Trakker Mega Pult

How well is it built?

The wide frame is the Mega Pult's defining feature. It's a development of the original Wideframe, with a broad fork that should give the elastic and a loaded pouch plenty of room to pass through on release, and the frame is strong without being heavy.

The enclosed rotating elastic system works on the same idea as the Boilie Pult's. Because the rotating parts are housed in the frame, the elastic can turn rather than twist, and there's less exposed hardware to snag.

The pouch is welded and eyeleted, which strengthens the points where the elastic pulls hardest, and the soft-touch handle is shaped to fit the hand.

It's a tidy, well-made pult, but it doesn't have the extra hardware of the Korda Katapult, with its ball-bearing swivels and welded rings. To be fair, it's solid for the money, and 8.0 is a fair score.

Accuracy & Range

A wide frame is built for feeding rather than pinpoint work at extreme range. With room between the forks, a bulkier load should pass through cleanly, which suits spreading a mix of baits over an area rather than firing single baits a long way.

That's how a lot of carp anglers bait through a session, so it's a sensible trade.

The tangle-free rotating elastic helps keep things consistent, as untwisted elastic means the pouch should release square each time. The non-slip loop also helps, because a pouch that slips early is the quickest way to send bait short or wide.

So, why 8.0 rather than 8.5? It's aimed at getting a good amount of bait out accurately, but it isn't a specialist grouper like the ESP Boiliepult with its cone pouch, or the ESP Big Shot, which has a Large version for longer-range boilie loads.

For general baiting at sensible distances, I think 8.0 is fair.

Ease of Use

The soft-touch ergonomic handle is the first thing that helps. It should sit comfortably and securely in the hand, which makes a difference when you're feeding for a while or your hands are wet.

With the enclosed rotating elastic, there's very little untangling between pulls, and the non-slip loop on the pouch gives your fingers something positive to hold. The welded eyeleted pouch should keep its shape too, so loading stays quick and simple whatever bait you're using.

Because it's built for different baits, you can switch from boilies to pellets or corn without changing pult, which saves carrying two pults to the bank.

The wide frame takes up a bit more room in the bag than a compact pult, but it's lightweight, so it won't add much to your load. Overall, it's an easy pult to pick up and use with different baits, and 8.5 is fair.

Is it good value for money?

Is it worth the money? It costs the same as the Trakker Boilie Pult, a little more than the ESP Particlepult and a few pounds more than the Gardner UltraPult.

For a strong, tangle-free pult that handles a range of baits, that's a fair price, and it should cover most of your baiting with one catapult.

Next to the ESP Particlepult, the Mega Pult is the more general feeder, while the Particlepult's wide-gape pouch and long latex are built specifically around particles.

Against the Trakker Boilie Pult, it's the wider-framed choice for mixed baits rather than a compact pult for boilies.

Overall, I'd recommend the Trakker Mega Pult to carp anglers who feed a mix of baits and want a comfortable, tangle-free pult that copes with a good load. If you mainly fire boilies at range, the ESP Boiliepult or Korda Katapult will suit you better.