Ice hut recomendations

[aulrich]

Since the weather is bad I decided to start looking for this years birthday present, an ice hut.

Size up to 4 people
Fit into a small car if possible
I only have a moderate budget

[nicemustang]

An ice cube? Really your only option in a car.

[aulrich]

OK so I will be looking for if this goes on for sale.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0076922125267a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=ice+hut&sort=all&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23

I had used my hunting blind last year but for the most part too drafty. I want to make ice fishing more kid/wife friendly. Skunkboy will take the cold but none of the others.

For a compelling reason I could go bigger and always use the van and/trailer.

[SushiUnagi]

Wow so scary to see threads like these about ice fishing coming up already!

I have a small ice cube I bought from WSS on sale. Wasn't exactly a great deal but did save a few bucks. It is really quick and easy to set it up and when collapsed in its carry bag you could easily fit in in your car trunk sideways. Its not too heavy as well so you could definitely carry it on your back and walk out to the lake.

[rustynailz]

I would strongly recommend one of the big doublewide tents. I have the Clam Command Post and it's absolutely perfect for four people plus a heater and some gear. Any smaller than the 12' x 6' and you start getting a little too small for comfortable fishing IMO. Frabill makes the Headquarters, which is a little cheaper but doesn't hold a candle to the Clam as far as I'm concerned.

It's not exactly tiny, but it should fit in your car without too much trouble.

Since I picked it up, the wife loves coming out. Set up the table in there, get the stove going...FLAAAAAG!!!!

[nicemustang]

I like the clam, except the tie downs on it. Ice cubes are way nICEr in my opinion, especially the hooks that go inthe ice.

[Jayball]

I have the Icecube 2 person. Love it. I hang my fish tv from one corner with bungie cords and just put my feet up, grab the munchies and watch the show. I also use the adjustable strap on the roof to hang my ice scoopers... and put extra rods up when not in use. Take something for flooring... as it open to snow. I use a nice thick throw rug for half the tent that the wife used to have in the laundry room. She never comes fishing.

One thing... maybe i am an idiot... but it always takes me forever to unfold it and then fold back it back at day's end. :angry3: That drives me bonkers.

[Guitarplayingfish]

Well, someone already posted this thread so I may as well ask what I want to here. This year has been one of the worst years for work ever, and I am pretty low on cash. As long as I can remember I've wanted to get a gas powered auger and an ice hut. By any chance do any members have an old one of either or? I would be willing to pay, but I can't afford a ton of money...

Thanks

[aulrich]

Thanks for the input so far, and sorry for starting the thought so early I want to make an informed decision on this one. get recomendation , take the time to see them set-up if possible. I did not want to be rushed when the time came.

I like the comments on size all I knew is that I wanted bigger, the though of having a card table set up never occured to me. Oddly I can get a fair bit into my car. You should have seen the looks I got when the CO's asked me what kind of viehicle I use, the last time I was in a cypress hills elk tag briefing.

[DarkAisling]

I would strongly recommend one of the big doublewide tents. I have the Clam Command Post and it's absolutely perfect for four people plus a heater and some gear. Any smaller than the 12' x 6' and you start getting a little too small for comfortable fishing IMO. Frabill makes the Headquarters, which is a little cheaper but doesn't hold a candle to the Clam as far as I'm concerned.

It's not exactly tiny, but it should fit in your car without too much trouble.

Since I picked it up, the wife loves coming out. Set up the table in there, get the stove going...FLAAAAAG!!!!


The Headquarters is a piece of garbage. Mine, and several others, went back to TFH this year. The gents at TFH were awesome about returning them :) The Command Post is on my wishlist for this year.

You'd need a ski box to carry it with a smaller car, though.

[firegod74]

My nly input here is to make sure that whatever you buy is on sale, and not just cheap. I had the "pleasure of helping set up a cheap tent. Not fun, and the first gust of wind snapped a pole in half and the whole thing crashed. When I was done laghing at the guy inside that looked like he was shrinkwrapped, we fished out of the windows of the truck.
Which by the way is about as comfortable and budget friendly as it gets.

[WayneChristie]

I picked up an HT Instashak from Cabellas last winter, 2 man. I had it up and down well over 50 or more times with not one problem. Thinking of upgrading to a 4 man when its more than just me going this winter, possibly an insulated one. Mine fit in my Cavalier with tons of room left over, the 4 man isnt that much bigger. Made a folding insulated floor with trapdoors and it even fit in the car with the tent and all my gear.

[Albertadiver]

I built my own. Pretty detailed instructions here, but won't fit in a small car very easily.

I'm tossing around the idea of selling mine, but not sure if I want to do that just yet.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=24357

[iliketrout]

As Dark Aisling said, do not buy the Frabill. I am also looking at a Clam 12x6 for this year. TFH will get my business for their customer service (regarding my returning the tent at the end of the ice season) if they carry it.

[aulrich]

What were the times you did not like about the frabils

hubs
fabric
anchor
general

[fisherwoman]

ICE CUBE
-fits in a car
-easy set up/take down
-pop up shape gives more elbow room
-fair price

LOVE mine, would not buy anything else!

[ORV]

X2 for the ice cube. have the 4 man

fit,s 2 with gear & chairs. best one so far out of about 5 different
tents i have had.

orv.

[DarkAisling]

What were the times you did not like about the frabils

hubs
fabric
anchor
general

I had the poles pop out of the hubs, and the hubs pull out of the fabric.

[nicemustang]

For the record: having fished from the ice cube for 3 seasons and fished out of a clam, they are very similar but some differences. Like I said, the ancors are better on the ice cube, so is the strap system to ancor down. The clam material is double the thickness and has two doors instead of one. But horrible "strings" to ancor the system down. IMO, not as robust or easy to setup.

[Big Schnizz]

If you want 4 people, the 12 x 6 is the way to go. I have fished out of the ice cubes, frabills and Clam pop ups. I prefer the Clam and bought a summit last year. The summit is a good size for 3 people and gear. To get 4 in there, you basically have to all be on buckets and there isn't much room for any gear. The Clam's are the best to me because they have the thicker material. The straps for the anchors are quite bogus as nicemustang has pointed out, so I went and bought a some better strats for about $10 so that wasn't a big deal.

[iliketrout]

What were the times you did not like about the frabils

hubs
fabric
anchor
general

I had the poles pop out of the hubs, and the hubs pull out of the fabric.

I had these problems, plus the anchors sucked (very difficult to get started in the ice vs. the other ones out there and I ended up bending them all pushing so hard) and the clear plastic window "fogged" after only a couple trips. I could have lived with the anchors and windows but the hubs tearing the fabric was unacceptable after 4 trips out.

[iliketrout]

Oh yeah 1 more thing the carrying bag stitching was coming undone when I first pulled it out of the box.

[aulrich]

Has anyone seen or tried an eskimo shelter.

http://www.geteskimo.com/foundations/store_getEskimo/shopdetail.asp?params=69149&tab=desc1

[DANOMAN]

funny you mention Eskimo tents by far the best tent and i'm in the market for a quick fish 3 and if you want 4 people you'll need the quick fish 4 totally worth every penny so easy to set up and take down i have a tent right now and a shack i plan on selling both to get an Eskimo then life will be good !! Here Mr walleyyyyyyyyyyy:sHa_shakeshout:!!--------------<*((((((((><

[Kim473]

Has any one got the canadian tire ones? Was thinking about getting one of them as they are quite abit cheaper in cost. Or are they as the old saying is you pay for what you get.

[jeffrey929]

We purchased a Canadian Tire one and have used it quite a bit with no complaints

[nicemustang]

The icecube is made by eskimo, same thing.

[Fishingnutter]

My nly input here is to make sure that whatever you buy is on sale, and not just cheap. I had the "pleasure of helping set up a cheap tent. Not fun, and the first gust of wind snapped a pole in half and the whole thing crashed. When I was done laghing at the guy inside that looked like he was shrinkwrapped, we fished out of the windows of the truck.
Which by the way is about as comfortable and budget friendly as it gets.

Which reminds me,,,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fWzXNhfoQ8

[FishBrain]

Has any one got the canadian tire ones? Was thinking about getting one of them as they are quite abit cheaper in cost. Or are they as the old saying is you pay for what you get.

The Subzero, this is what I have. I used it lots last year and it has no damage. It is holding up very well, even after blowing across Spray lakes late in the season. Cudos to Brianscott for catching it.