Trakker Sanctuary T1 Retention Sling
5 Things To Know
- The Sanctuary T1 is a quick-draining, full-mesh carp sling for retaining a fish for a short time and weighing it.
- Full-length slim floats give buoyancy while keeping the packed size down.
- Strong webbing handles cover weighing and lifting, and reinforced stitching strengthens key areas.
- A retention cord, bankstick attachment, speed clip and drawcord carry bag are supplied with the 100% polyester sling.
- Trade-off to note: Slimmer 120 x 22 x 50cm shape gives big carp less room.
Featured in our Best Weigh Slings guide.
Trakker Sanctuary T1 Retention Sling Review
Not everyone needs a heavy-duty retention sling, and Trakker's Sanctuary T1 is aimed squarely at anglers who want something slim, simple and affordable. It's a quick-draining, full-mesh carp sling for retaining a fish for a short time and weighing it, made from 100% polyester with soft mesh throughout, and it measures approximately 120 x 22 x 50cm.
The full-length slim floats are the clever part, as they give buoyancy while keeping the packed size down. You also get a retention cord, bankstick attachment, speed clip and a drawcord carry bag, so it's ready to use out of the bag. Is it as tough as the dearer slings?
Not quite, but for me, it's a very sensible budget retainer for the odd short spell.
How well is it built?
This is a slimmer, simpler sling than the Sanctuary V2, and the 7.8 for build reflects that. The whole sling is polyester, and strong webbing handles take care of both weighing and lifting, with reinforced stitching at the key areas where a sling takes the strain.
That reinforced stitching matters more than it sounds, because the seams around the handles carry the full weight of a fish and a sling full of water every time you lift it.
The full-length slim floats run along its length, and the shaped body is designed to support the fish rather than letting it slump into a corner.
To be fair, you shouldn't expect it to feel as solid as a premium sling like the Korda Compac Retainer, with its tempered aluminium bars and metal weighing loops. For the money, though, I think it's well made, and it should last if you rinse and dry it after use.
Fish Care
Soft full mesh is what you want against a carp's flank, and the T1 is mesh from end to end. It drains quickly, so the fish isn't sitting in a bag of trapped water when you lift it, and water can flow through while it's retained in the margins.
The shaped body supports the fish during weighing, and the full-length slim floats give buoyancy along its whole length, which should help keep the fish level in the water. Why isn't it scored higher?
Going by its 120 x 22 x 50cm size, it's a slimmer sling than roomier designs like the Sanctuary V2, so a very deep-bodied carp has less space to settle.
As always, wet the sling before the fish goes in, zero the scales with it wet and keep to your fishery's retention rules. I think 8.2 is a fair score for a soft, quick-draining sling.
Ease of Use
The T1 comes with everything you need to use it straight away. The retention cord, bankstick attachment and speed clip mean you can stake it out without hunting for bits, and the strong webbing handles do double duty for weighing and lifting.
Those slim floats mean it packs small, so it goes into its drawcord carry bag and shouldn't take up much room in a carryall or rucksack. That's a real plus for mobile anglers or anyone who's short on space.
Because it's soft mesh throughout, it should also shed water quickly when you lift it out, so it isn't a heavy, sodden bag to carry back up the bank.
It's a pared-back sling rather than a feature-packed one, and that's fine for what it's meant to do. For a straightforward retainer that packs light, I think 8.0 feels right.
Is it good value for money?
The T1 really earns its place on value. It's one of the cheaper retention slings from a big carp brand, and you still get soft full mesh, full-length floats, reinforced stitching and a complete set of cord, bankstick attachment, speed clip and carry bag.
That's a complete kit for staking out a fish safely in the margins.
If you retain fish every session, or fish waters with very big carp, the Sanctuary Retention Sling V2 is the stronger, roomier step up. For anglers who only retain the occasional fish for a photo, the extra spend is hard to justify, and that's why value scores 8.5.
It's an easy one to recommend to carp anglers on a budget, mobile anglers who want a slim sling that packs small, and anyone who needs a soft, simple retainer for the odd short spell before a photo.
Pros
- Soft full mesh drains quickly and helps protect the fish
- Full-length slim floats give buoyancy and keep packed size down
- Reinforced stitching strengthens the key stress areas
- Comes with retention cord, bankstick attachment, speed clip and bag
- One of the cheaper retention slings from a big carp brand
Cons
- Slimmer 120 x 22 x 50cm shape gives big carp less room
- Lighter-duty polyester build than premium slings with aluminium bars
Features and Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Sling type | Quick-draining full-mesh carp retention and weigh sling |
| Mesh construction | Full soft mesh |
| Fish support | Optimised shaped body |
| Floats | Full-length slim floats |
| Handles | Strong webbing weighing and lifting handles |
| Dimensions | Approximately 120 x 22 x 50cm |
| Material | 100% polyester |
| Supplied with | Retention cord, bankstick attachment, speed clip and drawcord carry bag |
How It Compares
See how the Trakker Sanctuary T1 Retention Sling compares with other weigh slings & sacks on overall score and current price.
| Name | Price | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Trakker Sanctuary T1 Retention Sling | £29.99 | |
| Carp Life Eclipse Camo Elite Retention Sling UK Spec | £64.99 | |
| RidgeMonkey ProCare Retainer Sling | £59.99 | |
| Fox Carpmaster STR Weigh Sling | £49.99 | |
| Nash Carp Care Weigh Sling Camo | £49.99 | |
| Avid Revolve Weigh Sling | £31.99 | |
| NGT XPR Floatation Sling | £21.99 | |
| Avid Pro-Tect Carp Sack | £19.17 | |
| Solar Tackle Worldwide Carp Sack XL With H Block | £29.99 |
Useful Information
External angler reviews
About this rating
eTackle looks for trusted, exact-match review sources and combines them where independent sources are available.
- Angling Direct : 5.0/5 from 6 reviews.
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