B33TR00T

Just been and had a look at a mates XD set up on a club lake, I took my T1 Camo Pro and pegged it all out properly side by side … now feeling confident in the decision, there’s no real way to tell about the build quality, however in terms of the other points, regarding packdown size, superior peak height and door height on the T1, and that the extra height towards the back on the XD is practically useless… that all checks out, I’m absolutely certain that the T1 is the better bivvy - substantially. … there’s the packdown side by side - things to note from this picture is that the XD is still factory packed, inside the bag is also a factory packed vapour peak, infil panel, mozzy mesh, and groundsheet, but no inner dome. … the T1 Pro Camo has been unpacked from its factory packing, and packed away by me with the inner dome and infil panel still attached, (and a HD groundsheet which is not attached, but is inside the bag) … I’m assuming that the XD bag would be a lot bulkier if it and its addons were all unravelled from their factory packing and repacked by me, with addons attached. Just also noticed that I mistakenly wrote in title that was this XD Camo vs T1 Camo Pro, but the XD is not Camo, brain fart but not that it matters as the XD and XD Camo share technical specs.

I will be using both the groundsheet and inner dome on either, I have both accessories for both bivvies. It’s all very equal on those fronts. The edge goes to Nash because of the peak height and door height - which I personally prefer over the taller middle/back height of the Fox My hesitation comes from not fully understanding whether or not one is generally accepted as better quality than the other… However, I’ve decided on keeping the Nash this evening, and I’ve unravelled it from its original packaging to seal the deal, the Fox is going back… job done

Yep I got one through work recently, I work 50/50 home/office, and I told them - I objectively can not work from the office without a key, my brain/psyche is simply literally incapable of using a cubicle loo, I don’t have a diagnosis, but regardless - it exists, they gave me a key on the spot, and it fits all disabled loos 👍🏻

Game changer, as I wouldn’t dream of using a public loo. (unless I can access a disabled loo, that’s a top tip for general society btw, disabled loos are generally wayyyyy cleaner than regular, and my qualifying disability is that I’m too anxious to use a regular loo) … anyway back to the point, my flat pack loo is as integral to my bivvy as the frame itself, you couldn’t pay me a grand to go in a shared portaloo, no no no no no no NO, NO

Aye, very much aligned with that, the decision on this is just going to come down to which is the better build quality, which is known to hold up better over time, that sort of thing, still quite fuzzy from everything I’ve researched so figured I’d ask for more opinions on that front - as it stands I’m leaning Nash. The Daiwa Ninja 4pc rods are only on the continent at the moment, from what I can see they are fairly new, got mine from Fishernator and I think fishdeal are doing them as well, 13ft 3.50lb (and 12ft 3lb but I don’t fancy those), I matched them up with some 23 emblem 45 scw QD’s… good match … but obviously still not an ideal rod being at the lower end of specs a bit like the TX-lites, but until somebody makes some high end 4pc rods… have to make do with whatever is available. Good to bump into a fellow TX-Lite enjoyer, as a 4pc fanatic, they are my favourite rods of all time, I’m [censored]ed off that I didn’t buy 3 of every variant before Uttings got rid of all of theirs, there’s only scraps of stock left on them now, mostly 9fts and they’re all £160+, feels gross after Uttings were giving them away at £80odd a pop, but as they say you snooze you lose.

They both weight around the same, “stripped out”, the Nash weighs 12.5kg, the Fox weighs 12.6kg, then their like-for-like accessories (inner domes, groundsheets, overwraps) - are also similar in weight, give or take a kg in the end either way, there’s no significant difference between them. I refuse to use 12ft 2pc rods, it’s only thanks to Daiwa releasing the 4pc Ninja rods (13ft 3.50lb) in Europe that I was ship them in and get hold of some long range rods, before that my only carp rods have been Shimano TX-Lite (4pc, 10ft) … my chair is an Aeronium super lite (2.3kg) … bedchair cygnet grandsniper (8.4kg) … I have an original Aqua Atom Mk1 (3.5kg) the lightest and most compact bivvy ever made … I’m currently using a Sonik Xtractor Bivvy, similarly as light and compact as a Tempest Brolly and whatnot As it happens, I am literally Mr Lightweight, Mr Compact On a day session, nothing beats my West Lake Lc Day Shelter Pop up, I’ve had a Tempest 100 Brolly, I have an Atom, I’ve had the Fox Easy Shelter… for weight and packdown size combined with practicality, the West Lake Lc Day Shelter smokes everything… Recently I borrowed a Tempest RS 150, and it changed my whole perspective on bivvies specifically (for night fishing, not day shelters)… I used to obsess about packdown size and night fish with literally zero space in an Atom, but the Xtractor full system made me realise that a 120-160cm pack down size is “fine”, coming from an Atom which packed down to 78cm… (an additional 10kg give or take on the barrow is insignificant to me, it being a manageable / storable size was the most important) …the point is, when I did accept a bigger pack down size, especially after borrowing the RS 150, the comfort on the bank increased exponentially, far far far far outweighing the convenience of the likes of a Tempest 100 Brolly. I just don’t buy into the “brolly for a quick overnighter” cliche anymore, what’s a “quick overnighter”? It’s 24 hours… it’s not a variable it’s a constant… 24 hours on the bank is not “quick” under any circumstances, 24 hours is always 24 hours, and it’s always long, “sleeping in this crisp packet will do you for a quick overnighter”, marketing spiel. Let’s take setup for an example: A Tempest Brolly takes 2? minutes, weighs 10kg? All in A Titan Bivvy takes 7? minutes, weighs 17kg? All in Option A. - do I want to be cramped and hunched and less uncomfortable for 23hours 58minutes, and push 7kg less ? or Option B. - do I want to be liberated and spacious and more comfortable for 23hours and 53minutes, and push 7kg more? I used to be obsessed with Option A, but after borrowing that RS 150 system, I’ll never compromise on that comfort again… based on that I’ve ended up double ordering 2 of the most comfortable bivvies on the market, but like I said - I can only keep one.

I’ve got 2 brand new bivvies in the living room right now… Nash Titan T1 Camo Pro Fox Frontier XD Camo … both the latest and greatest versions from their respective brands … unfortunately I can only keep 1, and 1 has to go 😔 In any case, the HD groundsheet and Inner Dome will be used pretty much all of the time, but addons are not much of a decided factor here, the main deciding factor for me is… … the Nash is marginally wider by 6cm, significantly longer by 18cm - and it’s 3-0 to the Nash… because on height, 183cm at the peak, 158cm at the door, where as research tells me that the Fox 143cm at the door (despite being 165cm overall in height). I’ve seen it argued that the XD has more “useable” height, due to the steep slope of the Nash, the Nash has a higher peak and door, but the Fox maintains much more of its height towards the back… but then I’m thinking… is height above the bedchair really “useable”? As long as there’s head clearance when sitting on the bedchair, I can’t think of why more height above the bedchair is of any use… Pack down size is another slight edge for the Nash, and it just “looks better” to me as a personal preference. So that’s all of the context behind my thinking, but onto the most important thing that can only come from you - the people who know these 2 bivvies… quality, usability, reliability, the stuff which can not be assed on paper, because ultimately I want to keep the “best” one, they will both suit my needs excellently, so it really comes down to finding out which is actually the best when it comes down to quality/usability/reliability - which one is most worth it’s money? Cheers

25lb The only fish in a 40hour sesh

Visited the same venue today - Something to note is that I forgot to subtract my net weight on these carp until today, weighing my net today it was exactly 2lb (wet) - which means today's carp was 8lb, the 2 carp in the OP pictures are therefore 6lb'something and 7lb'something, so still no double from this venue yet. I'm going to a different venue tomorrow with the potential for some 20lb+ fish and also some big ghost carp known to be up 18lb.

I'd say "proper carp fishing", in the UK at least - implies static rigs on the bottom - boilies and size 6 or bigger hooks - 9 out of 10 times, 15lb+ mainline, rods on buzz bars with alarms / baitrunners, 42" landing nets, probably a bivvy, etc etc. "proper" is a poor choice of word, but it's also completely understood if you're not being pedantic - when you look at a "proper" carp angler on the bank, you instantly know exactly what he's doing, as opposed to an angler holding a float rod who could be doing anything of a number of things - you wouldn't really instantly know what flavour of fish he's targeting. "proper" wasn't a word to discredit other approaches - although I can definitely see why somebody might conclude that it is, like I said - poor choice of words, it was intended to imply the instantly identifiable approach to carp fishing.

100% correct on every word 👍

Exactly as I did! It absolutely is "one of those" ponds, I'm going to take a float on there soon - that's definitely the way to fish it, the stock has always been very response to luncheon meat for 20 years, a little cube under a float will catch fish after fish, I'm just too hooked on "getting runs" at the minute, I used to think watching a float go under was the most exciting way to fish, but hearing the delks warble and spool spin yesterday was something else - I regret that I've ignored "proper" carp fishing for so long!

I did as a kid 18 - 20 years ago, used to catch tench and perch on the smaller pond (there's 3, it's a local urban woodland), what makes you ask?

I've started with PVA solid bags with mixed carp pellets and crushed boilies, inside I'm putting in a hair rigged 15mm popup hookbait - on a very short (3cm - 5cm) 20lb coated braid hooklink, an inline lead size-appropriate for the water, connected to 15lb sensor mainline. Trapped a couple, 8 and 9quid respectively, the biggest in this tiny water is 11lb so it's not too bad! I'm off work all next week so spending this weekend assessing venues to target some bigger fish 😉

These are the Atom Plus groundsheets sadly. This is the one I'm likely to buy if I don't find a first-edition, and adapt/customise it somehow to make it work.