Choices for popup

[huntneiowa]

949i fatfish or refuge ice thermal???

[Woodsman]

I have the non insulated 949.
I like it.

[3300]

which ever one doesn't leak at the roof and which ever one doesn't condensate.

[RapShack]

Never been in the Clam but it looks nice. Fish out of a 949 sometimes and I like it a lot.  The Eskimo is $20 bucks cheaper and comes with a 6 pack of the Eskimo anchors which you're going to want for a shack that size.

[chilly-willy]

I would look at them closely I got a eskimo I think it's better made then my otter but it is this year's model last year's don't have the black roof on the 3i  version..  I have and I got last year's otter so there are flip sides to all..  the otter is better then My 7013 frabill but my frabill bunker 450 is better made then I think all of them...  but weight and heating the bunker 450  is a problem.. even with the big buddy heater you really need two big buddy heaters for it.. ..so keep all in mind I can fit two to almost three guys in my otter it's smaller  then the 3i and heats easier then my 3i with 10,000 btus...  I use 18,000 btus in my7013 and probably the 3i.. the Otter is 70widex70wide at floor x75height all inches were my 7013 and 3i is 76wide x76 wide at floor  and 80 tall..   wich the extra space requires more btus to heat so keep all in mind....  when buying a shack. .. also who goes with like kids or friends and how you fish like tip ups ??  And what you fish for.. I figured heating by LxWxH=cubic inch divide by 1728 to get cubic feet and you want heater just over that size like if it's 225 cuft??  you will want a heater to heat up to 250 cuft.. and ya mr heater say square feet on there instructions I think it's a typo cause it should be cubic feet..

[CowDawg]

I have the 949I.
 Like it a lot... built very well, stitching and zippers are top notch as well as the insulated material.
I like the windows, nice size and your able to see out them easily to view tip ups, etc. while sitting in a folding chair or just go into black out mode with the sewn in window covers.

Very easy to setup and take down.    also came with top notch anchors that i highly recommend you do use..  had it set up on a zero *  windy day without any issues using a small propane tank and sunflower heater and had my jacket off.

Only draw back is if your solo or you like to hole hop with other buddies on the ice, it takes time to relocate your gear.

Sooooo. my buddies talked me into a pull over sled too for those occasions.    I also have a Shappell FX100..  which I also really like. 

[08megacab]

I have had the 949i for the last 3 years and still looks like new. I also have a flipmo inferno 2 from Eskimo. I bought the 949i right after I got the inferno and the reason came down to the excellent customer service. The 949i has a lot of room and its easy to put up. It holds up great to the cold and snow plus holds in the heat. I did just sell the 949i to a friend the other day and bought the 9416i 

[slipperybob]

Don't know anything about recent Clam hubs, but previous ones, I wasn't impressed with...

I did just bought the Eskimo 949i.  Several good points to it. 

[mboss13]

I looked at Eskimo, clam (Jason Mitchell), and otter lodge (all about the same size). The otter was hands down the best made with larger poles and we'll stitched fabric, the jm was my first pick at first but seeing them side by side the otter seemed just a little better. The Eskimo would have saved me $70 when I was making the purchase bit did seem like you'd be only getting what you paid for. That doesn't mean it is bad and certainly easier on wallet, but not as nice as the other two.

[huntneiowa]

You guys that have the 949s could you fish 3 maybe 4 guys in one?

[holehopper]

I think you could fish 3 guys in a 949.  Just be aware, the carry bag for the 949 is brutal.  Stuff sack.  Really bad design. 

[Open-Handed Fish Slap]

Never spend to much time in a shanty but the Cabela's 360 is by far the best I've personally seen. The window's actually make sense and it holds heat like no other.  Feels huge inside too compared to the Eskimo 949 that I have been in.  I picked up a clam one year on clearance basically because I like buying gear, I probably haven't set it up more than a half dozen times in as many years, but I can say that it's garbage compared to the previously mentioned two.

[Sandalsnsocks]

I just used the otter lodge for the first time and loved it, however it seemed a little small I would not want to fish 3 guys in it. We like to spread out and bring lots of stuff.

[B540glenn]

You guys that have the 949s could you fish 3 maybe 4 guys in one?

I have a 949 (non-insulated) and have had 3 guys comfortably fishing 1 hole each with chairs and a heater.  Fishing 3 was comfortable and roomy. Fishing 4 may be a cramped if they all had chairs.

[Sandalsnsocks]

We like to bring BIG chairs that can recline to sleep in, wondering if I should have got the otter resort, anyone have one? Is it much bigger than the lodge?

[Raquettedacker]

My fishing buddy bought the clam insulated at bass pro a couple weeks ago. haven't needed it yet but we will on Saturday with a high of 10*...

[huntneiowa]

Picked up my 949i today at scheels and they price matched Cabela’s on line sale price of $263. Got it home and setup and very pleased with the size and built quality. Thanks for all the help!

[wefishandflop]

I think you could fish 3 guys in a 949.  Just be aware, the carry bag for the 949 is brutal.  Stuff sack.  Really bad design.

And it's so long!  The backpack straps are sort of a joke when you are carrying an 8 ft log (exaggerating but not by much).  I got one last year and used it a few times, going to be using it this coming weekend. I was using a quickfish 2 and could always find a corner to poke into the wind but with the 949 I needed to screw in the corners and the sides (strap lines out to an anchor) in the wind direction to keep the side from caving it.  "Point a corner into the wind...." but on the larger model it doesn't have a strong corner to do that with.  Overall the floor room is great and the quality seems okay but it isn't something I would want to drag across the lake without knocking down (due to wind catching it).  I don't know anything else I could have gotten that was as large for the price.  Where I use it I drop it on a pull sled a short walk from the garage so the length doesn't matter as much but I definitely cannot trek with it on my shoulders like the quickfish.

[Monticatgeek]

Never spend to much time in a shanty but the Cabela's 360 is by far the best I've personally seen. The window's actually make sense and it holds heat like no other.  Feels huge inside too compared to the Eskimo 949 that I have been in.  I picked up a clam one year on clearance basically because I like buying gear, I probably haven't set it up more than a half dozen times in as many years, but I can say that it's garbage compared to the previously mentioned two.

just a FYI the Cabela's 360 is made by clam for Cabela's hence the name Cabela's / Ice Team 360. it is basically a Jason Mitchell 5000 that is all black in color and has the windows all the way around it and the thermal cap. the 360 is a nice house. I have one I run sometimes. will be also running  my new Clam Spearfisher hub house this year too along with the 360.

[Open-Handed Fish Slap]

just a FYI the Cabela's 360 is made by clam for Cabela's hence the name Cabela's / Ice Team 360. it is basically a Jason Mitchell 5000 that is all black in color and has the windows all the way around it and the thermal cap. the 360 is a nice house. I have one I run sometimes. will be also running  my new Clam Spearfisher hub house this year too along with the 360.

Interesting.  Like I said, I don't spend much time in a shanty so I never really compared the quality of them both, I just know the quality of the 4 sided blue clam shelter that I have (not a "Jason Mitchell" series) is not too high.  The windows in that Cabela's are just the most ideal I've seen.  Also, if what you say is true, then for a huge discount and more/better features, the Cabela's is a home run.