Avid Carp EXO 2 Man Bivvy System

How well is it built?

Avid use a khaki brown EX material on the EXO 2 and describe it as hard-wearing and breathable, which matters on a two-man bivvy where condensation can soon build up.

The frame runs from Avid's EXO boss out to self-locating corner blocks, and the bivvy on its own weighs 10.9kg, so this is a solid, heavy-duty shelter rather than a lightweight one.

The flat back is the clever part of the layout, because it adds internal space and lets you push a bedchair right up against the back wall. Avid say there's room for two bedchairs plus luggage, bait and cooking kit, while the footprint stays compact enough for tighter swims.

Inside there are two mesh pockets for receivers, phones and keys, and the heavy-duty groundsheet has a letterbox flap. Everything goes into an oversized carry bag with pockets for the pegs, groundsheet and storm poles, and I think the whole package is well thought through.

Stability & Weather Resistance

A 20,000mm hydrostatic head is a top-end figure, and the EXO 2 backs it up with a generous integrated peak that keeps rain off the doorway and the entrance drier and cleaner.

There's also a rain gutter built into the design, so water runs off down the sides rather than pooling on the roof, which is a detail I'd want on a bivvy this size.

The supplied storm cap adds coverage and insulation and helps cut condensation, and for windy nights you get reinforced pegging points, fabric webbing adjusters, a fabric tension strap, two storm poles and heavy-duty pegs, so there's everything you need to get it pegged down tight.

The front uses a solid infill panel with an oversized split letterbox door, and you choose between a solid panel and a camo mesh one.

With four camo mosquito vents as well, you can keep air moving on a warm night, and the oversized peak lets you leave the letterbox open in the rain.

Ease Of Setup & Portability

Fast pitching is at the heart of the EXO design, and on the EXO 2 the boss and self-locating corner blocks mean there's less to line up as the frame goes out. I think that's a big help on a bivvy this large, because big two-man shelters can be awkward to put up on your own.

Portability is the real trade-off, because the bivvy alone is 10.9kg, the full system is 20.2kg, and it packs to 192cm long by 34cm by 27cm, so it needs a barrow and a decent amount of room in the car.

For me that rules it out for anyone who walks a long way to the swim or moves around a lot.

The carry bag does help, with integrated pockets for the pegs, the groundsheet and the storm poles, so everything goes back in one place at the end of a session. As with the smaller Exo+, I'd have a practice pitch at home so you know the boss before you need it in a hurry.

Is it good value for money?

The EXO 2 is a premium two-man system, priced a fair bit above the Avid Exo+ Bivvy and close to the Nash Titan T1 Camo Pro and Fox Frontier XD.

What you're paying for is space, because the 20,000mm rating and the boss system are shared with the Exo+, and the extra money buys a bigger footprint and more headroom.

To be fair, the kit list is strong, with the storm cap, groundsheet, two door panels, storm poles, pegs and carry bag all included, so there's nothing else you need before the first night, and split between two anglers the cost looks a lot more sensible.

It suits carp anglers who share sessions with a mate, fish long trips in the UK or abroad, or want space for a big bedchair and plenty of kit, and who barrow everything to the swim. If you fish alone and move often, the Exo+ will be easier to live with.