Review: Rive Classic C30 Station

After finally taking the plunge and buying a new Rive box I thought I’d write a review after using it a couple of times.

First impressions

After first put all all the parts together the first thing that struck me was how big the actual box is, I was originally hoping to downsize in terms of box size as well as in what’s in it, after all the Rive trays are marginally smaller than the Milo modules. The width of the frame plus the huge hand grips put paid to that.
The legs that are also supplied with the box are very long, two of them extending. I assume this is so that if you don’t add any extra tray, you can still sit at a comfortable height with the cassette footplate in place.

Underneath the seat is a 30mm cross drawer unit. The is the new type with a little catch to release the drawer, this is much better than the old system where you could break the handles trying to open the drawer.

To complement the box I purchased a 60mm drawer/30mm tray unit and 30mm tray. This should give me plenty of room for all my kit.

When I purchase a new box I always set the box up at home on a level surface to set the footplate at the correct height and get the box level before I reach and sloping banks. I also use the telescopic legs on the front legs with the footplate attached. The enables me to adjust the legs on the bank to suit without the need to adjust the height of the footplate, which I’ve already set to the correct height.

On the Bank

Although the box is bigger than my old Milo it is noticeably lighter even with the extra trays added, this is probably to be expected though given the materials used to make the respective boxes. One thing I did notice carrying the box is that it does have a tendancy to tilt over easily. This is down to the strap catches splitting down to a V shape I suppose to try and distribute the weight a bit better. I wouldn’t know how to get around this, and it’s really not that much of a problem.

The handles are really easy to use and it’s very easy to get the box setup and level in no time at all. The bank was pretty steep and was made up of rock/clay but the big mudfeet did a grand job of keeping the box in place without it slipping down the bank any further.

The footplate is nice and compact, which I like. It doesn’t feel like you’re sat miles away from the bank which sometimes how you’d feel with the Milo footplates which are big in comparison.

The only issue I have with using the box is the seat. I don’t like pole seats at the best of time but the cushioning on the seat is pretty useless. In less than 30 minutes the foam is flat and you’re left sitting on hardboard. Not good when you’re in for the long haul. The seat top is currently with a local upholsterer having a foam refurb.

Original Rive accessories for the box are pretty expensive and can be quite hard to come by. Luckily the Preston accessories fir with the help of the green Rive adapter that can be purchased. Preston Innovations have a good range of accessories and they widely stocked so finding suitable accessories shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Conclusion

First impressions of the box are very good. It’s lightweight, has a good, cheapish range of drawers available to build a box to meet your requirements. A good range of accessories are available, even if the Rive originals are expensive. It feels very sturdy to sit on.
The only real downside is the seat. I could get over the fact that it has a pole seat if the foam was better quality.

Priced at a very reasonable £199 for the basic box including footplate 30mm tray and 30mm drawer, I’m suprised there aren’t more of these on the bank, especially for those that want a good seatbox without the price tag of it’s bigger brothers.