Best 4 person hub shelter

[Spaceman]

Have been wanting to order a new hut here lately. My choices so far are the clam 2000 or the Eskimo 949 insulated.  Would like to hear some comments on what u like or dislike about these 2.  I'm game for either one or even another brand that I might be missing. Seen mixed reviews about both but I'm willing to give one of them a chance.
Thanks
Spaceman.

[holehopper]

Well, I can tell you one thing, there is no way you are going to fit 4 guys in a clam 2000.  So, if your subject line accurately describes what you are looking for, the 2000 is out.  The 2000 is more of a "suitcase" style house that is a tight fit for 2 guys.  Really more of a big 1 man if you ask me.

[Spaceman]

Yes my fault I meant the 4000

[MinnesotaPike]

Did you also mean the Eskimo 9416 instead of the 949? I have the 9416i and I love it. The only downsides are it is a bit difficult to get back into the bag if there is a ton of snow built up on the outside and the zipper pulls broke fairly easily. The snow build up is rarely an issue though and the zipper pulls I replaced with pieces of paracord so you can grab them with gloves on. It is a huge shack so another thing to consider is how much room you have to dry it out, I am unable to set it up at my house so I put it in front of a fan and rotate it to dry. Some of the positives are it is huge, I love the removable windows, it has cargo nets on the long sides for your gloves or whatever, it holds heat very well and it is extremely visible at night(huge Xs of reflective material). That may not seem important but we have a lot of snowmobilers and generally blind people driving on our lakes at night in Minnesota for some reason.

[Spaceman]

def looking at the 949 insulated. Usually it's two people in the shack but if the wind is bad there could be 4 of us at times.  Usually the wife and her friend in the shack and us Guy's outside since we have our nice ice suits.  Thanks for the information so far guys.

[holehopper]

I've owned both Clam and Eskimo hubs and would definitely recommend the Eskimo in general.  I have a Fatfish that has been set up and taken down a lot and it has been the best hub I've owned.  I can't speak specifically to the 2 models you are looking at but overall Eskimo is a better hub shack in my opinion. 

[Mikey Ice]

Got the Eskimo 949 it's got tons of room and holds heat very well
Very happy with it

[Idahogator]

Spaceman,

               Best you have a look HERE before making a wrong decision.     

[DR.SPECKLER]

polar bird.warmest, toughest built  and a insulated floor.lifetime warranty on poles and hubs.not getting that with any of the other shelters.gator is on to something.lol

[holehopper]

I've heard enough about Polar Bird to be impressed.  The floor idea is a good one as well.  That being said, for me and how I fish, I wouldn't consider them until they get some usable windows.  If you don't mind having a shack with virtually no windows, I would definitely consider Polar Bird. 

[Spaceman]

My question with the floors are will they freeze to the ice on those cold days?

[DR.SPECKLER]

My question with the floors are will they freeze to the ice on those cold days?

nope.they don't freeze but there will be a water underneath it.the floor velcros to a lip that goes all the way around the shelter. floor stays to warm to freeze to the ice.

[Chub58]

I have cabelas 360tc and it is great I really like the Windows all the way around hence the 360 it is also all black so great for sight fishing.

[jlreeder43]

Shapell 6500  is a good shack great price  and tough

[Dunn13]

Here's my review of the Eskimo 5i. I've had it out a couple times and it's exactly what I was looking for. You can fit 4 pretty comfortably if you don't have too much gear in the shelter.

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=334789.0

[Chris338378]

I have the Eskimo 949I (insulated) shelter and like it a lot.  The material is heavy duty, breaks the wind very well, it blocks out the light very well for sight fishing, hardly any condensation build up, the doors are big enough that you're not tripping getting in and out, even without a heater going it's warm inside, and the price won't put you broke.  One thing that I did is instead of using the ropes for the tie downs I use ratchet straps because they don't come loose until I want them to come loose.  Some people complain about the bag being small and having a hard time getting it back into the bag but I fixed that problem by using the ratchet straps to cinch it tight and it fits in the bag with room to spare.  When you're setting it up anchor down the side to the wind and even a second side if you want so the wind doesn't catch it and blow it across the lake.

[Npete7381]

I bought a 949i at the end of last season. Didn't get a chance to use it until a few weeks ago, but I already love it. I use it to spear, so the black interior is a must for me.  The insulation keeps it pretty warm, even without a heater, and cuts way down on the condensation build-up. I can't give an opinion on the Clam or other brands, but I can tell you that you'd be happy with the Eskimo.

[Steellord]

Shapell 6500  is a good shack great price  and tough

I also recommend the Shappell Widehouse 6500. I love mine, It will fish 4 guys comfortably and it's great as a command post/warming station if you want to holehop or have a get together with a group of guys.

[fishEH]

I saw the PolarBird at BassPro and was underwhelmed.
Its ugly. Pastel yellow and dark blue color scheme. I know its not a fashion contest but.....yikes.
I REALLY disliked the floor. It was a pretty big shanty and there were only four designated fishing holes, one in each corner. Seems rather restricting. I think part of the beauty of a hub shanty is the open floor and popping as many holes in any place you want.

I have been disappointed in almost ALL hub shantys window location. Just about all manufacturers place their windows just above the pole X on each panel. This makes it rathet difficult to look out the window and see tipups without getting up off my seat a little. If a manufacturer placed their windows either in the doors or to the left or right of the pole X they could place them lower and make them more user friendly.

I've heard enough about Polar Bird to be impressed.  The floor idea is a good one as well.  That being said, for me and how I fish, I wouldn't consider them until they get some usable windows.  If you don't mind having a shack with virtually no windows, I would definitely consider Polar Bird.

[pmaloney86]

I have cabelas 360tc and it is great I really like the Windows all the way around hence the 360 it is also all black so great for sight fishing.

I'm right there with you.  I've got this and love the 360 windows, it isn't too heavy to pull out there, sets up really easy and can comfortably fit 3 people with gear and definitely 4 if you leave the gear outside.

[SpoonieLuv]

Otter Lodge XTH, $284, no tax/no shipping from Marine General. Best insulation on the market right now.

[Spaceman]

This is why this site is awesome.  Anyone can ask a question and have a very good response in a short amount of time. Thanks tou all so far for the opinions.  I believe I will be going with the Eskimo 949i.  But I still have another week to decide.