Hi Kevin

The lens camo sets that we ordered for the Sigma 800mm F5.6EX DG and the Nikon AF-S 300mm f2.8G ED VR arrived safely yesterday and after a bit of head scratching I got them on to the lenses in the right order. I must say my wife and I are impressed with the product, pretty well a perfect fit and certainly seems as though it will give the lens plenty of protection against the weather and minor knocks. Christened the lenses at our local nature reserve at Langoford lakes today, got some nice shots of the Reed Buntings, Willow Warblers and Chiff Chaffs.

I seem to remember that you said this was the first set you had done for the Sigma 800mm prime so I've attached a couple of pics to show how well it fits feel free to use them if they are of any help.

Many thanks for the excellent service.

Regards, Dave Townend

Hi Kevin,

I’ve been using your C33L lightweight Baghide since 2006 very successfully and with great satisfaction. I appreciated mostly the following features of the BagHide (summer version):

- It blends perfectly to the surrounding vegetation
- It completely hides the photographer and its equipment even glossy metallic parts are almost invisible from outside
- The photographer can have 360 degree overview around himself, as the hide-material leaves free sight if put very close to the eyes
- The BagHide is completely noiseless. Even with shy animals the photographer can slowly move inside and no disturbing noise is produced by the hide material
- It is lightweight!

The BagHide has become a consistent part of my wildlife photography equipment. I carry it with me from backyard shootings, to alpine excursions and of course to my overseas photographic trips.

Kevin, thanks again for your support.

Manuel Presti - Wildlife photography

Have finally gotten round to look at the new hide canvas that you made me and have mated it to the Jamie Woods frame and it's a perfect fit, absolutely spot on, I am absolutely chuffed and can't wait to start using it

Thank you very much indeed

Kind regards

Larry Corbett

Wow what an incredible service! I want to thank you very much for sending my camera cover so quickly. Now I can rest assured when it rains on my survival weekend.

THANKS A LOT!!!!

Best regards,

D. Westerhout

Cheers & may your business go from strength to strength..

Sean ( A very happy customer Indeed )

Malc Richings
Cheshire

For nearly 3 months now I've been using one of your standard dome hides, a bag hide and one of your neoprene lens covers to monitor and photograph a pair of Kingfishers nesting near my home (with the necessary Schedule 1 Licence of course).

I've had some superb results (a few examples are enclosed) and I just wanted to say how excellent your products have been. The quality is unbeatable and the dome hide is both a joy to use and is xtremely effective as I've been able to get shots of these birds from as little as 6 feet away without causing them any disturbance what so ever.

May I also congratulate you on the excellent service I received from your staff, both over the telephone and in terms of the speed with which they were able to process my orders and arrange delivery of the goods. If only every mail-order/internet supplier could match the service offered by you and your team.

Regards

Jeff Harrison

Dear Kevin,

Thanks for the beanbags which I've been using for several weeks now. They are performing really well, and the double version is proving very stable on the car window-ledge. For fieldwork, I've filled one with a mix of split peas and polystyrene knuckles to save on weight and add a bit of bulk. Seems to work well.

Cheers, Paul S

Paul Sinte

Hi Kevin/Helen,

Just wanted to mention that the camouflage cover is great - fits well and has had some use in sub zero temperatures in Sweden and it made the lens, Canon 300 f4 IS, C60 set, a lot more pleasurable handling experience. Thanks for the very prompt service too!

Best regards, Matt Latham

Hi Kevin,

Just wanted to give you some feedback regarding your Baghide product. I have the non-waterproof version which is fantastically light and when in the bag hide, my vision of the surroundings are unobscured due to the see-through material used. I was prompted to give feedback due to my experience last weekend. I was concentrating my camera on a birdfeeder (whilst I was pouring a cup of coffee!) when it suddenly went quiet and a Sparrow Hawk landed “10 feet” away from me onto the feeder perch. Unfortunately, the perch was a bit lightweight for it and it flapped around and had to fly off again. I would hardly have got it’s head in the frame with my 500mm lens, it was that close. An amazing experience for me and I have no doubt that this would never have happened if I had not been using your baghide product. I don’t go anywhere without it now and I can shop in Tesco’s without been noticed!!!

Regards

Graeme Lee

Tripods are among the largest pieces of photographic equipment you are likely to carry in the field. A large modern tripod may not weigh as much as a super telephoto lens, but it takes the same space or more. You may carry it in the field attached outside a backpack or roller case. However, if you need to move it some distance while shooting, you will quickly realise how poorly it is optimised for carrying. Almost all tripods have no built-in padding, and many have a number of projecting handles, knobs, bolts and sharp edges that make its carrying more uncomfortable than any other piece of equipment. Some people find that they can carry an open tripod a short distance by putting a leg in front of a shoulder and the two other legs on one´s back. Probably, most photographers close the legs (with or without collapsing them) and place the tripod legs on one shoulder, holding the tripod balanced with one arm. The latter may be the only sensible way to carry a tripod that has a central column. Either way, the friction of the legs against the shoulder bones is an experience one does not look forward too.

Savvy photographers avoid this problem by adding a padding to the largest segment of the legs. Commercial products as well as home-made solutions are available. The latter consist of plastic foam sleeves (designed for insulating hot water pipes) kept in place by an elastic "sock" sleeving and/or tape. Cork or rubber tape used to pad bicycle hand-bars, tennis racquets and other sports implements may also be used.

Commercial tripod leg wraps are also available, although from just a few sources. The quality of these accessories is variable, especially with regards to durability. Foam padding kept in place by an elastic netting around its outer surface does not look very reliable to me, because this material can easily stretch out of place, and probably is not very resistant to abrasion. A sewn cloth sleeve enclosing the padding on both sides seems more durable. I use tripod leg wraps made by Wildlife Watching Supplies on two Gitzo tripods.

These leg wraps are made to order, and you are required to specify the length and circumference of the tripod legs, as well as the tripod model (probably, as a way to avoid mistakes on your part). The wraps are reversible. Mine are Advantage Leaf on one side and standard camouflage pattern on the other.

In Gitzo tripods, the portion of the legs closest to the head mount is fitted into a metal sleeve of higher diameter. You can choose either to include this portion in the length that you want covered by the padding, on to leave it exposed. I opted to cover it in one of my tripods, and to leave it exposed in the other. Both solutions work, although covering it probably makes better sense (like in the above example).

The rubber padding is sufficiently thick and stiff to prevent pain while carrying a tripod with a heavy lens mounted (but take care to lock the tripod head tightly, or the lens may swing and hit you on the head). The cloth sleeve is thick and durable (it is the same cloth used to make hides and outdoor clothing), and the wraps are kept closed around the legs by velcro strips running along the entire length of the wrap. For this reason, the wraps cannot be used on tripods with a central stabilizer. If you plan to use this type of wrap, check that your tripod, when closed, has a space of at least 1 cm between the legs and the central column (you can get away with small protuberances, like the rim of the cap that attaches a hook at the bottom of the column in Gitzo tripods).

These leg wraps are well made and fully functional, but not entirely without problems. One of these is that they may slide up and down the tripod legs, especially if the length of the wraps is less than the length of the leg segments. Thus, you better choose wraps long enough to cover the whole leg segment. Another problem is that the wraps, even when mounted as tight as possible, rotate easily around the legs. You must remember to get a good hold with your hand around a leg, or it may wiggle out of your grasp. It should be possible to attach a length of adhesive-backed velcro lengthwise on the leg segment (perhaps on the leg side facing the centre of the tripod) and sew a corresponding length along a side of the wrap (where the velcro strip used to keep the wrap closed is already located). However, this strip will be visible if you reverse the wraps or temporarily use the tripod without them. Thus, there is no easy, problem-free solution. Even with these drawbacks, the leg wraps have increased substantially the portability of my tripods, as well as their aesthetic appearance (at least in my opinion). I keep the wraps on at all times, also when working indoors.

Wildlife Watching Supplies also make loose tubular cloth sleeves in a variety of camouflage patterns, long enough to be pulled down and cover fully extended legs, as well as a cover for the tripod mount and lens and camera covers. They also have an elastic tubular sleeve (not padded) that can be used on other equipment. If you wish, you can camouflage your entire camera and tripod, except of course for the front of the lens.

Enrico Savazzi
Reviews of C30 std dome hide and C37 padded tripod leg wraps by Enrico Savazzi - Sweden.
http://www.savazzi.net/photography/wwslegwraps.htm
http://www.savazzi.net/photography/wwshide.htm
www.savazzi.net

Hi Kevin,

Received my order today, and I just wanted to let you know that I am very pleased with this product. It is a perfect fit for my 80-400mm lens. Also, the design makes it very easy to operate the camera and lens. Quality is very high as expected, and I look forward to trying it out in the field. Many thanks for a smooth transaction and another fantastic accessory for my kit bag ; )

Regards, Iain Kitkpatrick

Hi Kevin

the two C80R covers arrived early the next day. Superb construction and ease of use. Highly recommended. Roll on the weekend. Thanks again and best wishes to all at Wildlifewatchingsupplies.

Colin Carter
Colin Carter photography

Hi Kev and team
I have received the camera and lens cover i ordered from you and am over the moon with them.Today i took them out to try and photograph some of exmoors red deer but unfortunately the mist was very thick,still managed to find several on lower ground though but the wind was in the wrong direction so i will try again another day.I am interested in alot more of your products so you will be hearing from me soon. Thanks very much James Verney.

Dear Kevin,

Thanks for the dome hide before christmas, that was great and very efficient which allowed us to ge the hide set up before christmas. Thanks mate. Apologies for not getting back to you sooner but it sbeen hectic over the last month but here is a few sentences below. Thanks for a great product.

The dome hide - what can I say? The ever sceptical me has spent most of my life so far outside spending hundreds of weekends out all night in different manufactured tents and home made shelters. I can assure you I've had more than my fair share blown away in the middle of night in gale force winds and driving rain.

We had been making hides ourselves but had decided to purchase one of the WILDLIFE WATCHING SUPPLIES dome hides for its ease of putting up and mobility if I needed to shift it. I live up on the west coast of Scotland and had decided to use it out in the hills on some friends land. We were only going to use it for a couple of weeks but things were going well so we decided to leave it there. Anyone who watches the weather will have realised that for the best part of the last 3 months of 2006 on the west coast of Scotland we've had plenty of gales and driving rain. To put it bluntly it felt like the day after tomorrow was really happening!!!!

One morning after a particularly bad night of strong winds and driving rain the phone rang. It was my friends who owned the land to tell me that their 6 foot fence which had been concreted in had blown down and that the chances of my hide being there was zero. I'm sure I could hear a little snigger in their voice. I wandered up there expecting to see no hide as it had been blown over the hills and somewhere far away. I arrived there and trudged the couple of kilometres. I couldn't see the hide and then my eyes adjusted and I managed to pick out the well camouflaged hide on the side of the hill.
In fact there was nothing out of place apart from one broken guide rope. This is what happened over the last 3 months. The heavens gave all it could and still that hide stood there. I can only say what an outstanding product this has been so far. It withstood some of the most intense storms of 2006 in a very exposed position and it took it all. It's been that good we have brought another dome hide for another project because this winter looks still to be a wet and windy one in Scotland and we need something which we can rely on to withstand whatever the elements chuck at it!!!!

Richard Shucksmith
Scottish Association for Marine Science
Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory

Hi Kevin,

The c33 bag hide absolutely fantastic just arrived today only ordered 2 days ago pretty good for xmas and as for the foldaway chair its more comfortable than my sofa cant wait for the sun to come up and get out and try them in the field im expecting great things from them.

cheers neil

Was very pleased to receive my Large Dome Hide today. Excellent quality and a fantastic service. I was kept fully up-to-date with the progress of my order; well done.

Nigel Fairclough

Hi Kevin,

I recieved the Neoprene lens cover for the Nikon 200-400mm this morning. I think it is absolutely superb and it fits like a glove! The workmanship is first class.

Thanks and regards - Chris Lloyd.

Hi Kevin,

My camera and fingers thank you warmly for the fleece. Although it wasn't as cold as 2002 it did still go sub-zero and the wind-chill helped. Funny thing was the temperature dropped just a day or two after I left. All the other people on the expedition were interested (or jealous if you like) so you may get some more requests. As well as working nicely with a tripod I also used it hand-held and the Velcro closure wrapped well round my left wrist keeping the wind out. Special triple layer C80 "all in one" camera and lens cover with heat pack pocket (see heat pack - Ed). (Stops battery drain in cold condition). Top layer proofed polycotton, lightweight waterproof nylon middle layer and inner fleece layer with heat pack pocket.


I have attached a picture of one of the locals.
Cheers, Tim.

Just a quick thank you for the excellent service. Ordered Monday, delivered Tuesday. I can't ask for better than that. The wraps fit the Gitzo 1348 very well and save my shoulder from a lot of abuse with a 600mm on it :)

Kev Lewis

Hi Kevin,

The All in one cover that I got from you worked wonderfully. On a recent trip sailing from Falmouth the Lisbon, Portugal it wasn't just rain from above and the side that the cover helped with but splashing from the sea below.

Many thanks...Paul

Dear Kevin,

Many thanks for a great service in supplying the Barn Owl Centre with both the C14.3 double bean bag & the 600mm lens camo cover. Now in use, these items are already proving to be a valuable asset & already in use, helping me to do the job in hand with more ease. With better lens stability & with the bonus to blending better in to the Owls natural surroundings it is helping me to improve photography skills no end. In the near future we will be looking at acquiring from you further kit like dome hides etc.

Its a pleasure to do business with you.

Vincent Jones
Centre Director/Conservation Officer
The Barn Owl Centre
www.barnowl.co.uk

Hi Kevin,

Just to say a big thanks for my Dome Hide, it has worked a treat and has enabled me to get some amazing shots notably some of kingfishers. Just been reading your tips on photographing Kingfishers and it made me sit back and smile as I too had them sitting on the hide just above my head within in a few minutes of setting up as well. At the same few visits I managed some shots of Goosander, Common Sandpiper, Heron and Grey Wagtails at before unattainable closeness.

Chris Grady

Hi Kevin

Just to let you know I received your order this morning. Excellent Service. The jacket fits like a glove and I am very, very pleased indeed, with its quality.

Thanks Again for everything, Bert

Hi,

This weekend I tried the new C33L bag hide, and it was a great success! I was able to photograph Red-throated diver at a very close distance, without being boiled ;-). I big thanks for your help!

BR, Niklas

It is vital to keep warm while sat quietly in the midst of winter. Since investing in some excellent clothing from Kevin Keatley of Wildlife Watching Supplies, I have always remained dry, warm and well hidden by its Advantage camouflage pattern. I wear a 5 in 1 Jacket consisting of an outer coat, a water & windproof lining and an inner fleece (that are all detachable). With this I ware a pair of Six-Pocket Trousers, made from the same soft hardwearing outer material and also having a detachable water & windproof lining. In winter I use a pair of Thinsulate Mitt/Gloves and a fleece hat. I frequently use a Mini Dome Hide from Wildlife Watching Supplies. This has a sewn in ground sheet. The hide is quick and easy to put up and always provides excellent protection from the rain and wind, while providing good visibility from within.

Allen Lloyd - http://www.allenlloyd.co.uk

"I was able to capture the illusive Piliated Woodpecker, thanks to the camouflage camera gear your company provides. You have great products and I will promote as often as I can. Thanks for your help! I am sure the dome will be a future purchase as well."

Valerie Mongold. U.S.A.

Dear Kevin,

Many thanks for supplying, so quickly, all my bird photography camouflage gear. My images testify this more than any words can. This one of a Short-eared Owl. Was taken so close to the bird that I actually had to setup further back because. I was closer than 4.50m that my 500mm prime lens allows!

Thanks again,

Richard Bedford.

I bought your lens and camera covers last week and have been pleased with the quality and design. Pushing through the undergrowth without worrying about scratches allows you to concentrate on your surroundings and wildlife.
I look forward to trying the hide i ordered.

I could not help sending you this Picture of my early attempts. This post is based on yours with a feeder at the back. Shame the Starling chose to sit on the top showing the cut surface. Back to the drawing board
Robin Jones

Dear Kevin and WWS team,

I just wanted to write and express my thanks for your incredible patience over my frequent changes of mind about what it was that I actually wanted to buy when I purchased my dome hide earlier this year. I ordered a product from you. It came in good time and excellent condition and then I changed my mind about what it was I actually needed and you accepted it back without any quibble at all…twice! Your quality of service is second to none and I would never hesitate to recommend you to anyone. Eventually, I settled on the small dome hide and it has been a great choice. It has been put to good use in my garden, photographing garden birds including our first ever blue tit fledgling and a local robin. In the coming year I plan to take it with me on camping expeditions as it is both light and compact. My ambition is to use it to photograph wild mammals and kingfishers.

I have looked at your tips for photographing badgers and they are really useful. Now I just need to find some badgers to photograph…again your website helps with contact numbers for local badger groups. I really cannot recommend your service highly enough, thank you very much. .

Sherie

Congratulations on the effectiveness of the cape hide I bought from you a while ago. I thoroughly recommend the effectiveness of 'Advantage' pattern as purchased from Wildlife Watching Supplies in Devon.

I popped down on the local marshes for a spot of birding. Being a brilliant, cold crisp day I decided to wear my bright mountaineering equipment for warmth, and comfort, and took my bag hide along to tone things down.

I sat below the lip of the sea bank on an insulated mat, set up the scope and threw the bag hide over me and settled back for an enjoyable afternoon as the tide ebbed, the mud banks emerged and the waders flew in.

About 20 minutes later I heard voices coming along the sea wall. A couple stopped about 10 metres away. The man said to the lady
"This is a good spot - just hop onto that mound over there and take a photo of me!"
The woman walked in my direction ! When she was less than 10 feet away, I had to quickly poke my head out of the hood window and say "I'd rather prefer it if you didn't" The incoming waders were not the only airborne specimen !! We all saw the funny side, exchanged banter and they went on their way.
So well done Wildlife Watching Supplies .. Oh and it works excellently for bird photography as well.

Chris Tatam.

Thanks for the quick response and shipment. I simply love the products. The Camera sleeves and tripod Sleeves work great and the "critters" are not spooked :))

Thanks
Val Mongold, Fulks Run VA, USA

Introduction

Whether you are a keen photographer, avid bird watcher, videographer or super sleuth (I believe “Spook” is the trendy term for this) a car provides an excellent hide for observing without being observed. Most species will tolerate the close presence of a car, when an approach on foot would cause a rapid exit. For disabled photographers / birdwatchers, and I know quite a few, their car is the only way of enjoying the great outdoors. The problem with a car is that even the most luxurious comes without an integral tripod mount, so supporting a camera or telescope (and keeping the image stable) can be a real nightmare. Those of us who have tried to set up a tripod inside the car will testify that this is a no go, so clearly we need another solution.

Beanbags

Beanbags are the simplest car support device, sitting on the door window they quite happily support lenses up to 600mm. The beanbag shown is the one I use, which has double pockets and is made by Wildlife Watching Supplies. The reason for the double pocket is to make a “V” shape when mounted on the window, which hugs your lens / telescope a lot tighter (thus making it more stable). Be aware of cheap imitations, there are several similar designs on the market but all the others are too small to hold anything substantial. They are cheap for a reason.

Beanbags are highly portable and whenever I travel I always take a couple of empty ones with me. As I write this I am on safari in Africa and I am using my beloved beanbag on every game drive. The vehicle has no windows or bars so no other mount is practical (see later) hence the beanbag on the dashboard supports my 500mm lens perfectly.

[Our beanbags can also be purchased from Warehouse Express - Ed]

Wildlife Watching Supplies Dome Hide

I am not the biggest fan of hides, preferring to stalk animals rather than sit in a small confined space for hours on end. Unfortunately there are a lot of animals that are very shy and to get close enough to them requires a degree of concealment. The WWS Dome hide is the one I use, I have 2 in Real Tree camouflage for general UK work and a snow tundra one for arctic silliness. These dome hides are small enough to be carried around with your gear and can be erected within minutes should the need arise. The Real Tree pattern provides all the camouflage that you need for even the most elusive of species, I generally use them when working with my Barn Owls or Hares. I have used them as far afield as Brazil, setting up next to a popular perch for an Amazon Kingfisher. The major problem wasn’t the kingfisher but the likelihood of a snake crawling inside to take refuge overnight! One big tip, when you get in the hide for the first time stay rock still for 5 minutes before putting the lens through the front slit – you never know who is watching.

[Our Dome Hides can also be purchased from Warehouse Express - Ed]

FEEDBACK FROM DAVID HAYNES

I'd like to thank you for the prompt delivery of the hide and accessories I ordered just prior to my recent film trip.

The trip was a great success. We are making a documentary about a particular animal found in only one location and until 4 years ago, believed extinct.

It was always going to be a tough shoot - aside from the environment (no roads, vehicles, communications, running water or electricity), the animal is extremely timid. It has only been seen on a handful of occasions by the scientist studying it, and then only accidentally - no-one has ever successfully used a hide to get close and see it in its natural environment.

So there were no certainties when the trip was planned. This animal is endangered, any actions on our part that disturbed it could potentially be negative both to the scientific study and the animals' health and we didn't know whether its acute sense of smell would detect the hide and make it avoid the area.

But after 7 days in the hide, I became the first person ever to film this elusive animal in its' natural environment. Subsequently, it was captured twice more on film. Your hide was pivotal in our success - the large dome allowing a heavy duty, full spread broadcast tripod to be used.

I can heartily recommend your products to others and will be buying some more accessories (such as a snoot) before we return to the location next spring. Once again, our success will depend entirely on the use of your hide.

Many thanks for your help and for providing such essential products.

Very best wishes

David Haynes
Documentary Director.

Update: The beanbag I ordered has now become a "can't live without" item in my kit bag. It's allowed me to get some great shots that would be impossible with a tripod". Iain Kirkpatrick.

Just wanted to drop you a line to compliment you on your excellent dome hides. I've just spent the last month filming for a BBC Natural World and worked almost every day in the hide, it performed superbly.

I was filming on a Scottish Island with some of the strongest winds I've ever experienced (according to the shipping forecast, severe storm force !!!). The hide stayed put through out, coping with the conditions better than hides twice its weight. Hope to replace all my hides with dome hides soon.
Robin Smith. Cameraman.