FOX ECLIPSE  1 Man Bivvy

RRP £385

Fox international have had resounding success in the competitive world of bivvies, with the various versions of the Evolution and the Easy Dome more than holding there places within the market. Then about 5years ago, the leading brands bivvies started to evolved, integrating new developments in materials, design features and affordability. Over a three year period, Fox lost ground on their competitors and a complete re-think on design and materials was needed to enable Fox to regain its rightful place in the upper echelons of bivvy manufacturers.

At the Tackle and Gun Show in October 2008, Fox released two new ranges of bivvy, the Equaser A-Line and the very impressive Eclipse Range. These new ranges incorporated the state of the art VEN-TEC waterproof materials, lightweight ally poles and numerous practical design features which made these all new shelters stand out as some of the best products on display at the show that year. So we did our charm attack on the team at Fox who allowed us to put the Fox Eclipse one man through its over the past 10 months, we were far from disappointed.

Features:

• Ven-Tec Fabric
  A waterproof and breathable fluorocarbon treated polyester material, this is the most waterproof and breathable shelter material Fox International has ever seen used on a shelter – it is that good!
  
  
• Airflow System
  The Eclipse has front and back panels that can be opened to allow air to flow through the shelter. This is essential for warm weather fishing as air is allowed to circulate in the shelter. It also lets in more light, perfect for when assembling rigs.
  
  
• Removable Windows
  The front side panels can be used as a solid screen (twin-zipped for secure fixing and easy location) with the mosquito mesh front panel located behind.
  
  
• Detachable Door
  The door can be completely removed or used as a half-door to retain optimum visibility, yet reducing cold airflow.
  
  
• 2-way Door System
  The door can be used with the PVC window in place or with the window removed, leaving just the mosquito mesh as a door.
  
  
• Frame Support System
  Each new Fox shelter comes complete with a FREE Fox inter-locking Frame Support System. These utilise Fox’s Cam Lok system for ease of use.
  
  
• Second Skin Wrap Available
  The optional Eclipse Wrap is made from the new Fox Ven-Tec material.

First Impressions

The Fox Eclipse was at the time of its release one of the first bivvies to offer the angler the complete package with multi configuration options (16 in fact) as standard. Along with your bivvy you received a PVC window fitted as standard which is fully detachable, a Clip-In removable Heavy Duty groundsheet, the Frame Support System, a full set of Bivvy Pegs (supplied in a heavy duty bag for storage) and a very spacious fully zipped carry bag, that makes transportation of the 13.5kg Bivvy a comfortable and very easy job.

Assembly

The Fox Eclipse, as with all pram hood style bivvies is very simple to set up. Simply lay your groundsheet out on the ground, ensuring the Fox logo is front, centre and obviously pointing in the direction you want your door to face. Lay the shelter on the groundsheet and align the frame system, making sure all poles are in the correct position, and then attach the tension strap. Then working from the rear of the bivvy, add the Frame Support System to give the bivvy shape and structure.

Then unzip the front door to allow access into the shelter, then starting from the rear centre of the bivvy, clip the groundsheet into place (the ground sheet is attached by the use of slide release clips located on the internal of the bivvies skin and on the underside of the groundsheet) Once all clips are securely attached, then from the rear centre of the bivvy peg out using the groundsheet to add the required tension and fully secure the structure into position. 

I found the above sequence critical to establish the exact tension on the bivvy when pegging out but after a few times you will get to know the shape and how to peg out without having to use the groundsheet as a template. After a couple of times on the bank and after finding your way around the shelter, you will be able to fully erect the Eclipse One Man in approximately two minutes from start to finish, with practice I have been able to do this even faster.

Set Up Options

Every conceivable option has been made available to the angler on the Eclipse One Man bivvy. You have a full infill front panel with a PVC window that can be removed or re-fitted in a matter of second by the zipped fixings on both side, this door system also incorporates a fixed mozzie panel. Either side of the door is a twinned zipped panel that when rolled up reveals mozzie panels, which allows constant air flow that greatly assists in the prevention of condensation.

The front panel is easily removed by unzipping from the top centre down to either end, making tit possible to totally remove the panel revealing the internal full mozzie mesh panel and zipped mozzie mesh door. By utilising the two rear covered mozzie panels, you can totally control the air flow with in the bivvy, making it possible to create a shelter that is noticeably cooler and more comfortable than the external environment even on the hottest of days.

No matter what the weather or time of year, you will be able to find a set up which will suite the climate or conditions you are fishing in. On those long hot dry summer sessions when all you need protection from are those annoying mozzies, then simply remove the front panel completely. However in spring and autumn when the weather can change in a matter of minutes, the solid infill with multi-door options is ideal for these and situations

Extreme Weather Test

In my opinion, you can only find out how good a bivvy is by using it in the worst conditions you can find, so by regularly checking the weather we found a proper nasty storm that was heading our way in late winter and decided to get out on the bank and see how the Eclipse one man would cope with gale force winds and torrential rain. We arrived at about 2.30pm on the Friday and got set up between the already heavy showers that were already battering the lake.

Our first night in the Eclipse One Man was to say the least, quite eventful. Although the temperature was quit mild for the time of year ( averaging  5 °C), the bivvy got battered by 50 mph wind and torrential rain for well over 9 very long hours. In the morning I had a clay stream running under the groundsheet and a mud bath for a swim but the Eclipse had held strong showing no signs of weakness even when the winds did their worst to ruin my nights sleep.

On closer inspection of both the internal and external stitching and taped seams of the bivvy, I found no water accessing the shelter apart from near the front door - which I had stupidly left at half mast for the full duration of the storm. The Aluminium poles supporting the shelter in conjunction with the Frame Support System had done their job with solid authority, making even the strongest winds simply roll of the shelter with out any major movement bowing or flapping of the bivvies skin.

Final Thoughts

The Fox Eclipse One Man is a very versatile bivvy system that will enable the angler to fish in total comfort in all weathers, no matter how extreme the conditions may be. By playing around with the numerous options you can create your own environment, allowing air flow and element protection to suit your personal needs on any given occasion. Fox are well and truly back in the game with this top quality, well thought out bivvy that more than came through all of our and mother natures tests with flying colours.

For more information on the Fox International range, please click the image below.