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Just bought a trap pro from BPS and had to get the display model cus they were sold out. Question is at the very front of the shanty should the metal bar touch the ice or is there a couple inch gap. Mine has a pretty big gap ( id say 3 inches or better) and then the fabric drapes over, but it would seem like the bar should be touching the ice and that would give more fabric to drape on the ice to block wind. Like i said i had to buy display that was already put together and i got no paperwork with it. Thanks for any replies.
There should be no gap. The front of the rod should lay flat on the snow. You would end up with the gap if the fabric was pulled up too far down in the back and then tacked in place with that strip they give you. When I assembled mine, I ran into the same problem because I tried to make the fabric nice and tight, and the front would not lay flat. I had to undo the back and let it out about an inch of slack, so the front would go all the way down. I think your trap was not assembled properly and you might have to undo the back. You'll probably end up with a bunch of holes in the fabric that that's better than getting a breeze in our tent :-).
Having an original Trap, a Sno-Boat explorer, mine was before they made all the nice mods to make the Traps better. I had the problem of there being just enough material to cover the thing. It left a big gap on the front and sides when it was flipped over. I ended up taking heavy duty snaps and placing them every 6" along the sides and front 2" from the bottom edges. Then I got some heavy weight duck, 20oz., canvas and cut it the length of the sides and front, making three pieces. To each of these I attached the opposite sides of the snaps every six inches. I made them wide enough to allow for the 2" of overlap on the material of my portable and giving me an additional 5" of material to lay on the ice. The G-unit also sewed a pocket along the entire length of each piece into which I can insert a 3/4" dia. length of PVC. I filled the PVC with sand and capped the ends. Now if it is very windy out, all I have to do is insert the PVC pieces into the pockets and it provides additional weigth. Alot of effort I know, but I really didn't have much choice and with the pieces and weighted lengths of PVC being removable as needed, I don't have to use them if they aren't needed
When I assembled mine, I ran into the same problem because I tried to make the fabric nice and tight, and the front would not lay flat.