Well after debating some many times with myself I purchased a Shappell FX100. The Frabill Recon had served me well but needed more head room. I knew I would buy another Flip as it meets my style. I also wanted to keep the weight down, have a bench & some more room. It came down to the Clam wide mouth & the FX100 and due to not having to adjust any bars the FX100 won. Here is run down of modifications I did & pros-cons, performance.
Modifications
1- added 12 stainless steel screws to secure the cover to the sled
2- added a double cup holder the bench
3- added 4 eyebolts to be able to secure my VEX,pail, Mr.buddy with a couple bungee cords
4- added a swivel and big wide plastic boat seat (it's light)
Cons
1- no pockets on inside
2- bench seat feels like cheap wood
3- stupid lock bars threw them out
4- what's up with the Velcro flaps at the bottom?? I'm going to add snaps there.
Pros
1- even after my mods I'm still pulling a lighter flip than most
2- wide lots of fishing room
3- was easy to put together
4- windows and vents 4 all together
Performance
Well just fished BOQ in 25-30km winds with gusts of 40-60km and the canvas is still attached to the sled, the frame poles held up may have to tighten some bolts. The Velcro flaps didn't work cause the were covered in snow. The rope that came with it broke but I knew it was cheap and had brought another to replace it. Overall I'm more than happy with the Shappell FX100 and would suggest to anybody looking for a flip.
