Aqua
Sleeping Bag Cover I
prefer to sleep with my boots on when I'm night fishing, and only get in the sleeping
bag when I absolutely have to. I'm also no fan of being zipped up inside a bivvy
and prefer to use a brolly unless it's really hosing down. The fleece lined Aquatexx
sleeping bag/bedchair cover from Aqua Products has proved to be just what I have
been looking for to replace my ancient cover which was okay on the small bedchairs
of yesteryear, but didn't quite fit my 21st century one! The
Aqua cover is simple enough, a waterproof outer with a removable fleece liner
that Velcros all the way around, it is shaped to fit the foot of the bedchair
and has four buckles to secure it to the chair's legs. There's not much else to
add, except that dressed in my 'bunny suit' I spent a couple of early May nights
under the cover without using a sleeping bag, and one muggy early June night I
just lay on my doss bag with the cover pulled over me when it got a little cooler.
Just the way I like it. It's
rare these days to find something of the quality of this cover that is manufactured
in the UK. Price £49.99 Aqua
Armo 120 litre Rucksack
Not
so much a rucksack as a rucksack system - the system comprising of a rucksack
and two carryall style bags that clip one to the top and one to the bottom of
the rucksack. The main bag has a capacity of 75 litres, with the top and bottom
bags making for a total of 120 litres. All three bags are made from hardwearing,
and waterproof Cordura. The
top bag is padded, for insulation or protection, while the larger lower bag is
not. Both bags have zip-round tops and carrying handles and internal pockets.
The bottom bag also has zipped external pockets and a removable shoulder strap.
For session fishing I use the larger bag for bait and the smaller one for food
- if you're a greedy bugger your could swap that round! The
main rucksack is somewhat novel in design in that it is intended to be laid on
its back to give you access to its contents via two zipped flaps which open onto
two internal compartments, rather than the usual one accessed from the top found
in most rucksacks. I was somewhat sceptical of this arrangement at first, but
have found that in use it holds as much stuff as I have always put in the main
body of a rucksack, but without the need to pull everything out to get at what's
fallen to the bottom. I was also concerned at the lack of an external tackle box
pocket, but again this hasn't been a problem owing to the ease of accessibility
to the main compartments. The
two zipped flaps both have further zipped pockets inside and out, which are handy
for permits, notebooks and similar stuff, like polaroids and so on. On one side
of the rucksack is a full-length pouch, and on the other two half-length pouches.
All three pouches have dual pull zips running around three sides - which means
you can get into them whether the rucksack is lying on the ground or standing
up. On the front of the rucksack are four straps that can be clipped to various
buckles giving a range of possible strapping locations for unhooking mats, waterproofs,
chair or whatever depending on how many of the extra bags are clipped to the rucksack. On
the 'top' of the rucksack is a small zipped pouch that opens to reveal a waterproof
'groundsheet' that can be put underneath, and clipped in place, to keep the fully
adjustable carrying and waist straps and back of the rucksack dry. I
have yet to try carrying the complete system, but have been pleasantly surprised
how well the rucksack carries with either the top or bottom bag in place - although
the bottom bag does have a tendency to bump on the back of your legs. Despite
being initially a little sceptical of the design of the Armo rucksack since using
it on a number of trips I have realised that it has been designed as a really
practical, well made, piece of equipment. Considering
this rucksack is made in England, just a few miles up the road from me in fact,
the price tag of £89.99 is remarkable.
More details from Aqua products on 0845 1259399 or visit www.aquaproducts.co.uk. (This
review first appeared on this website September 8th 2006) |