In reply to Post #28
I still think my Original Pioneer was one of if not the best bivvy I have ever owned I loved it I could put it up fast I loved the big wide doorway and the way as you sprang out of bed the roof raised up high towards the doorway as you went out .................. but !
I would not buy the new version personally
there are much better bivvys now
I still think my Original Pioneer was one of if not the best bivvy I have ever owned I loved it I could put it up fast I loved the big wide doorway and the way as you sprang out of bed the roof raised up high towards the doorway as you went out .................. but !
I would not buy the new version personally
there are much better bivvys now
How about a proper Titan, Absolutely rock solid and a design that has stood the test of time. Expensive but I reckon if you wanted to it would still be around in 10 years time 
I guess what swings the decision is how long your sessions are?
I have a cyprinus compact and wrap, usually use for up to two days. If I'm fishing longer than that, 2 man armo and wrap. Bed at one side, chair at the other, great if the weathers bad, just sit on the chair in the doorway
Will say one thing, I wouldn't use a compact unless you have a wrap or it's a tight swim, not in winter anyway. The more I have them I don't really see the point. If your bag touches the side, soaked
I guess what swings the decision is how long your sessions are?
I have a cyprinus compact and wrap, usually use for up to two days. If I'm fishing longer than that, 2 man armo and wrap. Bed at one side, chair at the other, great if the weathers bad, just sit on the chair in the doorway
Will say one thing, I wouldn't use a compact unless you have a wrap or it's a tight swim, not in winter anyway. The more I have them I don't really see the point. If your bag touches the side, soaked
In reply to Post #32
I agree you dont want a bed touching the sides in winter
but I like the smallest bivvy I can get away with in winter purely because its much easier to keep a small air space warmer
I agree you dont want a bed touching the sides in winter
but I like the smallest bivvy I can get away with in winter purely because its much easier to keep a small air space warmer
In reply to Post #1
Im going against the grind here and go for something old school. The Nash double top mk4 1 man which sets up very quickly once you get the hang of it. Bivvy has twin skin design which is what you are after with built in groundsheet and ample space and headroom. As they are also now discontinued you can pick them up for peanuts.
Also if you feel like expanding you can get the porch extension which works wonders in winter time when its pissing down as you can sit/cook/store stuff all in the dry and your tent doesnt get filled with muddy boots etc. The porch extension also serves as a 3rd skin over your bivvy.
I saw somewhere you can buy one brand new with porch extension, hd groundsheet and hd porch groundsheet for £500 which is half price. You will never need another bivvy ever as with all above you have a 1 man or 2 man or 1 man glamping.
I almost bought the new titan camo 1 but after playing with one see no point. With all its extras heavier then the double top. Doesnt set up that much quicker. The addtiional 2nd skin needs to be inserted everytime or Bivvy doesn't pack away properly and you dont get nearly as much space. Plus for a t1 with hd groundsheet and porch extension would cost you over 1k just to have the latest and greatest
Im going against the grind here and go for something old school. The Nash double top mk4 1 man which sets up very quickly once you get the hang of it. Bivvy has twin skin design which is what you are after with built in groundsheet and ample space and headroom. As they are also now discontinued you can pick them up for peanuts.
Also if you feel like expanding you can get the porch extension which works wonders in winter time when its pissing down as you can sit/cook/store stuff all in the dry and your tent doesnt get filled with muddy boots etc. The porch extension also serves as a 3rd skin over your bivvy.
I saw somewhere you can buy one brand new with porch extension, hd groundsheet and hd porch groundsheet for £500 which is half price. You will never need another bivvy ever as with all above you have a 1 man or 2 man or 1 man glamping.
I almost bought the new titan camo 1 but after playing with one see no point. With all its extras heavier then the double top. Doesnt set up that much quicker. The addtiional 2nd skin needs to be inserted everytime or Bivvy doesn't pack away properly and you dont get nearly as much space. Plus for a t1 with hd groundsheet and porch extension would cost you over 1k just to have the latest and greatest
In reply to Post #34
I agree, it's a great bivvy and definitely underrated. The twin skin design and built in groundsheet are great features and perfect for winter camping, especially with a bivvy mat or two for extra insulation. Yeah, loads of headroom and spacious too. In fact it's massive for a one man bivvy. More like one and a half man! The only negatives for me is it's a bit heavy (14kg I think, no problem though if you're parked near by) and the colour. The brown is a bit odd don't you think? Took me a while to get used to. On the whole though it's solid as a rock and I would recommend it.
I agree, it's a great bivvy and definitely underrated. The twin skin design and built in groundsheet are great features and perfect for winter camping, especially with a bivvy mat or two for extra insulation. Yeah, loads of headroom and spacious too. In fact it's massive for a one man bivvy. More like one and a half man! The only negatives for me is it's a bit heavy (14kg I think, no problem though if you're parked near by) and the colour. The brown is a bit odd don't you think? Took me a while to get used to. On the whole though it's solid as a rock and I would recommend it.
For.me the thing about re Double Top is they convinced
Angers that it is twin skinned. It's not. It's single skinned
With a tent style mesh capsule in it.
Angers that it is twin skinned. It's not. It's single skinned
With a tent style mesh capsule in it.
In reply to Post #36
Double top have a poor inner Capsule if you compare it vs Trakker slx/V4, and the set up/ break down time is also crap compared to Trakker Slx/V4 (5 rib vs 3 rib system)
Double top have a poor inner Capsule if you compare it vs Trakker slx/V4, and the set up/ break down time is also crap compared to Trakker Slx/V4 (5 rib vs 3 rib system)
In reply to Post #36
My mates double top got nicknamed the parachute. With that giant peak and stitched in groundsheet, when the wind caught it, it really caught it. I remember the 1st night of a 3 day social trip, he had pegged it with extra long pegs due to sandy banks, put all his gear in and set bed up etc and came walking to my swim for a chat. I remember seeing it take off and fly 30ft down the bank then roll another 20ft before settling half submerged in the corner of the lake
A few cans of beer and his milk had spilt everywhere, it took months to clear the smell
Then it happened again
My mates double top got nicknamed the parachute. With that giant peak and stitched in groundsheet, when the wind caught it, it really caught it. I remember the 1st night of a 3 day social trip, he had pegged it with extra long pegs due to sandy banks, put all his gear in and set bed up etc and came walking to my swim for a chat. I remember seeing it take off and fly 30ft down the bank then roll another 20ft before settling half submerged in the corner of the lake
A few cans of beer and his milk had spilt everywhere, it took months to clear the smell
Then it happened again
In reply to Post #38
Lol your mate clearly needs to learn to peg a tent down fml. Ive had a DT giant out this year twice with wind over 60mph at Blue bells with multiple trees falling down and it was rock solid.
That being said the noise the bivvy made in the wind clearly had a bigger impact on my tinnitus then all those slayer gigs i use to go to
Lol your mate clearly needs to learn to peg a tent down fml. Ive had a DT giant out this year twice with wind over 60mph at Blue bells with multiple trees falling down and it was rock solid.
That being said the noise the bivvy made in the wind clearly had a bigger impact on my tinnitus then all those slayer gigs i use to go to
In reply to Post #30
@sundance - Hide opening in reality does look low . . .mmm.
Get what your are saying about the Pioneer . . .(although I'm sure I'd be happy with it) would a Tempest 150 be a better solution - same dosh, different design?
My Armo is a decent bit of kit . . its the bulk and lugging it (with everything else) balanced on my current Portlerlite that's the real issue . . .thinking outside the box and if I'm going to have to spend £700 plus notes on either of the above - would a Mk6 Power Porter be a more effective Winter Bivvy solution . . ?
@gerry - What in your genuine opinion Gerry is now a better bivvy?
@sundance - Hide opening in reality does look low . . .mmm.
Get what your are saying about the Pioneer . . .(although I'm sure I'd be happy with it) would a Tempest 150 be a better solution - same dosh, different design?
My Armo is a decent bit of kit . . its the bulk and lugging it (with everything else) balanced on my current Portlerlite that's the real issue . . .thinking outside the box and if I'm going to have to spend £700 plus notes on either of the above - would a Mk6 Power Porter be a more effective Winter Bivvy solution . . ?
@gerry - What in your genuine opinion Gerry is now a better bivvy?
In reply to Post #41
Dont think you will find many bivvy's that can beat the Slx v3/Armo V4
imo keep the V4 and get a bigger barrow, set up/break down time is not much faster on fast erect bivvies compared to the slx / Armo V4.
I have the slx v3 plus and can load it on my Barrow with 2 chairs/2 bedchairs, rods, 2 bags, stinkbag and food for 3 days (Chub outcast barrow) next year i gonne buy a 3 weel Carp porter
Dont think you will find many bivvy's that can beat the Slx v3/Armo V4
imo keep the V4 and get a bigger barrow, set up/break down time is not much faster on fast erect bivvies compared to the slx / Armo V4.
I have the slx v3 plus and can load it on my Barrow with 2 chairs/2 bedchairs, rods, 2 bags, stinkbag and food for 3 days (Chub outcast barrow) next year i gonne buy a 3 weel Carp porter
In reply to Post #41
I spent a lot of. Money on my powerporter. But 10
Years later I'm still glad that I did. However
It's harder to balance and doesn't like a high stack
I spent a lot of. Money on my powerporter. But 10
Years later I'm still glad that I did. However
It's harder to balance and doesn't like a high stack
In reply to Post #43
. . .10yrs is a good investment. And that's kind of key for me - I'm still using 20yr old Fox RX digitals / Greys F1Mk2 rods / Blue Emblems / Tournies / Quattro Pod . . .all this kit was quality when I bought it, and is still going strong now.
Much like the Ultralite / Mk2 Armo, I'm either going to buy kit that will last, or rather not buy at all . . .perhaps the new Power Porter (with rear wheels) is more stable than yours? You can now also remove the front wheel which is much more appealing (in terms of boot storage) than the previous models . .
. . .10yrs is a good investment. And that's kind of key for me - I'm still using 20yr old Fox RX digitals / Greys F1Mk2 rods / Blue Emblems / Tournies / Quattro Pod . . .all this kit was quality when I bought it, and is still going strong now.
Much like the Ultralite / Mk2 Armo, I'm either going to buy kit that will last, or rather not buy at all . . .perhaps the new Power Porter (with rear wheels) is more stable than yours? You can now also remove the front wheel which is much more appealing (in terms of boot storage) than the previous models . .
In reply to Post #44
For what it's worth I have the rear wheels. It will tip more with any bump or slope left right more readily than when holding it up. Not a problem you just lift it as and when.
For what it's worth I have the rear wheels. It will tip more with any bump or slope left right more readily than when holding it up. Not a problem you just lift it as and when.