Pop Up Hide

[Dave_S]

Living in a rural village, with a garden adjoining open farmland, I get get a good variety wildlife visitors in the garden, including a wide variety of birds, which includes Mr Pheasant and his wife, who visit every day.

However, photographing them has always been a problem, as they quickly move off as soon as I step outside with the camera.

So, I had been thinking about getting some sort of easily erected and taken down tent/hide arrangement.
As search on the web showed that there was quite a variety available, ranging from around £40, to a few hundred pounds.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money on something that would likely only be used now and then in the garden, and not taken off on some expedition (lol), I concentrated on the budget end of the market.

There are certainly some weird and wonderful designs, some of which seemed quite cumbersome, with metal frames and a built-in chair.

However, I wanted something that was of pop-up design, lightweight, just big enough to accommodate me, a tripod, and may be a folding chair or stool. Not concerned about it being waterproof, as I'll not be sitting out there in the rain.

I settled on this one (see picture below), at £39 delivered, and have ordered one.

I'll let you know whether it is functional, or a piece of 'c**p' (lol).

Dave

[tesarver]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Looking forward to your report

Tom

[ianrmontague]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Keep us informed mate

[wayne2418]

Re: Pop Up Hide

I am just about on the edge of buying one myself, I thought about buying the same pop up chair hide the Paul has. Looks to be relatively cheap and comfortable, although he did say it wasn't exactly brilliant in a downpour ...

[rajjayaraj]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Look forward to your feedback Dave, Where is this from? Raj

[Paulstw]

Re: Pop Up Hide

I have the one from Ebay with the chair inside it. It was £59 at the time, now down to £46 I see lol. It's very comfortable and you can sit in it for easily 3-4 hours just listening to the wildlife. Has well enough room inside for a big tripod and a rucksack at your feet. A drinks holder and it all folds away into a flat bag to store in the boot of the car.

[Bhuna]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Don't you mean "built in chare". LOL.

Not being the slimmest of folks but would the chair be strong enough to seat 20 stone?

[Paulstw]

Re: Pop Up Hide

It's one of these camping chairs that fold away, and made of fabric. It's metal construction and strong fabric so I don't see why not.

However, Daves hide seems a lot more easy carrying type and would pop up at short notice when needed. Ideal situation when hiding from ex wife.

[wayne2418]

Re: Pop Up Hide

would pop up at short notice when needed. Ideal situation when hiding from ex wife.

LOL ....

[Dave_S]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Where is this from? Raj

From here Raj

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pop-up-hide-blind-shelter-photography-wildlife-birdwatching-fishing-shooting-/380908068258?pt=UK_SportingGoods_Hunting_ShootingSports_ET&hash=item58afe3dda2

Dave

[rajjayaraj]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Thanks Dave, will be handy for that price.

[Dave_S]

Re: Pop Up Hide

The Pop-Up hide arrived this morning, and initial impressions are good.

Lightweight Nylon material. Take it out of the bag and it's pop-up design works well, taking only seconds to to get ready for use.

Big enough for me, a tripod and a stool, or small fold-up chair. However, it is sit-down job once inside, as it isn't tall enough to stand up straight, and I'm only 5'6".

Not a problem as far as I'm concerned, as I didn't wan't anything big, and sitting down is more relaxed and comfortable.

A zip panel panel door on one side, and on the other three, a zip opening port, each with separate zip open/close fly screen in black material, which will allow you have all three ports open, to allow air to pass through, while having the fly screens closed on the two ports not being used for photography.

A there is a strong loop of material on each of the four bottom corners, for securing the hide to the ground, and a loop higher up on each of the four corners, for attaching guy-lines in windy conditions. A set of pegs and guys is supplied, in a small bag, made of the same material as the hide.

The material is unlikely to have any waterproof qualities, but as I said earlier, I don't intend using it in the rain.

There is one major problem with it, as far as I'm concerned, and that is so far, despite an extensive effort by me and Mrs S, we have been unable to fold up to fit back in the bag, because of it's spring-wire pop-up frame.

There is an instruction sheet supplied, but its very vague. There are six steps to folding it up, and so far we haven't been able to get beyond Step 3, because the instructions aren't clear.

Would I recommend it?. If I can work out how to get it back into the bag, then at £39 delivered, most certainly yes.

Dave

[GORDH]

Re: Pop Up Hide

I have used pop stuff before, tents, reflectors Dave and theres an art to folding it back but when you eventually do it you'll never forget, its usually a sort of double twist, twist and twist it again whilst pushing it together and it falls back so its like 3 circles on top of each other if thst makes sense but it is a pain the first time you try to do it

Kind Regards
Gordon

[Dave_S]

Re: Pop Up Hide

Me too Gordon, as I have used similar pop-up things before, and as you say, it is usually a double-twist somewhere along the line, but this one seems to define convention and logic. It does need to form the three circles as you describe, but getting to that position, eludes us. (lol).

I know it has to fit in the bag, because it came out of it, but of course it then just sprung into shape, as opposed to having to unfold it so as to see how it was configured.

As I only want it for use in the garden, I'll probably end up folding to step 3, which is full-height and flat, and hang it up in the garage.

However, I'll let other members of the family see if they can follow these vague instructions, and work out steps 4,5, and 6.

Whatever, when erected, it is just want I wanted.

Dave

[GORDH]

Re: Pop Up Hide

I know what you mean the initial excitement and pleasure of seeing it erect itself is soon replaced by sheer frustration at being unable to collapse the bleedin thing.

I do a bit of course fishing and was after a pop up bivvy and whilst in a tackle shop stupidly took one out of its quite small bag instantly it pop upped which impressed me.... 10 minutes later I still hadn't got it in its bag, the assistant came over after watching me, smiling he had it back in 3 seconds !!!!