I have been through many bivvies over the years, from original Armadillo’s, to Evo’s, to brolly systems, but never have I been quite so happy as I am with my M3 Compact – it is quite simply…the best, and ticks all the boxes required for my style of angling. That’s just it…it must suit YOUR style of angling. It is very rare that I fish overnighters on my own like I used to, where I used to require a little oval brolly. My sessions tend to be slightly longer these days, and I’m always in company with my trusty angling partner Barley (the pooch), and therefore need a little more room. Not only that, I’ve got a terrible back (too much fishing haha) so I also need something that I can sit up straight in. Unfortunately, unless I am doing a day session, then I rarely take a brolly…it’s always the M3 compact.
I'm always an angler that likes to keep on the move, so don’t go thinking that this is some monstrous, two-man, beast of a bivvy, that’ll add so much weight you’ll need to be built like He-Man, it’s totally not. The beauty of the M3 Compact is that it packs down neatly and is lightweight, especially when stripped back without all the added gubbins, like groundsheets, skins etc, just how I like it. Due to keeping my gear to a minimum (which makes me fish so much more effectively), I store the M3 Compact in my quiver, using only the shell of the bivvy really. The two-rib design allows it to fold up nicely, meaning quick erection and take down, keeping me on the move. It’s also incredibly lightweight – there’s a reason it’s called the compact.
Once erected, it feels extremely stable. It is roomy, especially with the front panel on. When pegged out fully there is enough room to keep my bed chair at the rear of the bivvy and the pooches bed at the front, with all my cooking gear stored at the front. I can sit upright on my bivvy chair, whilst watching the water comfortably, and when there’s a weather front I can simply zip the door down and leave a letterbox gap to keep my eyes on the water. Never once has it leaked, all the seams are faultless and ultra hard wearing. The zips are strong and robust, even for a clumsy, heavy handed bloke like me, and the rain just repels due to the high quality Aquatexx material.
So, in a nutshell, I strip the M3 Compact back to its bare bones, to turn it into a larger Atom if you like. Of course, if you like your comforts, then you can utilize all the extras, such as the groundsheet, infills, frame supports and winter wraps, but for me it’s too much to carry so I don’t bother. Whatever way you wish to use it, I must say that it is without doubt the very best bivvy I’ve ever owned. After three years it is still going strong and I wouldn’t go on a session without it.