Trakker Carbon Effect Bivvy Table

How well is it built?

There isn't much to the Carbon Effect table, and that's partly the point. It's a tray-style top with a rounded, raised rim and a black carbon-effect finish, four folding legs underneath and rubber feet on the ends.

The carbon effect is a look rather than carbon fibre, but it gives the table a clean, understated appearance that shouldn't show every mark.

It's a light table to carry, and the legs fold flat under the top in a neat cross, so the whole thing packs down slim. That should make it easy to slip into a rucksack or a bedchair bag with the rest of your gear.

To be fair, it's a basic budget table, and that's why it scores 7.5. The legs are simple, and there's no built-in detail like tool slots or rig storage, so it isn't in the same league as the Trakker Deluxe Bivvy Table.

For what it is, though, it's neatly made and should last if you look after it.

Stability & Footing

Can a table this light stay steady? The legs adjust to level it, with a height range of 20 to 26cm, and each one finishes in a rubber foot that should grip a groundsheet and stop it skating about when you reach for something in the night.

A low height helps. With the top close to the ground, there's less leverage on the legs when you lean on a corner, and a compact footprint is easier to level than a long table.

The flip side is that 26cm is low beside a raised bedchair, so it suits a low bed, a chair or the bivvy floor more than a tall frame.

The feet are small rather than wide mud feet, so on soft ground outside the bivvy it could sink a little. Inside, on a groundsheet, it should be steady enough for everything it's meant to hold, and I think 8.0 is a fair score.

Storage & Organisation

The top is small, but the raised rim makes the most of it. It works like a tray, so a phone, keys, a lighter and a pot of hookbaits should stay put rather than sliding off when the bedchair gets bumped.

That's pretty much the extent of the organisation, though. There are no compartments, rig holders or tool slots, so everything shares one surface.

If you like your rigs and tools in their own places, the Trakker Deluxe Bivvy Table has a deep recessed top with rig storage along both short sides and spots for Trakker rig tools, while the Korda Bucket Table has recessed wells and rig holders built in.

For packing away, it's very good, as the folded legs sit inside the outline of the rim and the table takes up little space among the rest of your gear. Overall, 7.5 reflects a small, tidy tray with no extras.

Is it good value for money?

So, is it worth it? I think it is, as long as you want something small.

It costs about the same as the Sonik Bank-Tek Bivvy Table and only a little more than the Avid Revolve Bivvy Table, and it has the smallest top of the three, so it really comes down to how much space you need.

That's the trade-off. The Sonik gives you a longer top that stands taller, and the Avid Revolve gives you a 50 x 30cm surface with Avid Cams on the legs. If space in the barrow matters more than surface area, though, the Trakker makes more sense than either.

Overall, I'd recommend the Carbon Effect table to short-session and overnight carp anglers who travel light and want a neat, low table for the essentials beside the bed. If you want rig storage built into the top, the Trakker Deluxe is worth the extra.