Avid Revolve X Bed

How well is it built?

Avid have kept the Revolve X simple, and to be fair, that's no bad thing for a bed at this level. The frame is a straightforward flat design, and the X stands on eight Rocksteady legs where the Standard size makes do with six.

Those extra two legs spread the load better on soft ground, which is handy on a muddy bank.

The mattress outer is 100% polyester over 100% polyurethane padding, which is pretty standard for a mid-priced bed. What you don't get are the CNC dual-pivot hinges and LevelTech legs of the Avid Benchmark Ultra, and that's a big part of why the Benchmark costs so much more.

So, is it built to last? I think it's solid enough for regular overnighters and the odd longer session, but it isn't over-engineered. Overall, it's a tidy, honest frame for a first proper bed rather than a top-end one.

Comfort & Adjustability

Room to stretch out is the real selling point. At 210 x 90cm, there's plenty of length and width, so taller and broader anglers aren't left with their elbows over the edge, and the flat frame keeps the mattress level from head to foot instead of letting it sag in the middle.

The mattress is padded foam rather than memory foam, and you don't get the TLS lumbar support of the Benchmark Ultra, so I wouldn't expect the same back support. From the photos, it's split into stitched panels with a thicker pillow section at the head end.

The legs adjust between 40 and 47cm, which isn't a huge range but is enough to level it on most sloping swims. Is it comfy enough for a full weekend? For most anglers, I think so.

Overall, it's a roomy, level bed with decent padding, just without the extra support of a premium mattress.

Ease Of Setup & Portability

Weight is the first thing I'd look at with any full-size bed, and the Revolve X comes in at 12.8kg, nearly two kilos more than the Trakker RLX 6 Leg Bed, so carrying it far from the car will be a bit of a faff.

Folded, it measures 90 x 80 x 25cm, which is a manageable block for a barrow or the boot. The strap and buckle system holds it closed with your sleeping bag still in place, so you're not stripping the bag off at the end of every session and fitting it again next time.

Setting it up is pretty much a case of undoing the straps, unfolding the frame and setting the legs, and with eight of them there's a little more to adjust than on a six-leg bed.

Overall, it's easy to live with if you barrow your kit, but I'd think twice if you often carry everything to a distant swim.

Is it good value for money?

Price is where the Revolve X makes its case. For a good deal less than the Avid Benchmark Ultra X, you get a bed of the same length and width, along with eight legs and a bag-on packing system, and that's a lot of bed for the outlay.

The Fox EOS Bed costs less again, but its Standard size is 85cm wide and sits on six legs, so the Avid gives you more room and more legs underneath. Where the Revolve saves money is the mattress, because padded foam isn't in the same league as the memory foam on dearer beds.

Overall, I'd recommend it to carp anglers buying their first proper bed, especially taller or broader anglers who want full-size room without a top-end bill. If memory foam matters more to you than the price, the Avid Benchmark Ultra is the step up I'd look at.