Flavour of the Week - Shelters

[smufter]

My shelter of choice is my Wychwood MHR 60" brolly. Plenty of room for what I take with me on an overnighter. Don't bother with wraps and suchlike as I only tend to fish overnighters between April and September so it's never cold enough to need them. 

I purchased a Quest two man bivvy for our trip to France this year. Luckily I took my Wychwood as well, because the Quest is really a 1.5 man rather than a two. Plenty of room inside it if you are on your own, but I'd hate to share it with somebody, even my daughter lol!

 

[The Compleat Angler]

For overnighters, especially summer, I use a JRC Oval Contact brolley with sides, it reminds me of of my Water Lot back in the day. For any sessions, especially winter, I use my trusty M3. It’s very versatile, and after owning it for many years, I haven’t had my head turned by another bivvy. Ocasionally, I just sleep on a bed chair under the stars, which is great apart from early morning dew.

[salokcinnodrog]

19 hours ago, Gazlaaar said:

We've gone from roughing it to the ultimate in bankside accommodation and back to roughing it again

The only time I ever use a front on my brolly is this time of year to keep the dredded mozzi's away, as soon as it cools off again, it'll be open front all winter. Wraps and groundsheets I just find are an unnecessary ball ache, so I don't bother with them.

Strangely enough, other than sneaky trips, I rarely rough it nowadays, even in just the brolly. Sleeping on the ground doesn't really agree with me now, i'm too old for that! A comfortable level flatbed bedchair, brolly and wrap, and I have room for everything. More room under them than I actually had in the EasyDome! I have room behind the bed for chair, some of my tackle and a Sky. 

 

I honestly think the biggest advancement in comfort is not necessarily the bedchair. I was comfortable on Lafuma spring surrounded mattress, as long as I could get it level, but the best advancements are waterproof bivvies and sleeping bags. Having to put up with a thin sleeping bag with a stuck zip, sleeping in 10 layers to try to keep warm.

[snoozer]

I have to confess i don't own anything other than a Fox Royal XXL Bivvy and wrap, I forego weight for shear size and height  

[dayvid]

Lets see, I started with a 45 inch brolly and 1000 gauge Damp Proof Membrane over the put together camp bed, this worked well as the brolly kept your head dry and the DPM kept the bed dry

Then bought the Nash Titan , excellent as it was to me a brolly and a bivvy all in one , then the Nash Titan Viper TT with winter and extreme skins , so versatile with the different combinations you could have , absolutely excellent piece of kit.

Also have a Fox Evo with extra skin , only used it once , it wasn't for me ,plus ii have a 2 man pram bivvy by Adobe I think ,only used this once but thats not to say I wont in the future .

then the Fox 60 Supa Brolly system ,absolutely  faultless ,so much so that when  I bought my MK2 60 Supa Brolly System in Cammo , my mate bought my old one , 

I really loved the Titan , but the Fox system is the nuts , love Fox's Cammo pattern and those rear vents this summer have been a god send , I have more than enough room to do several nights under it ,and it accommodates a Nash Wideboy SS easily .

[honestveek]

I have a JRC STI-R with over wrap and an Aqua Atom with wrap. Both are a pain to put up so gather dust whilst I use a Wychwood 50 inch HD brolly. This is the one that came out with a five year waterproof guarantee. I don’t think I have ever used the groundsheet but have started to use the wrap more to keep the mosquitoes out. It also provides a little extra room and darkness.

I often (electronic) window shop an M3 as they look great but I know I will go back to the simplicity and speed of a brolly system.