Aqua M3

When the original Aqua Armadillo prototype landed at one of the key carp shows back in 1999, carp anglers around the world wept into their khaki hankies at the sight of its aggressive design, incredible strength and ability to be set-up and packed down within a matter of seconds. And now, some 13 years since the first production version rolled off the line and 14 years since that fateful day at said carp show, the Armadillo has changed it’s name to the M3, spawned a million copies, gone topless (think: removable front), grown a peak and shed some weight. It’s no wonder this is still Aqua Products’ number one selling product: it’s so versatile and beautifully made, and I absolutely love it.

And my love for the M3 isn’t because it’s made by cult brand Aqua. It’s simply because it’s the best pram-hood bivvy I’ve ever used. It’s never leaked and that’s because it boasts the heaviest grade of Aquatexx material which has hydrostatic head ratings of over 14,000m. It comes with an incredible frame system which is unrivalled when it comes to strength and features roll-back front and rear panels. Its versatility is another massive plus point for me: you can strip it right back if you need to travel light, as the front is easily zipped on or off. Or, if you need to beef it up for the late autumn and winter, then simply add the SupaWrap which turns it into a double skinned, almost-two-man-sized bankside home.

It’s a true bivvy veteran and I salute it every time we see one on the bank!

“GIMME”: M3 Bivvy, £499.99; SupaWrap, £219.99