bought any other product that leaked or broke after the 40th time of assembly, we'd be pretty cheesed off, especially an item which just sits their motionless in the very mild weather this country experiences. There's a reason there's still MK1 Fast N Lights and Pioneers on the bank, it's because they are very well made by a company that has been making bivvies for 40 years.

In reply to Post #7
I've had exactly the same issues as you have with the Exo+

It has a manufacturing problem (or design problem?) - but simply, it doesn't work.

I "fought" with mine yesterday afternoon then gave up and its going back. Simply, the item is unsafe to try and set up as it is so undersized on the frame.

Not great :(

In reply to Post #8
Wrong thread

In reply to Post #9
I'm not sure what wrong thread means

In reply to Post #10
Wrong thread means you've posted a reply in the wrong place - which you haven't. You've posted of your problems with the product listed in the subject title which is completely valid & warranted.

In reply to Post #11
Wrong thread.
I deleted what I had written and couldn't be arsed to explain thinking folk would be able to work it out being I'm active on another thread...

In reply to Post #12
Ah ok, makes sense

In reply to Post #12
When you say "thinking folk" then also say "couldn't be arsed"... something of an irony. But now I understand, you couldn't be arsed 👍

I'm glad it's all cleared up for you 👍
Oh the irony 😀

In reply to Post #15
It's really clear how you couldn't be arsed to previously explain.....you're immediately back here to explain....more examples of couldn't be arsed I see

In reply to Post #16
Mate with respect to the the person who started this thread, clearly you have none due to some strange paranoia your suffering from perhaps you got bullied at school, I'll just wish you a happy new year and move on. 😀

In reply to Post #17
* @jason - "you're" 😁

Back to OP, what have you finally done with the Avid? I'm sending this one back.

In reply to Post #18
I've had real problems with 'Club 2000' where I purchased it from they basically won't give me a refund until avid can prove it is faulty. I said to him I was more than happy to get the bivvy out and show him the issue but he just got aggressive and told me to leave, I was absolutely fuming. Wish I looked at reviews of the shop before I ordered the bivvy they've got such bad reviews for customer service. I've got Tom Forester the brand manager for Avid ringing me tomorrow to see if I can just go through avid instead of the retailer I got the bivvy from. Nightmare

So this is why one or two of the you tube 'reviews' didn't actually show it being put up, but emphasized it being really quick and easy.. Tosh..

Good luck getting replacement bivvies to all that have pre ordered, hopefully it will be resolved pretty quickly, though this is disappointing from Avid, glad I held off..

Nice little try at derailing the thread below btw.. lol..

In reply to Post #19
Did you pay for it on credit card ?

In reply to Post #21
No unfortunately not mate, rookie error I paid on my debit card

In reply to Post #22
UPDATE****
I can't give Tom at Avid enough praise for sorting the issue so quickly. I've received the new bivvy which works absolutely perfect and goes up without an issue.
The problem was apparently the 2 front poles were made too long on some of the first batch which was putting too much tension on the material and they're now fitting shorter front poles in house which has solved the issue.
Happy days

In reply to Post #23
Hi, glad you are sorted.
I saw the Carpology review of this product and the front 2 arms are shown as adjustable with about 6 inches of adjustment in length.
Makes it hard for me to understand they were 2 long in the first place without a massive manufacturing error given that degree of adjustment.

now that you have got it sorted, would you recommend it still? when do you plan to make your first trip out to review?

Daniel

In reply to Post #23
Yeah they've got adjustment to tighten the fabric at the end of the peak but they were too long in the main section of the poles if that makes sense so before any adjustment the material was too tight to start with. I agree there's been some kind of error somewhere but time will tell so far it looks spot on

In reply to Post #24
I can't fault it from what I've seen when I've put it up in the garden, looks spot on. Extremely spacious for the footprint! Time will tell though.
I may try get out this week

In reply to Post #27
How tight is the fabric on the sides mate? Seen a few videos where it looks a little saggy

In reply to Post #28
I'd say it's the same as my old tempest tbf, doesn't look saggy atall it's got extra tensioning straps above the pegging points so you can really tighten it up.
Robmcdonnellangler is my insta I'll be posting pics of it when I'm out on the bank this week

There is really no point reviewing a bivvy until you've used it 15/20 times in all weathers.

The only Avid bivvy I had the rings of the pegging points fell out after a a few trips. Got a brand new replacement through Danson (who were good as gold). Another pegging point fell out of that 1st time out but I could live with one missing. By the end of the year all of the mozzie mesh split in the front panels. Looked the part but was put together with junk.

Not saying this new one will be as s**t but I'd never touch another Avid bit of kit.

In reply to Post #30
Yeah it definitely needs to be used and abused and then see how it holds up to it but from first impressions the materials and build quality on the seams and around the main block all looks spot on but yeah could all change in a few months

I've had issues with mine. The front poles are tight and it's split the fabric getting them in. Also 2 of the side poles are a nightmare to click in place and to breakdown. I'm guessing this is all down to the materiel being too tight in places.
I've contacted the retailer today.
I used it for 2 nights in heavy rain.
Thoughts...
Bag is long but well designed with compartments.
Built in peak is superb.
Skull cap pools water at front so drips constantly in heavy rain.
Suffers from condensation with skull cap on still.
Door is great if needed
Groundsheet with flap is decent in muddy weather.

Going to see what my retailer says but not sure if I want a replacement tbh

Theres a little Chinese bloke in deepest China incharge of QC at some sweat shop reading this thread ****ting himself thinking about the shipping container of returns he's going to be getting back.

I can't believe that people still buy avid gear and are then surprised when it falls apart. A search on here, any other forum or even most of their social media posts will tell you.

I appreciate that Nash etc. All have significant qc issues but avid are in a different league

Their bedchairs and bivvies are cr*p, always have been and seems to fail in the strangest ways (legs snapping on bedchairs for example). Their rods and reels are just significantly cheaper models repackaged and then marked up for a laughable brand name that people still seem to trust enough to give money to.

They make these items at such low cost that they can replace them 5 or 6 times over and still make a significant profit.

In reply to Post #34
Whilst I am wary of Avid products, I do have an Avid Alpine brolly, bought secondhand a couple of years ago. It's big, heavy and cumbersome, but goes up really quickly, can be freestanding with the sewn in storm poles. It's withstood some pretty serious batterings without any damage. That's probably the kiss of death for it now.

In reply to Post #34
Spot on

Just got back from an overnight session, first time out with the bivvy and in all honesty I've got nothing but praise for it! The width of the door and the built in peak are abit of a game changer for me coming from a tempest.
I only got a tiny bit of condensation which seems normal, I've never had a bivvy that never has condensation no matter what the conditions.
Had abit of a race putting it up with my mate who has a tempest 150 and it took me about 10 seconds longer than him until it was all ready for pegging out.
I'm sure I may find some less good points once it's had alot more use but nothing but positives the first time out so plus it looks the ******** I think!