Clam X-400 vs Eskimo Outbreak 450XD vs Otter Vortex Pro Lodge vs Otter Vortex Pro Cabin

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Sitkaspruce

Great post and comparison GP! Thanks for posting this up

I bought the Eskimo 450 XD Limited this spring from LOTW.

Even in the summer, it has been a bit of a fun struggle to get the hub back in the bag. My BIL works in a mine and gets me these hose cinch straps for many different things and they are are awesome for cinching the hub down.....but still not the easiest thing to get back in the bag. Reminds of putting frozen, snow covered ground blinds back in the bag.

So I have been looking around and found these at Cabelas.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/15860...hoC4JQQAvD_BwE

Or grab an Otter bag instead....

https://www.otteroutdoors.com/product/carrying-bag-2/

Cheers

SS

Thx for this, will make my struggles easier

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Sitkaspruce

Great post and comparison GP! Thanks for posting this up

I bought the Eskimo 450 XD Limited this spring from LOTW.

Even in the summer, it has been a bit of a fun struggle to get the hub back in the bag. My BIL works in a mine and gets me these hose cinch straps for many different things and they are are awesome for cinching the hub down.....but still not the easiest thing to get back in the bag. Reminds of putting frozen, snow covered ground blinds back in the bag.

So I have been looking around and found these at Cabelas.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/15860...hoC4JQQAvD_BwE

Or grab an Otter bag instead....

https://www.otteroutdoors.com/product/carrying-bag-2/

Cheers

SS

Get the Otter bag. It zips open across the entire top and also down one side. Once you have the hubs in at one end you can just stand it up and zip it shut. It works well.

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Get the Otter bag. It zips open across the entire top and also down one side. Once you have the hubs in at one end you can just stand it up and zip it shut. It works well.

I debating getting one of those Christmas Tree bags from Costco for this. Pretty cheap and tons of room for the tent and a couple seats too.

SS


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[RDFisher]

Thanks for the detailed review. I just picked up the 450XD earlier this fall so glad to see I made a good choice Cabela's still has them on for $150 off which sweetens the deal. I was irked that I did have to buy additional straps/anchors for a "complete" hub.

One of the things I noticed immediately just doing a dry set-up was the narrow skirt which I was surprised about. Could definitely use a few more inches width to make piling snow on it easier.

The other thing was the bag. They include one compression strap for the hub (could use at least two) and it was a challenge getting it back in the bag even in the dry garage. My thought is that when out for the day, as long as I can gather it up and strap it together, it will ride in the back that way until I get home. Will need to dry it out between trips anyways. Definitely an annoying design though, so thanks to those who posted some solutions. Likely will invest in additional straps and a full zip bag.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by RDFisher

My thought is that when out for the day, as long as I can gather it up and strap it together, it will ride in the back that way until I get home. Will need to dry it out between trips anyways.

Definitely get a couple more straps because, yeah, you will likely bring it home out of the bag more than once. The same applies with Otters or any other hubs as well. The Eskimos are just a special kind of bad in that way.

[horpensky]

[QUOTE=SamSteele;4678321]I debating getting one of those Christmas Tree bags from Costco for this. Pretty cheap and tons of room for the tent and a couple seats too.

SS


Is this the bag you're talking about? Not sure it's long enough...? Just picked up a 650XD and can already imagine it being a beast to put away in bad weather by myself, so also interested in a better bag solution. Tried adding the Otter bag to the shopping cart to see how much shipping would be, but apparently no option to ship to Canada. Is there a local dealer that carries the bags?

[AlbertanGP]

I'd call Otter myself. They'll be able to tell you if anyone in Canada ordered any bags for stock (I doubt it as I have never seen them available for sale until this year). I bet they'd also override the website and just send you one since its a small item. Get the extra cinch straps from them as well. And a hoodie. Their hoodie is exceptionally nice and warm. You can also check dimensions and look at something like the Clam X-600 bag if Otter can't help you out.

[Sitkaspruce]

I tried to order the Otter bag, got no luck.

I have ordered the Bass Pro one,

88" Five Sided, Six Sided up to 105 sq ft

should be here next week. Will post a review and update.

LOTW has the 450XD Plaid for $600 plus shipping. Not sure if others will match that price.

https://sportsheadquarters.ca/collec...ak-450xd-plaid

And the OTTER VORTEX PRO RESORT THERMAL HUB for $730 plus shipping

Cheers

SS

[SamSteele]

[QUOTE=horpensky;4678619]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I debating getting one of those Christmas Tree bags from Costco for this. Pretty cheap and tons of room for the tent and a couple seats too.

SS


Is this the bag you're talking about? Not sure it's long enough...? Just picked up a 650XD and can already imagine it being a beast to put away in bad weather by myself, so also interested in a better bag solution. Tried adding the Otter bag to the shopping cart to see how much shipping would be, but apparently no option to ship to Canada. Is there a local dealer that carries the bags?

I have an Eskimo Quickfish 6i, which is an double hub style with an insulated roof. It is 52” long and the Christmas Tree bag is 55”.

If you have one of the 5 sided tents with the higher centre it likely wouldn’t work, but for my doubly hub it would work just fine.

SS


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[AlbertanGP]

I never did go back and weigh these hubs. I don't think it makes too much of a big deal as they were all close. I deducted half a point from the Clam but whatever.

But last week I was watching one of Clayton Schick's live chats, and I noticed a couple of guys discussing hub shelters in the comments. One guy said you should get the 650XD instead of the 450XD since it only weighs four pounds more. That can't be I thought to myself. The 450XD is a typical 8X8 hub more or less, while the 650XD is a bigger hex hub style of shelter. So I went on Eskimo's website to check out the specs on the Outbreak 450XD and the Outbreak 650XD, and sure enough they listed a four pound difference at 48lbs and 52lbs respectively. I tried to rationalize to myself how they could be so close in weight and wound up shrugging my shoulders. Then today when I was returning the Eskimo and Otter hubs used in this comparison to Cabelas, they had a 450XD and 650XD Limited set up as they were on sale for Black Friday. The 650XD is definitely smaller than my Otter Vortex Resort, but it sure looked bigger than the 450XD. Nevertheless I had a kid go find me a dolly and he and I tossed a 650XD on the cart and I went to pay for my stuff. Got out to the parking lot and had to lift it in myself...ruh roh...this thing sure feels like the Resort (heavy). Decided to lug it back three hours to the lake anyways and found out they packed it in a 17lb cardboard box...



I also noticed looking at their website that they have bumped all the prices up on their hubs, likely to make all the Black Friday deals look better.

I like their products, but as Ardisam's companies have become more popular I have noticed their marketing has started to become more creative. Just a heads up.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Sitkaspruce

I tried to order the Otter bag, got no luck.

I have ordered the Bass Pro one,

88" Five Sided, Six Sided up to 105 sq ft

should be here next week. Will post a review and update.

LOTW has the 450XD Plaid for $600 plus shipping. Not sure if others will match that price.

https://sportsheadquarters.ca/collec...ak-450xd-plaid

And the OTTER VORTEX PRO RESORT THERMAL HUB for $730 plus shipping

Cheers

SS

What was shipping from LOTW for your 450XD Plaid? I looked at ordering my Otter Pro X-Over Resort from them a couple of seasons ago but the shipping was crazy.

I picked up the same XPS Ice Tent Bag today at Cabela's, but have to decide what I'm doing with this 650XD Limited before I try it out. It should be huge for a 450XD. Let us know how it works.

[Sitkaspruce]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

What was shipping from LOTW for your 450XD Plaid? I looked at ordering my Otter Pro X-Over Resort from them a couple of seasons ago but the shipping was crazy.

I picked up the same XPS Ice Tent Bag today at Cabela's, but have to decide what I'm doing with this 650XD Limited before I try it out. It should be huge for a 450XD. Let us know how it works.

I think the shipping was crazy ($100+) but I had the family express pick it up for me and we picked it up this summer.

Shipping is what has killed a few good deals I have found. Some better deals back east, but the shipping.....

The bag will be huge, but I figure I can use the extra space for all the "extra stuff". Better to be bigger than "just fits".

Cheers

SS