Avid Revolve Bivvy Table XL

How well is it built?

Gunsmoke aluminium runs through the whole table, and that's what you want from something that gets thrown in the car and carried round the lake. Aluminium is light for its strength and won't rust, and the dark Gunsmoke finish should hide the odd scuff better than bare metal.

Revolve screen-print branding across the top finishes it off.

Each leg sits on a bracket bolted under the top, and the legs are spring-loaded, so they set up and pack away quickly.

They fold in pairs under the top, leaving a flat, compact shape for the car, and a raised rim runs right round the edge, which should help stiffen the top as well as keep things on it.

To be fair, it's a simpler table than the Trakker Deluxe Bivvy Table, with no moulded recesses or tool slots. As a plain, tough table that's built to last, though, I think it deserves its 8.5 for build.

Stability & Footing

So, how steady should it be? All four legs are fully adjustable and lock with Avid Cams, so you can lengthen or shorten each one to get the top level on a sloping peg or a lumpy groundsheet. Cam locks are quick to set, and they should hold firm once they're closed.

The 60 x 35cm footprint helps as well, as a long, wide top with a leg at each corner is much harder to tip than a narrow one.

With a 25cm to 35cm height range, it also stays fairly low, which keeps the weight down near the ground and puts it at a comfortable height beside most bedchairs.

The feet are small, so on really soft ground the NGT Dynamic Bivvy Table, with its wide mud feet, has the advantage. On a groundsheet or a firm swim, I'd expect the XL to be pretty much rock steady, and the 8.5 reflects that.

Storage & Organisation

The XL's storage is all about space rather than compartments. A 60 x 35cm top gives you plenty of room for keys, valuables, a phone, a head torch and a few tackle items, and the raised rim stops things sliding off the edge when the bedchair gets nudged.

What it doesn't have is any built-in organisation. There are no recesses, no tool slots and no second tier, so everything sits together on one flat surface.

Next to the Trakker Deluxe Bivvy Table or the Fox Compact 2 Tier Bivvy Table, which both give small items their own place, that's why it scores a bit lower.

Is that a problem? For a lot of anglers, not really, as a couple of small trays or a bait tub on top will sort it. For me, the sheer size of the top makes up for most of it, and an 8.0 is fair.

Is it good value for money?

It costs less than both the Trakker Deluxe Bivvy Table and the Fox Compact 2 Tier Bivvy Table, yet it has the biggest top of the three and it's all aluminium.

That's a strong combination for the money, and it only costs a bit more than the smaller 50 x 30cm Avid Revolve Bivvy Table.

The NGT Dynamic Bivvy Table is a similar size and price, with five sections and mud feet, but it's heavier, so the Avid is the easier carry if you walk your kit to the swim.

A session table like the Sonik Hi-Lo Session Table is a different job altogether, as that's a taller table for cooking and socialising rather than something that sits by the bed.

Overall, I'd recommend the Revolve XL to carp anglers who want a large, solid and simple bedside table for overnighters and longer sessions, and who'd rather organise their own bits than pay extra for built-in compartments.