Hub / Pop-up Questions: What's good? Bad? Tips?

[servocam]

After visiting the St Paul Ice Fishing Show and looking at all the shelters and many Mfg websites, I determined my best option is to get a Hub / Pop-up portable (of course I made this after the show and did not pay enough attention to the pop-ups).  

My vehicle, Ford Edge, is limited on space and could not find a flip-over that would fit in the back w/o folding down the seat.  Once I fold down the seat, I loose the ability to take my 5yo son with, who will most likely be going with me all the time.  I could put it on the roof, but not to crazy about lifting up a 80 lb sled up there.  Doable, sure, but after several hours on the ice and loading to go, it becomes more challenging.

I did find a sled that fits nicely that I can load up all my gear in.  So now the question is, what size Hub/Pop-up do I get?  I was looking at 6x6, but what if my wife, dog, and other two kids want to come?  5 + dog in 6x6 would pry not work (but unlikely all would go anyways).

In general, is it better to buy the 6x6 or just go to the 6x8?  Anything I should be considering about Pop-ups?  Does anyone have a sled w/ Seats like a flip-over then uses a Pop-up?  What do some of you do for flooring?

Is there really a difference from Clam, Eskimo, HT, Frabill, Killzone, Storebrand (ex. Cabelas Clam)?

[prchslyr]

I have the Eastman Ice cube 4 man. It works for what I need it for. I fish with my 2 boys (5 and 8). The lack of floor is a huge plus. Plastic floors on sled style shanties can sweep a kid off his feet quick. Plus, they feel like they are fishing in a fort in the cube. I'd suggest getting the biggest shanty your finances allow. If you get a shanty at all it will attract those that wouldn't normally fish with you, including wifey. The wife will also want to bring the dog cause...'ya got a shanty. If you went small now, you could end up regretting it when people are tripping over each other out on the ice. I'll also add- I'm going to avoid cutting holes in the portable when my kids are with me. My 8 year old sunk his leg in a hole that I cut in the shanty last year. We were both saying sorry to each other that day. In hindsight it was kind of funny. I think I felt like the bigger idiot though. If you do it just be careful. It's only a matter of time before a leg gets gobbled up. I know these things happen cause...It's ice fishing! But having holes in an enclosed space jack those odds up.
I love everything about my shack aside from how small the two windows in it are.

[slipperybob]

That 6X8 is really cool with the extra room.  Saw the one with the flooring, but that would just be designed for really two people.  If I didn't own an Ice Cube already, that would be the one for me.  Now I wish they would just make an 8X8.  That would be like huge! 

[rezeye]

i have a eskimo quickfish three and i just use  a rug for the floor the kind you see at the entryway to most stores the kind with the rubber on one side and carpet on the other I just roll it up and roll it out if it gets wet i just hang it over my spud bar in the warm shack while I pack up for the day or just roll it up and deal with it later  8)

[Bellybuster]

I also have the Ice Cube 4 man, suits my needs perfectly.
   I would suggest the bigger one if you plan on fishing the whole family inside. The 4 man (6X6)  is a good comfy 2 man for inside fishing

[ShawnR]

I'd definitely say go with the 6 x 8.  I picked up the Clam Summit this year and I debated whether or not I needed the extra room.  Now that I've used it, I'm glad I got the extra room.  I think it would be perfect for fishing three guys plus gear.  I'm sure it would be squishy with 5 plus a dog though and you would have to have minimal gear.  There would be no way you could cram that into a 6x6 and actually fit comfortably and be able to fish.  Another thing to consider with the 6 x 8 is that it is actually quite long when it is all packed up (about 5 feet long I would say), so you may still need to fold down your seat to get it in your vehicle.  I don't do anything for the flooring as I have good boots that do the trick. 

There is differences in the brands too as they all do little things differently.  The main difference with Clam is that it has thicker material (600 denier vs 300 denier) than most of the other shelters.

[servocam]

@ ShawnR - thanks.  I have 60/40 split seat, so not problem if I need to fold down the 40.  What do you use to Heat your 6x8?


Anyone:  Other than material thickness (denier), any other differneces?  I'll have to go read through each again.  I have a Gander Mountain right here by me and they have Clam there - that is what I was looking at buying.   The $50 for extra 2ft sounds worth it.

[ShawnR]

@ ShawnR - thanks.  I have 60/40 split seat, so not problem if I need to fold down the 40.  What do you use to Heat your 6x8?


Anyone:  Other than material thickness (denier), any other differneces?  I'll have to go read through each again.  I have a Gander Mountain right here by me and they have Clam there - that is what I was looking at buying.   The $50 for extra 2ft sounds worth it.

I heat mine with a Mr. Heater little buddy.  Fabric is the main difference.  I know the Clams do not have removable windows, whereas some of the other brands have removable windows which makes it easy to get replacement windows if one happens to break.  The straps (I should really say strings) that come with the new Clams for the ice anchors look very weak as a little FYI.  I didn't want to chance it and picked up some ratchet straps.  I know some of the other brands have better straps.

[bearbgone]

I just posted this on another page:

I just had my new Quickfish 6 out yesterday and everyone fishing around us wanted to buy one when they seen me set it up in like 1 minute. Stakes, because it was windy took me another minute. Some guys wanted to see me take it down so they stood by and I had it collapsed and folded up in like 15 seconds.  It stayed fairly warm inside with one little buddy heater. I would have a sunflower or a big buddy on real cold days because I like to fish in a t-shirt. Plus we keep opening the doors to check our tip-ups.

[servocam]

I did a little comparison of the Hub manufacturers to try to get better idea of what each offers.  Anyone know what the Denair of Eskimo hubs are?  I know some come with relectors, some do not.  Some have different windows, vents, and anchors.


Mfg        Model                  People     Size     Height     Elbow Room     Denier   Collapsed    Weight   Price   Color
Clam       Base Camp           2-3      72"x72"   78 in.       90" x 90"        600       54x11x11    27 lbs     ?        Blue
Clam       Base Camp Therm  2-3      72"x72"   78 in.       90" x 90"        600       54x11x11    33 lbs    $280    Blue
Clam       Summit                2-4      72"x96"   78 in.       90" x 114"       600      54x10x10    30 lbs     $250   Blue
Clam       Command Post      4-6     72"x144"   78 in.       90" x 162"      600       54x15x11    40 lbs     $300   Blue
Cabela's  Ice Team Hub 6x6  2-3     72" x 72"  78 in.            -              600      56x10x16     27 lbs    $200   Black
Cabela's  Ice Team Hub 6x8  2-4     72" x 96"  87 in.            -              600      60x10x16     32 lbs    $250   Black
Eskimo    Quickfish 6             6      70" x 140"  80 in            -                -              -         38 lbs    $310   Red
Eskimo    Quickfish 3             3      70" x 70"   80 in             -               -              -          23 lbs    $190   Red
Eskimo    Quickfish 2             2      60" x 60"   67 in             -               -              -          18 lbs    $155   Red
Frabill     Outpost               2-3       70x70"    80 in             -             300        50x8x8       24 lbs    $230   Black
Frabill     Headquarters         6        70x140"   80 in             -              300       50x10x10    40 lbs     $350  Black
Frabill     Frontier                 2       60" x 60"  67 in             -              300        43x8x8      18 lbs     $180  Black
KillZone   Igloo                  2-3            -       69 in         73" x 73"       600         43x8x8         -        $135  Black
KillZone   Igloo-XL               4       72" x 72"    83 in       92" x 92"        600         52x8x8         -        $160  Black


Anyone have a larger hub (6'x12')?  How easy is it to set up vs the 6x8?

[pikeking]

My buddy has the Quick fish 3, he loves it. The only thing I saw was it takes some getting used to taking it down. Other than that it was great. We put a sheet of plywood on the ice and slept in it last year. Will do it again this season.

[slipperybob]

6x12 is much easier to unfold.  It does not want to try on twist on you.  It would be harder for one person because of size and weight, but with two or more people, it's much easier.

[bushyjr]

i just got the command post at the ice fishing show in syracuse for 240 what a deal and the size of 6x12 is going to be great for when  a lot of people go and we want to play cards or just get out of the wind cant wait to use it soon and at 38 lb nice and light to take it out for the size

[smellysockalarmclock]

Just in case at this point you wanted info on the Ice Cube. http://dev.gorillablinds.com/cms/node/79

Contact the special orders department at Cabella's and they can get it for you. My quote was $189.00 plus s/h.

[Bellybuster]

I have a hard time believing those Killzone huts are 600 weight denier. My Ice Cube is 300 and the 1 kilzone I checked out in Cdn Tire wasn't near the weight of the Ice cube.
   I see the Clams are the heavier material, I think that would be worth going for

[slipperybob]

I've never seen the Killzone in person, so is it possible that these don't have a sprayed on polyurethane coating?  That coating makes the Ice Cube material seems a little heavier than it is.

[highsparks]

  I really like the Frabill Outpost .  The black material absorbs a lot of warmth from the sun , so much so it will reduce or eliminate you heat needs.  Most days if the wind isnt blowing too hard and the sun is shining it gets very nice with no heat at all.

   I think the basic concept is the same with all the units , set up is identical .  Frabills straps are more user friendly than most .  Frabills material is time tested , they have used it for several seasons with great success .  It offers a balance of toughness , wind proofness and weight .  Frabills windows are also velcroed in , a very big advantage if you ruin a window .  Just pull it out and put in a new one , no sewing involved....

[smbrickner]

I got the Cablea's 6x6 for 150 including shipping about a month ago.  Works great for 2 people and gear.  It's made by Clam too but the black helps absorb more heat (I think).

[servocam]

I have a hard time believing those Killzone huts are 600 weight denier. My Ice Cube is 300 and the 1 kilzone I checked out in Cdn Tire wasn't near the weight of the Ice cube.
   I see the Clams are the heavier material, I think that would be worth going for

I made the assumption from the Killzone desc that 600D ment 600 Denier:

---------------------------------------------------------------
New 2010 Model - KillZone Igloo-XL© Ice Fishing Shelter (Shanty)

The popular KillZone Igloo-XL© 4 Person Ice Fishing Shelter has been updated for 2010 with a Heavy Duty 600D Poly Shell that will keep you warm and out of the wind. This hub style premium fishing shelter features an open floor, 4 clear removable windows with shades, open flap vents, and a black-out interior for superior fishing vision. The lightweight redesigned steel hub design makes setup and takedown quick and easy. We now include 8 auger stakes with clip end tie-downs and a zippered carry bag at no additional cost.

Features:
•Fits 4 People
•72" x 72" Floor
•4 Removable Clear Windows and Shades Included
•Carry Pack Included
•8 Auger-Style Stakes Included
•Open Dimensions: 92” Hub to Hub x 83” Center
•Folded Dimensions: 52” L x 8” W x 8” H
---------------------------------------------------------------

I never heard of them before until this year.

Denier is a unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers

[servocam]

@ smellysockalarmclock - thanks for another options.

@ highsparks - how often to people actually damage a window?  I hear everyone talk up the option, but I can not reacall it ever happen.  I'm sure it has, but have not had any friends have one break that I know of.

@ smbrickner - yeah, i too saw the price back in November was much better - both jumped $50 come December.  

In regards to color and heat absorption, yes, Black will absorb more light and in essence, creates more heat.  Hence why a lot of winter clothing is black (like my jacket, snow pants, hat, boots, gloves, etc)....and opposite, why we where white in the summer (or smarter to on hot days cause it reflects the light).


Thanks for the info so far everyone.

[Drifter_016]

I remove my windows from my Sub Zero 2 man before putting it away.
There have been lots of issues with mainly the Eskimo windows cracking from being folded up in the cold. Mind you it gets a little colder up here than in most places.

[slipperybob]

From what I've seen 600 denier nylon is heavier material than 600 polyester.  Different materials, polyester is lighter and dries out much faster than nylon.

Vinyl clear windows, with moisture on them in the ice cold, will more than likely crack on you if folded.  I always try the take care of the hubs and do the umbrella roll of the material.  Having removeable windows are very useful.

[Hollywood703]

Another vote for Ice Cube 4 man.....3rd year and wouldnt trade it for anything other than a ice cube with 2 doors....