Otter XT650 Lodge Thermal Top Ice Shelter

[crappienpike]

Wondering if any of my fellow ice die hards have the Otter XT650 Lodge Thermal Top Ice Shelter. I am currently on the hunt for a new two man pullover shelter & I am very close to purchasing the Otter XT650 Lodge Thermal Top Ice Shelter. My only concern is that it weighs 120pds & that's before the little buddy heater, propane tank and gear. I don't have a sled or 4 wheeler so I am always putting my muscles to work. If anyone has this shelter let me know if you are able to pull it with ease without the sled or 4 wheeler. Or is there another option out there besides a pop up. Thanks in advance.

[Kyle_J]

I have the xt1200 cottage which should weigh about as much as the 650 lodge and it can get a little heavy to pull but isnt terrible if you arnt pulling it for a long ways.

[Green Mountain Boy]

I have the XT650 Cabin and originally had contemplated the Lodge because I too pull it by hand.

Trust me on this - go smaller, I often comment when hauling it around how glad I am with this decision.  I would even go as far as saying go with the cottage. 

When you load them up, it can be a challenge to load/unload from your vehicle in addition to pulling any distance with snow on the ice. 

I'm working on building a smitty sled myself.

[omartruck]

I have a Jason Mitchell 2  man flip over an a otter 1 man added set of old skis to them they pull great. a lot lighter to pull on the ice

[gonehunting]

I am a diehard otter fan because of the quality in their build.  On the other hand the Lodge is big and will be a hard pull in deep snow.  I would suggest you look up Smitty Sleds in other forums to use in this case.  You won't find a better quality shelter in my opinion.  Also, look around, there are some good sales going on now with all fishhouses.

[Bucket Brigade]

I just bought the Frabill Ambush and it comes in at 109 pounds. Easy to pull by hand...on glare ice!!!

[chasinfins]

And don't forget about those great times when you have to pull the sled across dry ground from the lake to your truck ... That's what really kills you ...

[IceAddict87]

I got my 650 lodge right around Christmas this year, I wanted the cabin but all of the local places were out of them and scheels was willing to price match fleet farms cost on the cabin to the lodge they had. So far it is a great shack but that being said it is pretty heavy by the time you get all of your gear in it. I haven't had to pull it through very much snow yet since iowa doesn't seem to get snow anymore. It is not as hard to get loaded as I thought it would be but it is still a chore. I also really enjoy the extra room with the lodge over the cabin. To make it easier to pull I took the shoulder straps from my deer dragging harness and hooked it to the sleds pull rope. Quality is fantastic on this thing.

[Jake and Joe]

I have the Otter XT650 cabin. I too pull with a deer drag shoulder harness. I also bought a pair of walking sticks at Walmart in the camping section for $20 that make walking and pulling that much easier. They have a carbide tip that bites into the ice.

[yarn em in]

I also have the 650 cabin, great shack but it's a bear to drag in the snow.

[DFresh75]

I have an XT900 Cabin without seats.  I bought a bench but leave it at home now and bring Eskimo Versa chairs.  It weighs probably 50lbs and I can pull it much easier.  Just my 2c.

[iceman0000]

I've had my XT 650 cabin for a month so far, I've got a bad back and am somewhat surprised on its wieght and gliding path, I put the hyfax runners on which helps, when I load into truck I place the rear of the sled on tailgate and with the rope in front lift up and push, I'm going to get some Ramps next out of 2x6 so I can glide it up and off the truck. Quality is very good, do have some pinholes showing on the front canvas but not to bad, I'm from Canada so I had to go out of province to get it, with the dollar and shipping it was not cheap but well worth the $ in the long run.

[SINX53]

I love mine but I would suggest building a smitty sled if you are pulling by hand. Pulls easy on ice but with snow its a PITA.

[Ice Junkie 76]

I have the 650 cottage that weights in at 80lbs. They pull great on bare ice or a little snow. Last weekend we had water laying under a thin layer of ice then snow on top,  it was the worst drag of my life. Going to build a smitty sled to take care of that problem. Love this shelter!!!!