Fox Evolution Classic
04-06-2004, I had used my Relum De Luxe Brotel for some years now, and generally it had performed well, but with a couple of reservations. I have to sit in a straight upright chair and the height was not sufficient. The second point was that with the back of my chair touching the back of the brotel my knees were still out in the rain. As I am just starting back after a long and difficult problem with my spine I thought that it would be wise to see if there was something out there that would serve me better. After looking through lots of magazines and reviews without learning a great deal I telephoned Simpson's of Turnford (01992-468799) a shop where I had purchased most of my fishing gear from and asked for some advice explaining my needs for a tall shelter rather than a low model as I would not be able to lie on a camp bed and also that I would be float fishing. The gentleman said that the Fox Evolution Classic would serve my needs, he even offered that if I came down and it was not raining he would show me how to set it up and then I would be able to see if it had enough height for me. I took myself down to the shop and true to his word he brought one from upstairs and we went out to the front of the shop and he showed me just how to set it up and how much room there was inside the shelter, this would most definitely do me just fine. A thank you very much from me, an exchange of money and off I went home with a happy smile on my face, the search for a suitable shelter was solved. A plug for Simpson's, a nice shop staffed by nice knowledgeable people who are more than willing to help.
How has it performed, well I am going to have to wait before going any further, as the planned start for the season on June 16th has just been set back by a telephone call from the hospital where I am going to have the operation on my spine saying that they can take me in on the 23rd of this month and operate the next day.
Why do a review on the Evolution Classic, as it has been around a few years now and there must already have been a lot written about it, but I suspect that most, if not all were written by carp anglers. I remember the first time I saw one in use, I had gone to the lake early in the morning when all of the carp anglers were still asleep. The Evolution was set so low to the ground that you would have to be a world class limbo dancer to get in or out of it, and I remember thinking that if you were staying on the lake for days at a time, then an Evolution was not the best set up, certainly when it was blowing a gale and lashing down with rain.
When the Evolution was demonstrated to me at Simpson's it all looked very plain and simple so the first thing that I did when I got it home was to put it up out in the garden. Not too much problem putting it up, but taking it back down again did present a problem. Working in the reverse order to assembly I removed one of the front porch stays, but had a lot of trouble getting the other one out. After several attempts and looking at the instructions I found the best way to get this second stay out was to put my hand on the joint and press down and at the same time lifting up and straightening the stay and twisting left and right accomplished the removal. The other stays all came out easily and stowing it back into its cover was no problem.
26-09-2005. The "Evo" has done all that could be expected of it and I am well pleased with it. As I do all of my fishing with a float it is not always easy to get it set up so that I am still able to see my float due to the prevailing weather conditions. I use it on very hot sunny days to give myself some shelter from the blazing sun, but it is very hot under the "Evo" and I would be far better off using an umbrella, as this would enable the air to come under, but all in all it is probably the best single item for the job of keeping me dry, out of the sun and also out of the cold winds in the winter. If you peg it down using all points and guy ropes and with 2 poles at the front then it is very stable even in very high winds. Highly recommended.
