Nice and Ez

It feels like the JRC Stealth EZ-Winder (that’s Z pronounced the American way, in case you were wondering!) has been on the verge of arrival for years, but now it’s finally here and it’s attracting some big-name fans and plenty of interest. There’s certainly nothing quite like it on the market right now.

Ah, so it’s ‘EZ’ as in ‘easy’, but what’s the winder bit all about?
That’s this bivvy’s unique selling point. JRC refer to it as a spider-style frame, and the central boss from which its eight legs sprout is, quite literally, a wind up. Crank the handle that sits where a traditional brolly’s bell cap would be and the legs splay out and lock in position.

That’s quite a departure from pramhood and central-boss designs. What’s the logic?
It’s all about simplicity and ease of erection. There aren’t multiple joints to slot together or masses of fiddly connectors, you just wind and go. That heavy-duty central crank features a handle knob a bit like an oversized reel and rotates one way to open and the other to close. It then flips upside down and out of the way when the bivvy is in use. 

Okay, I think I understand the concept now. But does that mean this is a bit of a one-trick pony with only the fancy winder as a party piece?
Not at all, this is a top-of-the-range bivvy from JRC, regardless of how you set it up and pack it away. One of the first things you will notice is the material used in its construction. It’s JRC’s Hydratex high-performance fabric and it looks and feels incredible. It has a lovely texture and will keep the elements at bay with a 10,000mm hydrostatic-head rating and sealed seams.

Anything else?
We’re barely getting started! The frame is made from lightweight aerospace-grade 7001 aluminium which keeps weight down. Those poles have also been treated with a non-glare coating to add to the stealthy appearance.

I’m starting to get the picture…
Yeah, this isn’t a run-of-the-mill shelter. It was designed and engineered in the UK by JRC’s product team and it shows. It’s not just a ‘static’ bivvy, either. Its height and width can be altered depending on conditions, so you can really hunker down in this thing and shelter from driving rain. That’s also helped by the plethora of door options—Clear, Green or Mozzy Mesh—which feature two-way zips for that classic letterbox lookout. And if you don’t like to be shut in, you can zip off the front completely. With so many features, it’s no wonder Adam Penning is a big fan.

What does he say about it?
Well, this… “I’ve used the EZ Winder for almost a year now. I’m an angler who tends to move about a lot and there is NOTHING apart from a brolly that is as fast to put up or down than the EZ. I’m also getting old and I like a bit of comfort so the huge floor space generated by the clever leg design is very welcome. Lastly, the door configuration is practical, unique and very well thought out, giving lots of different options to suit weather conditions. It’s the best bivvy I’ve ever used, and that’s not a wind up even though it is!”

Wow, praise indeed. Anything else I need to know?
I don’t think we’ve mentioned the extra-large rear vents for added air circulation, the heavy-duty groundsheet and the 600D carry bag with proper zips, nor the price, which is £549.99.