It started with a brolly and ended up with a tent.
Originally I was looking for a rally big umbrella that could be kept in the car to be used when the pub beer gardens open up. From there the thought process was that carp fisherman have really big umbrellas! So started looking at carp fishing kit, and they do indeed have monster brollys. After a bit of looking around, comparing prices I found a Nash Groundhog advertised on Facebook not far from me. 2nd hand but in good usable condition.
If your not aware of the fishing brolly design they are basically big oval umbrellas, with side skirts, and some have optional front, throw overs, and extensions. This particular one is big enough to seat two with in camping chairs and a small table, and has plenty of room to sleep, I might pickup a carp fishing bedchair to go with it.
To get the initial shelter up without the zip in front takes about 20 seconds, you just have to slide the umbrella mechanism up, unscrew the handle and add a couple of pegs. That gets you dry, then add the front two poles that screw in if you want. The front section and groundsheet zip and clip in. So its pretty quick to put up and very solid. Single skin but there is loads of venting. Cost wise this was £80, new they are around £250.
For me its going to be a multi use bit of kit, have in the car when the beer gardens reopen, take down the rifle range to keep kit dry or sun off, camp out in the garden when doing astronomy, use as a hide / accommodation for photography. Think its fishing days are over, I tend to travel light when fishing and have everything in a fishing vest.
Plus side.
Very quick to assemble.
Ease of assembly and putting down.
Very solid.
Great venting
Optional addons.
Plenty of room for 1, 2 doable.
Nice head height.
Green (camo available)
Easy to position.
Downsides
Long when not assembled
Heavy (10.5kg all in)
Tape needs upgrading on the front corners where the door hangs. Its watertight but its a weakness of the brolly design.
Groundsheet not a bathtub design.
No front
Front fitted (not fully pegged)
Vented rear
Originally I was looking for a rally big umbrella that could be kept in the car to be used when the pub beer gardens open up. From there the thought process was that carp fisherman have really big umbrellas! So started looking at carp fishing kit, and they do indeed have monster brollys. After a bit of looking around, comparing prices I found a Nash Groundhog advertised on Facebook not far from me. 2nd hand but in good usable condition.
If your not aware of the fishing brolly design they are basically big oval umbrellas, with side skirts, and some have optional front, throw overs, and extensions. This particular one is big enough to seat two with in camping chairs and a small table, and has plenty of room to sleep, I might pickup a carp fishing bedchair to go with it.
To get the initial shelter up without the zip in front takes about 20 seconds, you just have to slide the umbrella mechanism up, unscrew the handle and add a couple of pegs. That gets you dry, then add the front two poles that screw in if you want. The front section and groundsheet zip and clip in. So its pretty quick to put up and very solid. Single skin but there is loads of venting. Cost wise this was £80, new they are around £250.
For me its going to be a multi use bit of kit, have in the car when the beer gardens reopen, take down the rifle range to keep kit dry or sun off, camp out in the garden when doing astronomy, use as a hide / accommodation for photography. Think its fishing days are over, I tend to travel light when fishing and have everything in a fishing vest.
Plus side.
Very quick to assemble.
Ease of assembly and putting down.
Very solid.
Great venting
Optional addons.
Plenty of room for 1, 2 doable.
Nice head height.
Green (camo available)
Easy to position.
Downsides
Long when not assembled
Heavy (10.5kg all in)
Tape needs upgrading on the front corners where the door hangs. Its watertight but its a weakness of the brolly design.
Groundsheet not a bathtub design.
No front
Front fitted (not fully pegged)
Vented rear
