Visit the Team Iceshanty Proshop
My rule for first ice is to go fishing with Fat Bob and send him first. If he sets up all his tip-ups with an issue then I generally get out of the truck and set mine up.
I stopped falling through when I bought a spud😋
Don't have a Fat Bob but I do fish with Nate(300), John(275), Big Eric(325) and a guy called Ballast who goes atleast 350. Would one of them do? Though shipping costs could get expensive.
I broke through a puddle that had a half inch of ice today at work. Does that count?