Trakker Tempest 200 Fishing Shelter

How well is it built?

The Tempest 200 follows the patented quick-erect design that the whole Tempest range is built on, and Trakker's spec lists a machined aluminium block with an anti-twist pole system.

The fabric is a waterproof, durable 210D material, the same weight of cloth used on the smaller plain Tempests.

What sets it apart is the size, at around 170cm high, 310cm deep and 375cm wide externally, so there's space for two bedchairs and session luggage, and the extra height means taller anglers can sit up and move about without hunching over.

Trakker also fit twin rear vents and dual rod straps, so the practical touches from the smaller sizes carry over.

It's a step below the Tempest RS 200 on spec, and a long way below it on price, but for a two-bed shelter at this level I think it's solidly put together.

Stability & Weather Resistance

The 210D fabric is waterproof and durable, and the Tempest frame with its anti-twist poles gives a big shelter like this a sound structure.

Twin rear vents let you get air moving through the back, which is useful with two people, two beds and a pile of kit inside, and I'd expect them to help keep condensation down on muggy nights.

For colder weather the 200 takes its own Skull Cap and Inner Capsule. They're model-specific extras that don't swap across every Tempest generation, so it's worth making sure you buy the 200 versions, and with them fitted it becomes much more of a year-round shelter.

My main reservation is the sheer size, because a shelter that's 375cm wide catches more wind than a one-man bivvy. In an exposed swim I'd want it pegged down properly and pitched with its back to the weather.

Ease Of Setup & Portability

Like every Tempest, the 200 uses Trakker's patented quick-erect design, so even at this size it's quick to put up. Owner feedback on this shelter praises how easily it pops up and how much room there is once it's pitched, and that matches what I'd expect from the design.

Portability is the obvious weak spot, because at around 13.5kg before you add pegs and the groundsheet it's a heavy shelter, and it's large when packed, so it's a job for the barrow and the car rather than a walk with everything on your back.

I wouldn't choose it as a quick overnight shelter for a long trek to a far bank.

That's why I've marked it a little lower here than the smaller Tempests, although once it's on site it's quick to pitch for a shelter of this size, and the space inside makes setting up two beds and all your gear far less of a squeeze.

Is it good value for money?

The Tempest 200 costs only a little more than the Tempest 150, and for that you get two-bed space, which makes it the better buy if you regularly share a swim.

Against other two-man shelters it looks fair as well, coming in a bit below the JRC Extreme TX 2 Man and well below the Nash Titan T2, and it costs well under half as much as the Tempest RS 200.

Do budget for the extras if you want it for winter, because the Skull Cap and Inner Capsule are sold separately and are specific to this size.

It suits pairs of carp anglers who fish together, long-session anglers who want room for a dog, luggage or a wide bedchair, and taller anglers who want 170cm of headroom, as long as they've got a barrow and don't mind the weight.