Trakker Tempest 100

How well is it built?

The heart of the Tempest 100 is its hinge block, a patented part made from a lightweight GRP composite, and it's what lets the whole frame open out so quickly.

Around it sits a freestanding exoskeletal aluminium frame with several ground contact points, so the shelter holds its own shape rather than relying on pegs to stand up.

The fabric is a rugged 210D polyester that's both waterproof and hydrophobic, which means rain beads on the surface and runs off rather than soaking in.

Trakker have also used anti-twist poles to make setting up easier, and there are dual Velcro rod straps to keep your rods secure when they're not in use.

Inside you get roughly 140cm of height, 240cm of depth and 260cm of width, which is plenty for one angler on a big bedchair. It isn't trying to match the Tempest RS 100 on spec, but the basics are all here, and I'd have no worries about the way it's put together.

Stability & Weather Resistance

Stability is where that frame earns its place, because the exoskeletal design and its several ground contact points spread the load around the base, and Trakker built it that way to keep the structure rigid in poor weather, which is reassuring on a shelter that goes up this fast.

The 10,000mm hydrostatic head is a solid figure for a shelter like this.

It isn't the highest rating around, and the Sonik AXS-V2 goes further on paper with its 16,000mm fabric, but I think it's plenty for most UK nights, especially with the hydrophobic finish helping water run straight off.

Two large rear vents keep air moving through the shelter on warmer days, and I'd expect them to help with condensation as well.

If you want to fish it through the winter, Trakker make a Tempest 100 Skull Cap and Inner Capsule, and they're worth a look before the colder months arrive.

Ease Of Setup & Portability

This is the big selling point of any Tempest. The hinge block lets you put it up in seconds, and once the frame is out you only need to peg it down, so it's ideal if you like to move swims or arrive late and want a roof over your head quickly.

The anti-twist poles help here too, and the 100 footprint fits most swims without much fuss.

The shelter weighs about 6.6kg on its own, with the pegs, Quick Sticks and groundsheet adding roughly another 4kg, and it packs down to around 125 x 23cm. It goes into a tension-strap carry bag, which keeps the package tight and tidy.

That's manageable on a barrow and fine for a short walk from the car park, though like most shelters of this type it isn't something I'd want to carry a long way along with the rest of my kit. Of the three plain Tempest sizes, it's the lightest and the easiest to move around.

Is it good value for money?

The Tempest 100 sits in the upper middle of the shelter market, priced close to the Fox Frontier Lite and a fair bit below the Nash Titan Hide XL Camo Pro.

For that you get the quick-erect Tempest design, a 10,000mm fabric and a frame built for poor weather, and it costs well under half as much as the Tempest RS 100.

The thing to factor in is the extras, because Trakker list a tension-strap carry bag and T pegs as supplied, while the Skull Cap, Insect Panel and Inner Capsule are all sold separately, so the cost can climb if you want it kitted out for winter or for summer insects.

It suits carp anglers fishing on their own who want a roomy, quick-to-pitch shelter for overnighters and longer sessions, use a large bedchair, and would rather not pay RS money to get into a Tempest.