Fox Flatliner X Bedchair

How well is it built?

The Flatliner X feels like a bed built to last. The frame is completely flat, with the lumbar support built into the frame itself rather than relying on the mattress, so the support stays even across the head, middle and foot sections.

Fox have thought about the details too.

The large double hinges have rubber overmoulded covers, which protect both the hinges and whatever the bed is resting on, and the two side tension straps run around the frame rather than across the mattress, so there's nothing digging into you when you lie down.

The mattress covering mixes a camo peach skin perimeter and head area with fleece across the main section, and it all looks and feels like a premium bedchair rather than a budget one dressed up.

Comfort & Adjustability

Comfort is where a flat bed like this earns its money. The 50mm dual-layer mattress has a high-density foam base for support and a soft hollowfill upper for comfort, and elastic runs through the mattress at the hinges to keep the firmness consistent along the whole length.

The sleeping area is 94 x 217cm, which is roomy enough for most anglers to stretch out, and the height adjusts from 42 to 55cm, so you can set it low under a brolly or higher if you want to sit on the edge more easily.

The legs adjust with a one-touch spring-loaded mechanism, so levelling the bed on an uneven swim is quick, and with eight support points from the six double-leg sets, the weight is spread well when you're lying on it.

Ease Of Setup & Portability

Setting it up is simple, as it unfolds flat and the spring-loaded legs make levelling it a quick job. The double hinges are sized so the bed folds with an All Season sleeping bag still attached, which saves a lot of messing about at the end of a session.

Portability is the trade-off. It weighs 14.2kg and folds to 102 x 80 x 38cm, so it's a bed for the barrow and the car rather than a long walk, and it isn't the one to choose if you rove a lot or travel light.

For anglers who set up in one swim for a night or more, though, that weight is the price of a solid, flat and stable bed.

Is it good value for money?

Bought on its own, the Flatliner X Bedchair costs a good deal less than the full Flatliner X all-season system, which adds a matching sleeping bag. If you already own a sleeping bag you're happy with, the bedchair alone is the better buy.

It isn't cheap for a bedchair, but for that you get a completely flat frame with full lumbar support, a dual-layer mattress, covered double hinges and eight support points, which is the sort of spec you'd expect from a premium bed.

It suits carp anglers who fish overnighters and longer sessions, want a flat, firm bed with even support, and would rather barrow a solid bedchair to the swim than carry a lighter one that gives less support.