NASH | Trax Metro Power Barrow

For a long time, lugging the gear to and from the swim has been probably one of the least enjoyable part of angling, particularly when fishing a gravel pit of any size! For many years I whittled my tackle down and always favoured a rucksack to lighten the load on the barrow. But even then, potholes in the path and tree roots could send the whole lot crashing over. So, when Nash released the Trax Power Barrows it certainly caught my eye and I jumped at the opportunity to try one out in the flesh. From the off, I was impressed… seriously impressed! As it stands I would never look back, and everyone that I know would say the same!

The barrow is based on Nash’s well tried and tested Trax Barrow frame, which has been somewhat pimped with a 24V 150watt motor centralised within the wheel itself. The two 12V Lead Acid batteries are then housed in a small, protected compartment directly above the wheel itself. As such the whole lot is completely balanced and you almost wouldn’t notice that it was Power barrow… other than the little red GO button and control lever on the handle. I can definitely see some reference to Men in Black here!

So how does it actually fare? Put it this way, it’s a good job that it has variable speed control, because fully depressing the lever sees me physically running behind the barrow! For the most part a slight depression of the lever is all that’s needed to stroll behind the barrow without any sort of physical exertion. The additional power then really comes into its own when barrowing uphill and over obstacles, which it takes in its stride! Similarly, for those who like to take the kitchen sink, these Power Barrows can more than cope, though I would probably recommend the EVO over the METRO in that case.

The Power Barrows come with rear wheels or legs and I personally don’t bother with the rear wheels. They make pushing big loads a breeze over straight lines and flat surfaces, but most lakes I fish have narrow winding paths and bumpy little tracks, so I prefer the manoeuvrability of lifting the handles themselves.

The batteries also last with continued use over multiple sessions and the battery life gauge means you know when they will need charging once again, ensuring you don’t get caught short on the other side of the lake with flat batteries. Thankfully, should this ever happen, the barrow itself can free-wheel, meaning it can still be used without the Power element. This can be useful for coasting down hills or simply pushing over easy terrain to maintain power. You can use the power to get it going and build momentum, then over even, flat ground it is pretty easy to push on its own.

The Power Barrows also come with a number of handy undercarriage compartments – two either side of the wheel and one main compartment at the rear. The two front compartments are the perfect size and location for carrying your heavy things such as water containers and boilies. I then store my stove and brew kit in the main compartment, which actually fits perfectly! The great thing is that all of these compartments can be accessed from the top, as well as the sides, meaning they can easily be accessed while the barrow is fully loaded!

All in all it’s a seriously impressive bit of kit and something which makes the worst parts of fishing that much easier – there really is no reason not to keep mobile, even if you have lots of kit! Some people may say they are for old men, or it’s too much technology. Either they haven’t tried one…or they’re just jealous! Granted it’s a lot of money, but if you can afford one and are considering it, it’s an investment you won’t regret!

RRP: £934.99
WEBSITE: www.nashtackle.co.uk
Matt Townend's Verdict: "Absolute GAME CHANGER – I would never look back!"

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