Best Bedchairs

I think the Solar SP C-Tech MkII is about as comfortable as a bedchair gets. Its Memory 6 mattress is 6cm of 50-density memory foam built straight into a high-tensile aluminium frame, with lay-flat lumbar support underneath, so it stays flat and even from head to foot.

The frame is rated to 225kg plus, the oval Spring-Loc legs adjust from 40 to 52cm, and Flat-Pac hinges let it fold with your sleeping bag still on. There's a Wide version at 100cm across if you want more room.

Next to the Avid Benchmark Ultra, the Standard Solar is 10cm wider and 8cm longer for only 0.7kg more. For me, that's worth having if you sit it out for several nights at a time and you're broad across the shoulders.

To be fair, it's heavy at 14.9kg, it sits near the top on price and you'll need your own sleeping bag. If you already have a good bag, though, this is the same bed as Solar's top sleep system for a good chunk less.

The Benchmark Ultra is Avid's top bed, and it gives you a memory foam mattress for a fair bit less than the Solar. Its TLS lumbar design stops the mattress sagging in the middle, and machined CNC hinges keep the frame and mattress as flat as possible.

The Standard is 80 x 200cm on six LevelTech legs with large mud feet and weighs 14.2kg, while the X version is 90 x 210cm on eight legs. It works with Avid's sleeping bags and plenty of others, and a central compression strap lets it fold away with a bag attached.

Anglers of average build who fish two or three nights at a time will find it easy to live with. It weighs the same as the Fox Flatliner X but folds smaller, so it's easier to fit in the car, though the Fox is roomier.

So, what's the catch? The Standard is on the narrow side at 80cm, so bigger anglers should look at the X. For everyone else, I think it's a superb memory foam bed at a fairer price than most.

The Flatliner X is the bed for anglers who want it dead flat. Fox have built the lumbar support into the frame itself across the head, middle and foot, so the support stays even, and the 50mm mattress pairs a high-density foam base with a soft hollowfill top.

It stands on six Maximum Support legs in three double sets, which adjust from 42 to 55cm with a one-touch spring mechanism, and at 94 x 217cm there's plenty of room to stretch out. The double hinges are sized to fold it with an All Season bag still on.

Who's it for? Anglers who'd rather have a firm, even bed than the sink-in feel of memory foam. The 55cm top height makes it easy to sit on the edge, but if you're tall or broad, the Camolite XL is roomier and lighter.

To be fair, it's 14.2kg and folds to 102 x 80 x 38cm, so it's a barrow bed. If you want the same bed with a matched bag, the Flatliner X All Season System is the one to look at.

If you're tall or a bigger build, the Camolite XL is the bed I'd look at first. It measures 223 x 101cm, which is longer and wider than most bedchairs, and full lumbar support keeps the mattress firm without sagging.

The mattress is fleece-lined and padded, with an extra-padded pillow section at the head, and six adjustable legs with large swivelling mud feet set it from 40 to 49cm high. Double hinges let you fold a sleeping bag inside, and side straps keep it compact.

Before you buy, check your bivvy has room, as a 101cm-wide frame takes up a lot of floor space. Next to the Trakker RLX 6 Leg, it's 27cm wider and 23cm longer for only about 2kg more, so there's no contest if you're broad, and it's still light enough to carry a fair way from the car.

It weighs 12.8kg and folds to 98 x 90 x 24cm, which is fair for the size. If you don't need the extra room, the same bed also comes in Compact and Standard sizes.

The RLX 6 Leg is a well-specced mid-price bed built around a plush mattress with adjustable lumbar support, so you can set the firmness where your back needs it. It lies completely flat and has a built-in spirit level, which makes levelling it on a sloping swim much easier.

Six adjustable legs with rotating mud feet set it from 38 to 50cm, the double hinges let a sleeping bag stay attached when it folds, and two side straps compress it for the car. At 10.85kg, it's a good few kilos lighter than the memory foam beds.

It suits overnighters and weekenders who carry their kit rather than barrow it, and the 130kg maximum load covers most anglers. Is it worth the extra weight over the Trakker Big Snooze? If you want that adjustable lumbar, yes, though the Big Snooze is a little roomier at 204 x 78cm.

The catch is the width, as at 200 x 74cm it's narrower than most. For average-sized anglers who want comfort at a sensible weight, though, I think it's a very good buy.

At around 8.55kg, the Big Snooze is the lightest full-length bed I'd consider for overnighters with a walk to the swim. It's 204 x 78cm, lies completely flat and stands on six adjustable legs that go from 35 to 45cm.

Setting up is about as quick as it gets, as you just unclip and unfold it, and it packs down light and compact for the car or barrow. It's rated to 130kg, and there's an optional Big Snooze+ cover if you want to add one.

Pretty much everything about it is built around the carry, so it suits anglers who fish after work or don't own a barrow. It's 2.3kg lighter than the RLX 6 Leg and over 4kg lighter than the Avid Revolve X, though you give up the RLX's adjustable lumbar and the Avid's extra width.

To be fair, the mattress is simpler than the padded and memory foam beds, so it's not one for a week on the bank. For quick overnighters and roving, though, I think the weight saving is well worth it.

The Revolve X gives you a full-size 210 x 90cm bed for not a lot of money. It's built to the same length and width as Avid's Benchmark beds, with a padded foam mattress on a flat frame, so it doesn't dip in the middle.

The X stands on eight Rocksteady legs, which spreads the load better on soft ground, and it adjusts from 40 to 47cm. It weighs 12.8kg, and a strap and buckle keep it closed at 90 x 80 x 25cm with your bag still on.

Where it really earns its place is with taller and broader anglers on a budget. Against the Fox EOS Standard, you get 5cm more width and two extra legs for a bit more money, though to be honest, if you're slim or still growing, the cheaper Fox will do the job.

It's aimed at anglers moving up to their first proper bed, and for that I think it's great value. You won't get memory foam, but the size and the eight legs are a lot for the money.

The EOS Bed is aimed at newcomers, juniors and anyone on a tight budget, and it still gives you a proper flat bed. There's a padded foam mattress on a flat frame, and the cam-free design gives you more usable width.

It comes in three sizes, from the 210 x 77cm Compact to the 217 x 98cm XL, so you can match it to your build. Six extendable legs with swivelling mud feet cope with uneven ground, and a strap and buckle let it pack away with a sleeping bag still on.

Which size should you go for? The Compact suits juniors and slimmer anglers, the 85cm-wide Standard covers most adults, and the XL, with legs that go up to 50cm, is the one for bigger builds and roomier bivvies. Every size is at least 20cm longer than the Prologic Avenger, too, and for most newcomers, it's comfy enough for a night or two on the bank.

The frame and mattress are simpler than the dearer beds, which the score reflects. For a first bedchair, though, I think it's great value.

The Prologic Avenger is the cheapest bed I'd recommend, and it still gives you a flat frame and a properly padded mattress. The mattress is sculpted, generously padded and made from waterproof 600D fabric, and there's a neoprene pillow with a zipped pocket.

The 6 Leg version weighs just 7kg, adjusts from 30 to 42cm and folds flat on double hinges with most sleeping bags left in place. Every leg adjusts and has a pivoting mud foot.

I think it makes the most sense for summer overnighters and quick moves between swims, and it's a manageable carry for a junior. It even saves 1.55kg over the Trakker Big Snooze, which adds up when you walk everything to the swim in one go, and the waterproof fabric stops a wet coat soaking into the mattress.

To be fair, at 190 x 70cm it's short and narrow, and the 6 Leg is rated to 105kg, so taller or bigger anglers should look at the 8 Leg version or the Fox EOS. For a first bed or a spare, though, it's hard to argue with.

The Levelite Oval is a different shape from a normal bed, wide through the middle and standard width at the head and toe, so you get room to move without the bed taking over the bivvy. The mattress is high-density memory foam with a firmer railed centre to support your lower back.

The bag has a water-resistant peach-skin outer and a removable reversible inner, so it works as a three or five-season system, with full-length two-way 10mm crash zips on both sides. Eight spring-loaded legs and a spirit level get it flat, and the storage pouch can sit anywhere around the bed.

If your back plays up, it's the system I'd look at. Is it worth the extra over the Fox Flatliner X All Season? For the memory foam, yes, and it's about 2.9kg lighter than the Fox in five-season form.

To be fair, it's about 17.5kg and a big spend. For long-session anglers who want memory foam and a year-round bag in one, though, I think it's as good as sleep systems get.

The Flatliner X All Season System pairs the Flatliner X bed with a zipped-in Ventec All Season Sleeping Bag, so one system covers you for the whole year. Take the thermal inner out and the bag drops from five seasons to three.

You get the same completely flat frame with in-frame lumbar support, the 50mm dual-layer mattress and one-touch legs that adjust from 42 to 55cm. It packs to 102 x 80 x 42cm with the bag still attached.

For me, it suits anglers who fish right through the year and want plenty of room, with a 94 x 217cm sleeping area to stretch out on. Next to the Nash Indulgence HD40, it also has the thicker 50mm mattress and a wider leg range for a sloping swim, while the Trakker Levelite Oval adds memory foam.

So, what's the catch? It's 20.4kg in five-season form and 18kg with the inner out, so it's a barrow job, and the Ventec outer is water-resistant rather than fully waterproof. For the money, though, I think it's a cracking all-year system.

The HD40 puts a 40mm high-density foam bed and a four-season duvet together for a lot less than the top sleep systems. Nash have reinforced the steel frame at its key stress points to help stop it bending when you sit over the middle or fold it up.

The lumbar support adjusts with elastic tension, the one-touch legs go from 32 to 40cm, and the hollow-fibre duvet has body baffles and heavy-duty crash zips. There's also a detachable mesh pocket for your phone and small bits that fits either side.

Compared with the Fox Flatliner X All Season System, it's 3.9kg lighter, which helps on a long barrow push, though at 212 x 83cm it's a little tighter for taller anglers. You can also set the leg incline to suit your sleeping position, and fast-fit toggles take an optional pillow, shroud or mattress sheet, so you can add to it later.

To be fair, it's 16.5kg and the foam isn't memory foam. For winter overnighters on a sensible budget, though, I think it's great value.