School Me On Battery Powered Ice Augers

[Frank_NK28]

Here is my unbiased review of my personal experiences with the Strikemaster 40V Lithium since the winter of 2018/2019....I posted this on another forum in the product reviews when someone was asking questions about purchasing electric vs gas augers.

Ok so here is my long winded review/observations on the Strikemaster 40v lithium auger. A buddy of mine picked the unit up for me in Edmonton at their boxing day event( Xmas 2018). I got the last 10" they had in stock between the two stores. I purchased it never having seen one in person so given the price of these units even on sale I was really hoping when he dropped it off on his way through that evening I wouldn't have buyers remorse.
Once it arrived I opened the box and removed the head and flyte and quickly assembled them. I was very impressed with the fit of the flyte to the shaft and especially with how snug the hex key wrench fit in the provided holder located on the underside of the head.
I was quite impressed overall though skeptical of the plastic handles and trigger. A big shock came when I saw a forward/ reverse switch on the handlebars? Not in any literature or reviews had I heard of this auger having reverse capability. Now I was really pleased so far with my purchase.
After checking everything over closely and ensuring all the bolts were snug I slipped it in the Cabelas auger case I'd bought and set it aside. I then pulled out the batteries and battery charger and charged them. The charger works well, isn't noisy or smelly like some rechargeable battery chargers. The unit came with one battery and the charger and Cabelas sale offered a second battery free with purchase. I also bought a third on sale for $99. I figure with batteries you can never have enough....

Ok fast forward to first use on the ice.

I walked out to drill test holes along my intended path even though there were huts and trucks out, just my way of knowing.
I set up, pulled the trigger and the auger took off pulling downward in a way that took me by surprise. In just a few seconds it powered down hard until it jammed as it broke through the ice almost spinning me off my feet not expecting to get jammed and feel such a torquey twist! That's when I remembered the video I had watched put out by Strikemaster where they said you had to lift slightly on the auger before breaking through to prevent binding. So I flipped the drive switch to reverse, backed the flight up, flipped the switch to forward then hit the trigger and lifted slightly and the auger punched through like a hot knife through butter.

Ok fast forward to today

Two seasons behind me and into my third. Being off work the past two winters I put in quite a few hours and drilled a pile of holes in varying weather, temperatures and of course ice thicknesses.
I cut multiple holes anywhere from as little as 12" ice to 36" ice.

Factory claim: up to 1600" ice can be cut on a single charge(based on 16" ice thickness).

IMO that's not going to happen unless all conditions are perfect and you keep the batteries warm between moves. At 16" that would be 100 holes. On my best day cutting a measured 16" my testing showed 70 holes. That's still not bad but its not the 100 claimed. The 8" flyte may get more due to the smaller amount of ice being cut?

The Strikemaster 40V binds punching through the bottom of the ice:

Yes it does and to avoid it you must do as advised by Strikemaster in their Youtube tutorials and lift up on the auger to relieve the downward cutting pressure just before it breaks through, no ifs ands or buts.
My recommendations once you start cutting into ice thicknesses of 24" and thicker is take a few seconds to stop and clear the shavings around the flyte about the halfway mark of drilling as they will prevent you from getting enough lift on the auger to prevent binding at breakthrough and the more shavings and deeper you cut the harder it is to lift up enough get the auger to punch through and can be a bitch to get restarted after reversing.

Plastic Handlebars:

Skeptical at first with plastic in cold temps I can only say that skepticism is now removed. After a few mistakes on my part dropping the auger or having it fall over and hitting the ice I was pleased how tough the handlebars are. Not a mark, crack, chip or break occurred and the trigger and lights all held up perfectly. The handlebars also were not slippery as I suspected they might be and were very comfortable and sized nicely for a solid grip with everything from heavy moose hide mitts to bare hands.

Lithium batteries don't last due to cold:

Well that is true of any batteries but not nearly to the degree I have overheard during pro vs con arguments regarding gas augers vs electric augers. I left my auger out on my tailgate battery attached several times for the duration of the day mostly when I forgot to remove it and put it back in the truck between uses and though on those days I saw some degree of reduced longevity it was not significant enough to rule out owning an electric auger or impact my day. I carried both spares at first but after some heavy(for me) run and gun days I soon left the third battery at home as at no time did I ever run out of power carrying two batteries. I could fish full days from sunup to sundown making moves, test holes, multiple holes at a location on two batteries no problem. On those days I cut 80-100 holes in ice thicknesses from 20"-30".

You can't recut old holes with the Strikemaster:

Yes it will reopen old holes. You just need to start them slowly and work them according to how the auger wants to go. If you just start ripping into them you're going to have a tough time and beat the crap out of your auger! I reopened holes several times with nothing broken or damaged on the auger. I just took my time.

Do you really need lights on the handlebar?

The lights are handy as hell in low light, after dark and especially inside the ice tent in the early morning pre-dawn light. They come on automatically when you engage the trigger. You don't have to worry about locating or breaking a switch. They also come on automatically when you insert a battery and go off after a few seconds. Its a feature to let you know the battery has been installed properly.

Conclusion:

On a scale of one to ten in my books for my type of fishing this unit is a 9.5. It is well designed, powerful, robust and not too heavy to lug around.
It is also very fast at boring a hole once you get the hang of lifting a bit of pressure off just before breaking through the ice. We timed a few cuts on video and each time punched a 10" hole through a measured 16" of ice in just under 10 seconds. The flyte only required retightening of the bolt twice all winter. The cutting blades have been remarkable. I never had to have them resharpened all season and likely won't need to be until sometime next season.
One of the best features to me is not having to carry gasoline. There is no having to deal with a tipped over fuel can in the bed of the truck or leaking fuel tank on the auger. There is no exhaust smoke to fill a shack while cutting and no oil and gas to mix.
The only sound is the barely audible sound of the electric motor whining and the sound of the blades tearing through ice. Much nicer than 110db gas motor roaring away.
With proper care and use this auger should last a fisherman years!
I would strongly recommend the Cabela's carry case to go along with it. I used the one I bought every trip for travelling and the auger looks as good as new still.
In the end I am 100% pleased with my purchase and will never own a gas auger again.

Another important observation:

Although lithium batteries are supposed to retain their full power charge I discovered as a battery got near the end of it's charge the auger would suddenly stop cutting even though the flyte was still turning at a speed that seemed just a bit slower than usual, in fact barely noticeable but had changed enough to prevent cutting. It feels as if you suddenly have no blades on the flyte and within seconds the auger just dies. First time it happened I thought the motor had given up. I was almost about to start cussing when my brain engaged and said check the battery status!! I pushed the button and the status indicator lights never lit up. I removed the battery and swapped it for a fully charged spare and hit the trigger and the auger took off boring like it was glad to be alive again.
That happened several more times over that first winter and subsequent winters since. There is no warning really. Seconds before you've just finished punching a hole like you're at full charge and then the next hole you are cutting though not quite as fast and with less noticeable downward pull then suddenly the auger stops cutting like you lost your blades, flyte spinning away and then it just dies completely! So if you have read this make a mental note so if the same should happen to you, you think to check the battery status first before thinking the auger died.

Cons?

If there are any cons to this auger the only one would be price point although it is about $100 less than an ION and the price of replacement batteries is insane. When they threw them on sale for $99 I made sure to grab another. The manual says the battery has a lifespan of 500 full recycle charges. If that claim is valid I should not need batteries for a number of years yet.

Hope this review helps some of you thinking of pulling the trigger on an electric auger....

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

That's when I remembered the video I had watched put out by Strikemaster where they said you had to lift slightly on the auger before breaking through to prevent binding.

That's a good assessment of electric augers in general. The comment quoted above makes me laugh though. That's sort of like GM putting in their manuals that you have to rub your belly and pat your head before you put your Duramax in reverse.

[WayneChristie]

Hope this review helps some of you thinking of pulling the trigger on an electric auger....[/QUOTE]

Thank you Frank, awesome review, thank you for sharing it. Im more glad I bought my SM now, hoping to get out on the ice next weekend and give it a go.
and to all of you fishy smellin reprobates, have a great and safe Christmas!

[EZM]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

funny how half the guys on AO all used to rave about the Eskimo Shark z71 because its a beast 10" auger and it has the power when you need it.
Then a few season later everyone reporting problems on the eskimo Recoil cords ripping out.

Hopefully all the Battery power recommendations happening now never come back with major issues biting us in the booty.

I had the Z71, and in it's day, it was PIMP. Thing would drill through 8ft of concrete spin a 300lb man in circles and burn 15 mpg while smoking out your neighbors a mile away. For raw redneck power - this was the ticket.

When Gen1 IONS came out I was not impressed. The flight was a foot shorter, it wobbled like it was about to fall apart, it was slow and temperamental and battery life was a joke. 20 holes drilled max. On your knees anytime after January as the 3ft flight was for Conor McGregor and his midget friends. If you left your battery out in the cold for more than 12 minutes, you were screwed - the thing was an awesome idea - but just a joke. I bet today's drills do better compared to the GEN1 IONS.

After being tired of having my arms ripped off and spilling gas/oil I bought a propane and have not looked back.

The newer generation of electrics seems to be much, much better.

But in the day, dodge rams with tow mirrors fully deployed, mullets, metal mulisha and Z71's where the thing. Chicks digged us. Stop mocking us old guys - we still think we are cool.

[russ]

I decided to go with a Makita DHP486 hammer drill as we already have the battery system in the house. I then invested in the Woods Ice Auger adapter which looks pretty decent. Unfortunately, I ran into a bit of a road block - I have an old 6" Eskimo Ice Drill. It has a 9/16" fine thread nut to attach the upper handle rather than what I would consider a shear pin system. I guess the next step is to pick up an 8" auger that matches the adapter. Let's just say, yes I could build another adapter for the adapter, but lets not mess with enabling moments here. LOL

In other notes, I have used the drill to turn a 3 1/2" forstner bit and it does that very well. Better than my drill press which did not have enough jam for the job. Actually fairly impressed with the power provided.

[Georgias daddy]

Originally Posted by bearb8er

For the guys that went with the Strikemaster what was the reasoning over Ion? I've been reading reviews till my eyes go blurry and ended up with an Ion. But I sure went back and forth between the 2. I found a 1st generation Ion brand new on a crazy good sale for just over $500. That's probably the thing that convinced me to buy the Ion. Everything I've read says the newer batteries with fit it so can always upgrade to a bigger AH.

I bought a gen 2 ion last fall with a extra battery one month later. Worked beyond my expectations last year, but this year has been a colossal disappointment. I kept batteries charged all off season but can’t get more then 10 holes out of the original battery and 1-2 on the spare I am going to buy a strikemaster by the sounds of these reviews. Ps can’t find extra batteries anywhere for the gen2 this year.

[eman]

strikemaster 40v or ion g2 . do it once do it right .

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Georgias daddy

I bought a gen 2 ion last fall with a extra battery one month later. Worked beyond my expectations last year, but this year has been a colossal disappointment. I kept batteries charged all off season but can’t get more then 10 holes out of the original battery and 1-2 on the spare I am going to buy a strikemaster by the sounds of these reviews. Ps can’t find extra batteries anywhere for the gen2 this year.

If that rig is only a year old, I would think the batteries should be covered by warranty, or am I missing something.

To be honest, this is exactly what I have against battery powered outdoor tools. I have an Auger that is ballpark 40 years old. Still works perfect. Outside of a new plug every 6 or 7 years, no repairs or replacement anythings. Same for my lawn mowers, riding mower, , snowblower and the like; all are at least 20 years old, many double that. Buy once, as long as you don't run out of gas, they run forever.

FYI from the Ion site. Three year battery life still sucks but at least yo should be covered. If you bought it with your credit card and have the right coverage you may get 6 years warranty coverage.

For warranty registration, please visit Ardisam.com, the parent company of ION Ice Fishing

ION

PRODUCT WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY*

Ardisam, Inc., warrants this ION Electric Ice Auger under a three-year limited warranty to be free from defects in materials or workmanship or both for a period not exceeding thirty-six consecutive months from the date of original purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user. “Consumer use” means personal recreational use by a retail consumer. “Commercial use” or “commercial application” means all other uses, including use for commercial, income producing or rental purposes. Once a product has experienced commercial use, it shall thereafter be considered as a commercial use product for purposes of this warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner that provides a proof of purchase. The warranty is not transferable. The warranty period begins on the date of purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user, and continues for the thirty-six month consecutive period thereafter. Any unit used in a commercial application is covered for a period of 90 days after purchase. For the warranty to be valid, the product must be registered online at www.ioniceaugers.com, or the warranty card must be filled out and received by Ardisam, Inc., within 30 days of purchase. Ardisam, Inc. shall not be obligated to ship any repair or replacement product to any location outside of the United States of America or Canada.

BATTERY WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY*

Ardisam, Inc., warrants this ION battery under a three-year limited warranty to be free from defects in materials or workmanship or both for a period not exceeding thirty-six consecutive months from the date of original purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user. “Consumer use” means personal recreational use by a retail consumer. “Commercial use” or “commercial application” means all other uses, including use for commercial, income producing or rental purposes. Once a product has experienced commercial use, it shall thereafter be considered as a commercial product for purposes of this warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner that provides a proof of purchase. The warranty is not transferable. The warranty period begins on the date of purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user, and continues for the thirty-six month consecutive period thereafter. Any unit used in a commercial application is covered for a period of 90 days after purchase. For the warranty to be valid, the product must be registered online at www.ioniceaugers.com, or the warranty card must be filled out and received by Ardisam, Inc., within 30 days of purchase. Ardisam, Inc. shall not be obligated to ship any repair or replacement product to any location outside of the United States of America or Canada.

*This warranty applies only to products which have not been subjected to negligent use, misuse, uses other than those indicated in the product’s owner’s manual, alteration, accident, use of unauthorized parts, failure to perform periodic maintenance as specified in product’s owner’s manual, normal wear and tear, use of unauthorized parts or repairs performed at non-authorized service centers. There is no other expressed warranty. Implied warranties, including those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited to one year from purchase, or to the extent permitted by law. All other implied warranties are excluded. Liability for incidental or consequential damages are excluded to the extent exclusion is permitted by law. Ardisam, Inc. does not assume, and does not authorize any other person to assume for us, any liability in connection with the sale of our products. To obtain warranty service, you must have prior approval by calling our customer service department at 1-800-345-6007. If you choose to ship your product to Ardisam for warranty repair, you must first have prior approval from Ardisam by calling our customer service department for a return material authorization number (RMA#). Under these circumstances, all items must be shipped prepaid. Ardisam will at no charge, repair or replace, at their discretion, any defective part which satisfies all conditions stated above. Ardisam retains the right to change models, specifications and price without notice. Ardisam, Inc. shall not be obligated to ship any repair or replacement product to any location outside of the United States of America or Canada.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Dean2

If that rig is only a year old, I would think the batteries should be covered by warranty, or am I missing something.

To be honest, this is exactly what I have against battery powered outdoor tools. I have an Auger that is ballpark 40 years old. Still works perfect. Outside of a new plug every 6 or 7 years, no repairs or replacement anythings. Same for my lawn mowers, riding mower, , snowblower and the like; all are at least 20 years old, many double that. Buy once, as long as you don't run out of gas, they run forever.

3 years running non-stop SM 40v. Never fails. I was reminded again yesterday why I won't go back to gas. A truck pulls up, still -25 out and just came from -32. Guys tries to start his gas auger. The inevitable sound of continued failure as he tries to start it... I walked over with with SM and ask where he would like his holes.... I've been in that situation far to often with gas and it is very cold out. Gas is a royal pain in the butt. SM or any good electric, put battery in, start drilling. No mess, no waiting, no trying to wait, no failure, and dead quiet. I could go on with improvements. It is amazing how much you notice the gas augers out there once you have electric. Sure there might be some people that experience problems like any product. But few and far between. Mines been perfect.

If you are trying to convince yourself it is a waste of time, then you have succeeded. I can't count anymore the amount of people that say they will never go back to gas now that they went electric.

[Dean2]

SF

Happy you are happy. I can honestly say I have NEVER had a gas auger I owned fail to start and I have used them down to -50. I have also used them where you needed two extensions to get through the ice. I am thinking that much ice is not a place the electric augers would have excelled.

That said, I too have seen failures to start out on the ice, but in almost every case, I got their auger going in under 10 minutes. The issue is usually people who know nothing about motors, never drain their gas over summer, and fail to test fire the auger before they head out the first time. For those kind of people and normal ice conditions/temperatures, a battery auger is probably a very good idea, as long as they can remember to charge the batteries. The one thing I really like about battery augers is how light and quiet they are. However, I would not be happy spending $250 bucks every 5 or so years for new batteries, just to get quiet hole drilling.

[Remps17]

Originally Posted by bearb8er

For the guys that went with the Strikemaster what was the reasoning over Ion? I've been reading reviews till my eyes go blurry and ended up with an Ion. But I sure went back and forth between the 2. I found a 1st generation Ion brand new on a crazy good sale for just over $500. That's probably the thing that convinced me to buy the Ion. Everything I've read says the newer batteries with fit it so can always upgrade to a bigger AH.

That’s good to know. I got the first Gen before reverse came out and wouldn’t mind a second battery. Still getting 35-40 holes on 15-18” of ice. Hard to argue with that.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I would not be happy spending $250 bucks every 5 or so years for new batteries, just to get quiet hole drilling.

The longevity of the batteries remains to be seen. So far (notwithstanding a defective battery) it's a non-issue. And I don't think anyone ever bought an electric auger to drill holes more quietly. You buy one for the reliability, weight savings, and maybe the lack of fumes if you're opening holes in a shack.

If your gas works for you great...keep using it. The reliability isn't an issue for you, and ignorance is bliss as far as the weight savings go. But mark my words, one day you will get an electric auger and regret you didn't sooner. That's just the way it is.

[Remps17]

Originally Posted by Dean2

SF

Happy you are happy. I can honestly say I have NEVER had a gas auger I owned fail to start and I have used them down to -50. I have also used them where you needed two extensions to get through the ice. I am thinking that much ice is not a place the electric augers would have excelled.

That said, I too have seen failures to start out on the ice, but in almost every case, I got their auger going in under 10 minutes. The issue is usually people who know nothing about motors, never drain their gas over summer, and fail to test fire the auger before they head out the first time. For those kind of people and normal ice conditions/temperatures, a battery auger is probably a very good idea, as long as they can remember to charge the batteries. The one thing I really like about battery augers is how light and quiet they are. However, I would not be happy spending $250 bucks every 5 or so years for new batteries, just to get quiet hole drilling.

There are times where an electric auger will never replace a gas. That is why two augers are better then one. Haha. It is sure nice to run and gun early ice with electric and pull out the gas when you and -40 and stacking extensions.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Remps17

It is sure nice to run and gun early ice with electric and pull out the gas when you and -40 and stacking extensions.

I've just spent the past two weeks fishing in -40*C. You won't be hole hopping in that weather...you'll be setting up/flipping over the shelter and huddling inside. You *might* drill 20-30 holes between two guys and electronics in a day if you're ambitious...well within the realm of electrics.

Late ice in March hole hopping in my hoodie with sunscreen on is the only reason my gas StrikeMaster is still on a stand in my shop, and it hasn't come off it a couple of years now because I have yet to see ice requiring an extension where I fish.

[Remps17]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

I've just spent the past two weeks fishing in -40*C. You won't be hole hopping in that weather...you'll be setting up/flipping over the shelter and huddling inside. You *might* drill 20-30 holes between two guys and electronics in a day if you're ambitious...well within the realm of electrics.

Late ice in March hole hopping in my hoodie with sunscreen on is the only reason my gas StrikeMaster is still on a stand in my shop, and it hasn't come off it a couple of years now because I have yet to see ice requiring an extension where I fish.

I fish a lot in sask and Manitoba, fishing late season pike with 10” holes and 3’ of ice….. gas is coming out. Time and place for both.

[Georgias daddy]

Originally Posted by Dean2

If that rig is only a year old, I would think the batteries should be covered by warranty, or am I missing something.

To be honest, this is exactly what I have against battery powered outdoor tools. I have an Auger that is ballpark 40 years old. Still works perfect. Outside of a new plug every 6 or 7 years, no repairs or replacement anythings. Same for my lawn mowers, riding mower, , snowblower and the like; all are at least 20 years old, many double that. Buy once, as long as you don't run out of gas, they run forever.

FYI from the Ion site. Three year battery life still sucks but at least yo should be covered. If you bought it with your credit card and have the right coverage you may get 6 years warranty coverage.

For warranty registration, please visit Ardisam.com, the parent company of ION Ice Fishing

ION

PRODUCT WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY*

Ardisam, Inc., warrants this ION Electric Ice Auger under a three-year limited warranty to be free from defects in materials or workmanship or both for a period not exceeding thirty-six consecutive months from the date of original purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user. “Consumer use” means personal recreational use by a retail consumer. “Commercial use” or “commercial application” means all other uses, including use for commercial, income producing or rental purposes. Once a product has experienced commercial use, it shall thereafter be considered as a commercial use product for purposes of this warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner that provides a proof of purchase. The warranty is not transferable. The warranty period begins on the date of purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user, and continues for the thirty-six month consecutive period thereafter. Any unit used in a commercial application is covered for a period of 90 days after purchase. For the warranty to be valid, the product must be registered online at www.ioniceaugers.com, or the warranty card must be filled out and received by Ardisam, Inc., within 30 days of purchase. Ardisam, Inc. shall not be obligated to ship any repair or replacement product to any location outside of the United States of America or Canada.

BATTERY WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY*

Ardisam, Inc., warrants this ION battery under a three-year limited warranty to be free from defects in materials or workmanship or both for a period not exceeding thirty-six consecutive months from the date of original purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user. “Consumer use” means personal recreational use by a retail consumer. “Commercial use” or “commercial application” means all other uses, including use for commercial, income producing or rental purposes. Once a product has experienced commercial use, it shall thereafter be considered as a commercial product for purposes of this warranty. This warranty applies to the original owner that provides a proof of purchase. The warranty is not transferable. The warranty period begins on the date of purchase by the first retail consumer or commercial end user, and continues for the thirty-six month consecutive period thereafter. Any unit used in a commercial application is covered for a period of 90 days after purchase. For the warranty to be valid, the product must be registered online at www.ioniceaugers.com, or the warranty card must be filled out and received by Ardisam, Inc., within 30 days of purchase. Ardisam, Inc. shall not be obligated to ship any repair or replacement product to any location outside of the United States of America or Canada.

*This warranty applies only to products which have not been subjected to negligent use, misuse, uses other than those indicated in the product’s owner’s manual, alteration, accident, use of unauthorized parts, failure to perform periodic maintenance as specified in product’s owner’s manual, normal wear and tear, use of unauthorized parts or repairs performed at non-authorized service centers. There is no other expressed warranty. Implied warranties, including those of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited to one year from purchase, or to the extent permitted by law. All other implied warranties are excluded. Liability for incidental or consequential damages are excluded to the extent exclusion is permitted by law. Ardisam, Inc. does not assume, and does not authorize any other person to assume for us, any liability in connection with the sale of our products. To obtain warranty service, you must have prior approval by calling our customer service department at 1-800-345-6007. If you choose to ship your product to Ardisam for warranty repair, you must first have prior approval from Ardisam by calling our customer service department for a return material authorization number (RMA#). Under these circumstances, all items must be shipped prepaid. Ardisam will at no charge, repair or replace, at their discretion, any defective part which satisfies all conditions stated above. Ardisam retains the right to change models, specifications and price without notice. Ardisam, Inc. shall not be obligated to ship any repair or replacement product to any location outside of the United States of America or Canada.

I didn’t register it with ion, and can’t find the receipt for the Auger or the extra battery. Must be together where ever they are.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Georgias daddy

I can’t find my receipt

So, if you bought it on a credit card get a copy of the receipt from them. How hard can this possibly be. The store you bought it from can also usually provide one.

[old dog]

[QUOTE=Remps17;4464686]There are times where an electric auger will never replace a gas. That is why two augers are better then one. Haha. It is sure nice to run and gun early ice with electric and pull out the gas when you and -40 and stacking extensions.[/QUOT

That’s why I run a gas and electric strikemaster and they have the same auger

[SNAPFisher]

[QUOTE=old dog;4464938]

Originally Posted by Remps17

There are times where an electric auger will never replace a gas. That is why two augers are better then one. Haha. It is sure nice to run and gun early ice with electric and pull out the gas when you and -40 and stacking extensions.[/QUOT

That’s why I run a gas and electric strikemaster and they have the same auger

Looks like an Old Dog can teach new tricks

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

The longevity of the batteries remains to be seen. So far (notwithstanding a defective battery) it's a non-issue. And I don't think anyone ever bought an electric auger to drill holes more quietly. You buy one for the reliability, weight savings, and maybe the lack of fumes if you're opening holes in a shack.

If your gas works for you great...keep using it. The reliability isn't an issue for you, and ignorance is bliss as far as the weight savings go. But mark my words, one day you will get an electric auger and regret you didn't sooner. That's just the way it is.

Man I have been out so many times and watched people pulling, yanking, cussing, as I just set up and drill, sit and fish and watch the surrounding chit shows going on as people deal with their gas augers....one fella was in his huge ice tent and I could hear the choice words then she fired up and yup the door was open smoke piling out of it and as he made his escape to fresh air he tripped on his was out gas auger in hand well I never seen a gas auger fly through the air....

Takes all types and too each their own

SM.40V....it just works.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Man I have been out so many times and watched people pulling, yanking, cussing, as I just set up and drill, sit and fish and watch the surrounding chit shows going on as people deal with their gas augers....

Takes all types and too each their own

SM.40V....it just works.

Yep. I've heard the same thing

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Man I have been out so many times and watched people pulling, yanking, cussing, as I just set up and drill, sit and fish and watch the surrounding chit shows going on as people deal with their gas augers....one fella was in his huge ice tent and I could hear the choice words then she fired up and yup the door was open smoke piling out of it and as he made his escape to fresh air he tripped on his was out gas auger in hand well I never seen a gas auger fly through the air....

Takes all types and too each their own

SM.40V....it just works.

I just politely walk over and ask them where they want their holes.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

I just politely walk over and ask them where they want their holes.

5 bucks a hole
pays for the trip

[WayneChristie]

finally got a couple chances to try out my new 10 inch strikemaster. easily blasts doubles through 25 inches of hard ice. I find my 10 inch Jiffy propane hangs up at the bottom of the ice more than the electric. amazing how quiet it is, a flock of fishers with gas augers sure clutters up the airwaves over the lake! I even managed to pull some fish out of the new holes!

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

finally got a couple chances to try out my new 10 inch strikemaster. easily blasts doubles through 25 inches of hard ice. I find my 10 inch Jiffy propane hangs up at the bottom of the ice more than the electric. amazing how quiet it is, a flock of fishers with gas augers sure clutters up the airwaves over the lake! I even managed to pull some fish out of the new holes!

Nice! Yeah funny how you notice the gas augers more once you have made the switch. I find it the same