Looking to buy a 3 man light weight ice shelter. Suggestions?

[jimmay]

Generally I don't use an ice shack as I like to move around, but there are days when I bring my family, or the wind is really cold and then I wish for a shelter.    So I am in the market for a 3 man light weight shelter that I can easily pile into my sled to drag out by hand.  I have looked at the ice cabin styles as well as the pop-up tents and I think I like the tents better (lighter).  So, from what I can glean by searching, my options are Ice Cube, Clam, Frabill, Eskimo, Shappell, HT, Cabelas, Bass Pro and Sub Zero (Canadian Tire).  What preferences do you guys have, what problems have you had, and where do you recommend I either buy or have shipped to Southern Ontario.  Price is always a concern, but I am willing to spend a little more for a better quality unit.  Beyond that, should I consider a heat source?  I have two Coleman fuel catalytic tent heaters (with what looks like asbestos burners), and Princess Auto always seems to have sales on propane units.  What about solar heating.  Do the darker colour tents warm better in the sun, or do they loose heat faster in the wind?

Thanks guys,

Jim

[SkeeterJeff]

I don't think you can go wrong with a Clam shelter.  We have a Yukon and love it.  The black top will help with warming it on a sunny day.  We use a propane Mr. Buddy heater in ours.  Propane = no fuel on your gloves or hands. 

Hope that helps,
-Jeff

[Grumpyoldman]

I have an Eskimo Quickfish 3. I Have beat the heck out of it for 4-5 seasons now. I heat it w/ a buddy heater. Definitely recommend it.   

[Madpuppy]

I just bought the Clam Base Camp, haven't had it on the ice yet of coarse but set it up in the living room. It sets up in about 30 seconds and is HUGE, has 2 entry-exit doors, plenty of windows and packs small and light.
The carry bag has backpack straps and carries with very little effort. For 3 people I would highly recomend this shelter.

[highsparks]

  I would give Frabills Outpost a close look ....

  •Fishes 2-3 anglers plus gear
•300 Denier tent
•Corner door with heavy duty zipper
•4 Clear View removable windows
•MaxVent system adjusts for optimal venting
•Eight 2"x2" safety reflectors
•Additional polyurethane coatings to keep light and water out
•Includes zippered transport bag
•Includes anchor kit

[holehopper]

I have to say that the "pop up" style tent has really been a key product for me.  I own an ATV but usually end up walking out to my spot just because my fishing usually is just for a few hours here and there.  The pop up style shelter is really ideal for that and I used them almost exclusively last year.  I own two Eskimo units (a 2 man and a 3 man) and an Eastman ice cube.  I also have looked at the clam units and really like those, but they are expensive.  I see that clam has a couple of new variations on pop ups this year.  One has a "thermal cap" which includes an insulated top and another that has a full thermal material.  I think you can even purchase an optional floor for those too.  So, you can use the shelter with and without the floor.  In my opinion, if I compare my Eastman to the Eskimos, I would say that the fabric quality is about equal.  I think the clam ice armor is a step up.  I believe it is a 600 denier.  One other big consideration you should include is what kind of bag the shelter packs into.  All of them are sort of a "back-pack" style, but with my Eastman, there is a zipper that runs the full length of the bag.  With my Eskimos, they just have a "cinch" opening at one end.  The zipper bag is key.  It makes packing and unpacking the shelter very easy.  For me, I would not buy another cinch bag shelter.  I use the 2 man quite a bit when I head out on my own.  It is easier to heat and has a lower profile if it is windy.  I got it for about $100 on closeout.  They are nice to have in addition to the 3 man. 

[rangerbill]

I have the Clam Base Camp for the family and I love it.  I have fished 4 in it and it was fine.  Fishes three people very well.  Super quick to put up and down and very light.  I like everything about this unit.  If you get one, make sure to use the ice tie-downs on all four sides.  A wind will lift it right up and if it starts blowing down the lake it gets rolling fast due to the square shape...kind of like a giant dice.

[sled-in]

I have an ice cube, during the day the dark fabric might take alittle of the chill off the air, but once the sun gets low in the sky it will get cold quick. I froze my fingers pretty good once, and I had one of those 3000btu coleman blackcats going. I now have a take top heater, $50 at princess auto or wherever, and a 10lb tank $70 at cdn tire, if I remember right.

[jimmay]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the comments.

So far I have 3 for Clam, 1 for Eskimo, 2 for Eastman (now Gorilla Blinds) and 1 for Frabill.  I must admit I hadn't thought about the bag holehopper, but since buying a dinning tent with a zipper bag, I like the improvement too.  What about ice anchors?  Besides the mountaineering type, who makes the best?  I see everyone agrees that propane and propane accessories (said with a Hank Hill voice ) are the way to go.  My only concern is that I don't think the little green bottles can be refilled (I'm in Ontario), unless someone can set me right.  Is condensation a problem inside the tent?  Is freezing to the ice going to be a problem and what do you guys suggest if it happens?  Lastly, I see that Clam has a line of fully insulated tents, with a gain of 6lbs in the Base Camp model, is this something worth looking into?

Sorry for all the newbie questions, but since I have the blessing of my wife to buy one of these, I want to make sure I have all the facts laid out when I go to buy the more expensive one.    

[FloatinWoody]

Im going on 3 years with my ice cube. I have had zero issues, and when i take the kids, they are in and out of it 100 times a trip. Light, and more than warm enough with the big buddy on low.

[Grumpyoldman]

I'd make a guess that all cube styles are pretty much the same. 
However, I would prefer that the windows and the door on my Eskimo QF3 were bigger.     
 
Condensation is only a problem in extreme cold w/ several people hugging the heater. Just open more vent on the shelter.
If it's too cold outside to open up more vent, wipe off the moisture on the ceiling w/ your buddies hat.   

[InSearchOfPerch]

Frabills comes with ice anchors...Just buy a Frabill and you will love it.  Their new hub styles are a homerun.  I got to check one out the other day side by side with an eskimo and a clam...feature for feature, Id buy the frabill.

[Trooper Bri]

I'm very likely going to get the Frabill Outpost. Most everyone I know currently owns some sort of Frabill already, including myself.

Seeing an Eskimo Quickfish 6 in action last season got the hub shack bug under my skin. I'm 6'4" with boots and hat, and being able to stand upright in a ragbox felt good. I initially planned on getting the QF3, but changed my mind last week. Brand loyalty, my local outfitter sold everyone i know their Frabill , and the Eskimo clashes with my Ice Armor. 

[prchslyr]

I use an Eastman Icecube and love it. The material is black and absorbs a ton of heat on sunny days. My eight year old can set it up with ease. My kids and the neighbors have been using it all summer as a fort and the zipper is still in tact. If they can't destroy it, noone can. It has a cinching strap to anchor down on all four hubs. It's an absolute fortress even on the windiest days. I found it on E-bay for around 150 bucks. It came with two "ice-fishing" chairs that to my surprise are great to fish from. They don't look it but they can support the biggest of booty. My near 400lb brother put one to the test. The chair held up. Chock up another vote for the 'cube.

[Tainterslayer]

Clam base camp! My dad bought one. It's pretty light and huge. Fits 3 people no problem at all. You have to use ice anchors if there is a decent wind though (as with any pop up hub style shack).

[dakota]

Dont know where you are at but I saw one on craigslist in Indianapolis for $200

[jimmay]

Well, I have narrowed my choices to the Clam Base Clamp, Frabill Outpost and Sub Zero Tundra Tough 4 Man (Canadian Tire branded Ice Cube).  Now to search these out and have a look at them.  I know it is still a little early, but I thought I read BPS in Vaughn may have the ice fishing gear out, and I believe my local Canadian Tire is also stocking up with winter gear.  I am in Kingston if anyone knows of any deals.

Thanks guys,

Jim

[holehopper]

Check out the clam summit too.  It is 6 x 8 vs. the normal 3 man which is 6 x 6.  Also has the optional floor that you can fish with or without.  It also has 2 doors which is a good set up.  The down side; it is $250 without the floor.  $500 with the floor.  Its a nice set up, but I don't know if it is $500 nice!  The clam uses a 600 denier fabric.  The rest use a 300 denier.  Clam also has the base camp with the thermal top.  With these units, you will get some condensation on the ceiling.  Opening the vents will help.  I also use a small fan that I hang from the ceiling to circulate the air.  That helps a lot.  Just a small fan that fits in my pocket.  As far as the anchors go, they all seem about the same to me.  They are all sort of a "T" shape and I usually just put the point on the ice, give the top a quick tap with the palm of my hand, apply some pressure and it grabs right away.  Once you get those screwed into the ice, they aren't going anywhere!  One other advantage of the ice cube is that it has straps that stay permanently attached on each of the four sides.  The straps come out of the center of each wall on the outside and they are what you use to strap the cube down if you need to.  Each strap has a little pocket that it goes into if you aren't using it.  The rest of the pop ups I've seen just have a little piece of material that you need to tie a string to so that you can anchor the unit down.  One small step, but it is a little extra work. 

[holehopper]

Just a couple of other thoughts....check out the windows.  My ice cube has two windows, my eskimos have 4 windows.  4 windows is better than 2 in my opinion.  Also, make sure that the windows are replaceable.  On both my cube and eskimos, the window plastic has velcro around the edge.  You can just "un-velcro" the window and replace it with a new one.  Also check out the door zippers.  I know eskimo had some zipper trouble early on.   When these units are set up, the fabric is stretched pretty tight and it puts a lot of pressure on the zipper. 

[jimmay]

Thanks holehopper, that is exactly the type of information I was looking for.  I looked up denier and found that it is a measure of linear mass density of fibers, similar to percale for cotton fabric (my wife is always going on about percale sheets so she will understand this justification  ).  It also appears that 600 denier fiber can be water resistant and yet breathable, without the need for a polyurethane coating, so it should have less issues with condensation.  Depending upon price, I am now leaning towards the Clam units with their 600 denier Tactel (Ice Armour) fabric.  The Clam Base Camp and Clam Summit will be on the top of my shopping list.

Thanks again,

Jim

[jeffmonument]

I have the 4man Cube and love it.  Really is a 3man max, but perfect for the family when I need a 2nd hut.  In the past they have had excellent customer service.  I(user error) broke some poles and they sent me some new ones for free, no shiping or anything.

[LILDILL]

I have an Eskimo Quickfish 3. I Have beat the heck out of it for 4-5 seasons now. I heat it w/ a buddy heater. Definitely recommend it.   

i will agree with that, my dad has one and it has alot of room and with a heater it stays verry warm, also alot of room in the sled

[sled-in]

I have the 4man Cube and love it.  Really is a 3man max, but perfect for the family when I need a 2nd hut.  In the past they have had excellent customer service.  I(user error) broke some poles and they sent me some new ones for free, no shiping or anything.

I agree with the three man max and that would be a crowd to me.

One of my hubs broke, I ordered a new hub and they're sending me the hub and poles, and it is not for free either but $15 isn't bad.

[smatt]

Does anyone know if the new model year Clam's have removable windows?

I am also planning on purchasing a pop up style shack sometime soon.
I was originally leaning towards the Eskimo Quick Fish 3 do to the good reviews, and removable/replaceable windows.
But the Clam seems to be made out of superior fabric, and the 6x8 model might be worth considering for a little more room...

I wish I could find one set up somewhere to look at, but I guess it is still a little early.

[Gambler]

the Eskimo Quick Fish 3 do to the good reviews, and removable/replaceable windows.

The quickflip 3 weighs in at 120lbs.
I would not call it lightweight.

[jimmay]

The quickflip 3 weighs in at 120lbs.
I would not call it lightweight.

Yep and the Quickfish 3 weighs 23 lbs.

[gotcrappie]

I have no complaints on my Shapell Ice House 6000!  Plenty of room.  The Base is 72 " X 72 " and 7 feet tall in the center.  I think it weights 25lbs, includes a backpack styled storage case, and ice anchors.  It fits nicely in my Jet Sled Jr.  Its also easy to set up. 



.  

[kinwashkly]

i just purchased the frabill pop up, great price