New hub

[Skorpion]

Loosing the door zippers on my pop up (first thermo version of otter lodge). It’s on its 6th season of decent use, probably time to buy a backup when prices drop end of this season. What’s the latest and greatest of comparable size?

Anyone have one of the newer otters with the big door? Look nice in pictures but have not been in one.

Word of any experience with currently available hubs would be appreciated, weight is definitely a factor….

[kpd145]

I have a new monster lodge with the bigger door.

Alot better than the old style, much woder and the loles are rally simple to install giving structure to the door.

[Nitz]

Here are some of my experiences I just shared on another post -->

IMO the Eskimo Outbreak XD series are the best hubs on the market. I own an OUTBREAK 450XD and an OUTBREAK 250XD [both purchased in DEC 2021]. The "no trip" door was a game-changer. The overall build quality is great and the StormShield™ fabric performs well.

One of the regulars in my ice fishing group bought a new Otter Vortex Pro Lodge for the 2022-2023 season. It is nice, but I would rank it behind my 450XD in terms of workmanship and material quality. Not sure which is the 3rd best hub series out there (after Eskimo Outbreak XD and Otter Vortex Pro), but IMO it is a very distant 3rd.

Be sure to pay attention to the collapsed size and weight specs of these units as you shop. These are not small or light shelters - be sure you can handle loading, unloading, transporting to & from the lake, as well as traveling over the ice.

I end up just taking my 450XD even when solo.  I can handle setting it up and taking it down myself - at least for the time being lol.  We are of course all of a different build, strength, and ability.

[fishingidjit]

 Not sure if you have one in your area but a good seamtress could sew a new YKK zipper in you hub for a reasonable price.

[Skorpion]

Thanks for the replies. Appreciated. I will look into having the current one repaired and keep it as a backup/on-ice camp shelter. Probably will purchase a new model with the full door so my dad don’t have to spend the last three hours of each trip cussing the shanty…. He bought enough gear for me over the years… not to mention his gear he never knew where it went bahaha…. Now I got a little one at home, so I’ll be getting mine at some point….