Trakker T1 Rod Pod

Right then, let's have a look at the Trakker T1 Rod Pod, which sits right at the other end of the pod spectrum from the big twin-rail jobs. Where some pods feel like you're carrying scaffolding, the T1 is all about keeping things light, simple and small enough to forget about until you need it. Trakker quote a weight of just 1.1kg, and that's the number that'll catch most anglers' eyes straight away.

So what is it? Trakker describe it as a goal-post style buzz bar and bank stick setup, built for stability. In plain English, you get a pair of buzz bars sat on bank sticks, held on a light frame, so you can fish hard ground without needing to push sticks into it. The height adjusts to suit most swims, and the whole thing is made from black anodised aluminium with subtle branding.

Who's it for? Based on the spec, it's for the mobile angler. If you walk to your swims rather than barrowing everything, or you like to move onto showing fish, carrying a full pod and case gets old quickly. The T1 packs down to just 51 x 8 x 3.5cm, which means it'll slide into a rucksack or the pocket of a quiver. It's the sort of pod you can keep with you for the odd hard-bank swim without it becoming a chore.

There are two versions. The 2-rod T1 uses buzz bars that are 10 inches at the front and 9 inches at the rear, while the 3-rod version steps up to 13 inches at the front and 12 at the rear. Interestingly, Trakker list both versions at the same packed size, so your choice really comes down to how many rods you fish. Either way, it comes with a multi-compartment carry bag to keep the bits together.

Picture a typical session: you've done a bit of walking round, spotted fish on a gravel bar and dropped into a swim where the bank's rock-hard. With sticks, you'd be fighting the ground. With the T1, you set the frame down, drop the bars on, and you're fishing in minutes. That's exactly what a pod like this is for, and it's a situation plenty of UK anglers meet on pits and dry banks in summer.

Of course, being light has a trade-off. A 1.1kg pod won't feel as planted as a heavy twin-rail pod when a big wind is blowing straight into you and you've got three big-pit reels on top. It's sensible to rest a bag against the legs in a blow. There's also no stated tips-up leg angle, so if you want to point rods skyward for range work, a bigger pod does that better.

It's also worth saying this isn't a pod system with loads of add-ons. You get a straightforward, light and tidy setup that does one job well, rather than a modular kit you build up over time. For many anglers, that's exactly the point.

So, on paper the T1 looks like a smart, simple pick for anglers who move swims and want a hard-ground option that barely adds weight. In the rest of this review we'll run through the full spec, who it suits, where it falls short and how it compares with the heavier Fox Horizon Duo, so you can decide which way to go for your fishing.