Ruling The Banks – Trakker Tempest Air

This entry was posted on 15th September, 2014

Reviewed by Carpology Magazine…

Trakker Tempest Air

Forget unstable oval brollies. Think top-end, ultra strong, ultra lightweight bankside housing. Think Trakker Tempest Air… Luggage. Sleeping bags. Carp care kit. Products we can all agree, that Trakker do better than most. And then of course there’s bivvies. For while the northern-based makers are brilliant at making those first three, it’s for their bankside homes where Trakker rule the roost. Which is why CARPology is whiningly excited to arrive at their HQ in Sheffield to not only have a test set-up of their size-aero version of their Tempest – Tempest Air – but we’re also getting an exclusive peek of the matching Wrap which is due out this coming autumn.

Designed and styled by Chris Manifold – who’s responsible for almost every Trakker bivvy since year dot – the Tempest Air demands you veer alarmingly across the bank to look at it. You can instantly see it carries many of the attributes that have made its big brother so popular (read: first drop sell-out) – even with its mouth-watering price tag of £649.99. It features the same patented, ultra-quick and efficient opening system, the Aquatexx material and comes complete with the same pegs, a carry bag and groundsheet.



So what’s different then? Well, it’s smaller. The original measured 140 (H) x 270 (W) x 240 (D)cm where this new model is 130 x 265 x 210cm. It’s also lighter – a full 1.5kgs and that’s achieved thanks to that groundsheet we just mentioned being a mid-weight, three-quarter sized one. The designers have also shaved the chub off by removing the rear vent and the tons of fancy front panels that the original Tempest comes equipped with.

Erecting it is amazing simple thanks to another Trakker first. The revolutionary patented block design is just another fine example of how forward-thinking our northern designers (and more importantly – anglers) are. In the same way as they changed bivvy design back in 2002 with their Armadillo – the world’s first pram-hood style bivvy, the Tempest’s erection system means you literally remove it from the carry bag, lock and fan the arms into place, pull the locking arm over and then lock this into place and it’s job done! And this isn’t just shitty journo selling words: it really is the quickest and easiest shelter CARPology has ever put up.

So how do you know if this shelter for you? Well, in our eyes, it’s the ideal better alternative if you’re a brolly system type of angler who (a) likes to do quick overnights, (b) stay mobile, (c) doesn’t like to compromise on space or cover, (D) wants to set it up quick and (E) not have that horrible side-to-side movement you get with oval brollies.

Marketing Manager, Jerry Bridger, told CARPology as we pack it away: “The ‘Air’ continues a rich heritage of great Trakker shelters which stretches back over 15 years.” Which may well be true but it does highlight the wrong key word: “rich”. Because unlike its bigger, heavier brother, the Air doesn’t sell for a wallet-worrying £649.99 – it retails for a very competitively priced £349.99, which when you think you’re getting a slim, trim version of last year’s hottest bivvy; one which is far superior to an oval and way stronger than an oval; it’s well worth falling out with the missus to buy one.



The Features The Tempest is better than ‘good’. It really is ‘astonishing’. And the Air has followed suit. Even the smallest details have been covered, for example the rain gutters that channels all the water down and around from the front door.

 The Looks And then there’s the appearance. Carpy green colour, fancy erection system and a clever design which increased inner space without taking up masses of bank-space and looking like a cathedral. In short: it’s the Rachel Stevens of shelters.

The Wrap Want to turn your Tempest Air into a twin-skin shelter with a front? Fancy reducing condensation and increase heat retention? Of course you do, and from this autumn you’ll be able to thanks to the new Air Wrap. It’ll feature a dual-zipped door, roll-up mozzie window and come complete with heavy-duty T-Pegs and zipped carry bag.

The Info Size - The Tempest Air measures: 130 (H) x 265 (W) x 210 (D) cm Weight - 6kgs (plus pegs and groundsheet totally approx. 3kgs)

Buy The Trakker Tempest Air