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Has anyone seen these new hub style shelters at Gander Mountain? I talked to a guy at the store the other day and he said they are made just for Gander, in China he assumed. 1 year warranty and they come with 2 free chairs. List price is $299, but they were on sale for $249. He did mention that on Black Friday they would be marked down to $199. http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Gander-Mountain-Insulated-Thermal-Ice-Hub-8-x-8&i=789538I've had my eye on the new Eskimo 6120i, but at less than half the price, I might have to consider this one... I have no doubt the Eskimo is a better shelter, but a $200 savings buys me a lot of beer, I mean a LOT of beer.
I called them for info and it does not have replaceable windows. That is a non-starter for me at any price...
That actually surprises me, since they are just attached with Velcro. I pulled one out while I was there and even mentioned to the employee that it was a nice feature that the clams don't have
Another thing to consider is how much space you really need and how are you transporting it. I usually fish by myself or with anther person and sometimes bring along my grandson too. I pull my gear myself in a Jetsled1 so I don't want to haul more than I need. For me, a 6'x6' is all I need for 2-3 people and most of those hub shelters are between 20 - 30 pounds. The Gander Mtn shelter is 8'x8' and insulated so even though they don't post the weight on their website I would guess that it is 40+- pounds. That would make it a great tent for 4+ people if your hauling it with an ATV or a snowmobile but a lot of weight and space to pack out to the ice if you're pulling it all. Just some food for thought....
Commodore99 first off welcome to Ice Shanty. I do not know if this is the same hub style shelter that is on display at my local Gander Mountain. If it is the height at the center of the shelter is maybe 6 feet some thing to consider when getting in and out of the shelter. Since I have a flip over shelter currently did not look over the display model. I'm only 5' 9" and would have to bend down to get in-out of the shelter my local store has on display. Getting the shelter for $200.00 is great but will you be disappointed after a few trips .Steve
We might be running an in-store special on these, but I didn't see it in the Black Friday ad. I'll double check the specials for this weekend when I head in tomorrow. There's different ads for different states, could be I saw an ad for a state that doesn't carry these.
Double check to see if the windows are removable ...just a thought ...as well as the anchoring system ...gander sells a anchoring sytem 6 anchors total ...for 29.00 bucks ...the do look like Eskimos anchors . Maybe the tent is too.
Just an observation, there are no reinforced areas nor grommets in the exterior skirting for ice anchors as with most hub shelters. I would hope those are hidden inside. Good luck with this item.
Woodchuck. I ordered same one from L & M. Got it in about 2 days. Haven't had a chance to get it out of the bag yet. Between work and getting ready for rifle season just no time.
Make sure you look it over good. Mine had a seam that was not done right. Had a 10 inch piece of fabric that was not sewn on. Also had some wear on top outside of shack where the poles connect together. Contacted Eskimo and they are having me ship it back and sending me a new one.