Advice on One man shelter

Here is what I need advice on. I already have a two man shelter I tow behind my sled. I now also have a rack installed to carry a one man. My question- I have it limited, I think, to the Kenai Pro Thermal and the Eskimo wide 1 inferno. Don’t want to spend a fortune so Otter is out. I can get the Kenai with accumulated Cabelas bucks, but they do not carry the INferno. My concern is weight- one is 48 and one is 62- yet some sites show the Inferno at more than that. I can not find an inferno around to lift, nor a Kenai pro for that matter, so has anyone done a lift test on both? IF they are a horse a piece, I will get the Kenai and pay nothing. If there is a significant difference, I will spend the money (or try and talk Cabela’s into carrying the Inferno!) and get the Inferno- I like the extra space on the end. So, does anyone have experience carrying one that way on a sled? The rack is over the back of my two up, so it will be less weight than a second person, so I am thinking not a big deal- just don’t want to make a mistake.

Specific use would primarily be in pretty harsh cold- like Canadian cold- where it is too painful to keep breaking down the two man and I want to be able to jump around a bit and stay relatively warm while doing it. Not intended to fish all day in it so I think both would be fine there.

I also will not have a chance to test it before the real trip, in early January, so your help is appreciate as I am trying not to make a mistake and finding out the hard way. Appreciate any response.

More than enough complaints on clam quality for me to avoid them last year. Got a couple eskimos and very happy with them. I’d go inferno.

If u can u should get a otter they are one hell of a tent . Am looking at getting the hideout for me when I go by my self

Find a used otter cabin or hideout. They are out there. Best flipover on the market IMO. My opinion only.

Where are you located, krayfish?

Get a HECO.

https://eauclaire.craigslist.org/spo/d/otter-hideout/6366531993.html

http://www.glensoutdoors.com/otter-xt-hideout-ice-house-package.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvuDPBRDnARIsAGhuAmYDRmoZTLx3dStP2IpnPcjh0PfwU6NS1X-AQSA7ur_RBpj3AwP9YPIaAi9xEALw_wcB

http://www.marinegeneral.com/productdetails.asp?productid=1638808

Look at a Shappell FX100……A nice little shack and 1 of the lightest out there @37 lbs…….I like mine….
http://www.shappell.com/iceshelters/fxseriesflips.html

I have had more than one terrible experience with my Clam Kenai. Enough to not recommend it to anyone. In fact, I’ve had enough experience with EVERYTHING Clam to not recommend the whole company to anyone. Avoid the newer stuff like the plague. 5+ year old Clams are decent and 10+ year old Clams are quality. Since you don’t want an Otter, get a Eskimo or Frabill. Frabill has also gone down a bit in quality, but no where near Clam.

Located between Milwaukee and Madison, WI.

Thanks to all for the info- looks like avoid the Clam- message received. I have had Otter’s in the past, even an old school purple Cabin, just wanted to avoid a $500 bill plus cover, but appears more and more like I just need to bite the bullet and do it. Appreciate the links posted as well. Great help and look forward to more input- clarity of thought is being developed- again, thanks!!

Here I’ll help a little more! Another vote for Otter! Haha. Sorry I had to. I absolutely love mine!

I have a Wide One no complaints.

I would go with the Eskimo, I haven’t lifted or fished out of it but I did have a Kenai Pro Thermal and it was just too small in my opinion, it was light though. I use a Jason Mitchell Nanook when I go by myself now and it weighs 82lb I think which is still light and still big enough to fish 2 people out of if you want but if you’re set on a one man I would go with the Eskimo over the Clam.

Krayfish I have the Hideout and carry it on the back of my Suzuki King Quad on a receiver rack with an extension in my receiver to get it away from my Otter Monster Box it is light and easy even for me to throw up on there. I’ve even left it strapped on there with the quad up in my pick up bed and traveled down the road. I don’t have any experience with Eskimo but I love my Hideout.

Weight is relative to each person, you kind of need to figure out what works for you.

I’m not a big guy by any means, but I’m no frail little princess either – 160 lbs and in my 20s. I had a 60 lb one man and it was annoyingly heavy to load in and out of pickup multiple times a day by myself, enough so that I just didn’t use it much. I “downgraded” to a 40 lb shelter that I use a lot more simply due to being easier to throw around. The 20 pounds made a big difference to me, and it might not even be noticeable to other guys.

I wouldn’t be concerned about having an insulated shell in a small 1 man. It’s a small space that usually will get flipped open and moved before it even has time to get fully heated or build condensation. I’d be much more concerned about how well it seals drafts quickly without having to shovel snow around the skirt.

Check out Shappell FX150. I am very pleased with it and will stack it up against any 1 man. I think Dick Smiths and R & R carry Shappell.

tswoboda wrote:

I wouldn’t be concerned about having an insulated shell in a small 1 man. It’s a small space that usually will get flipped open and moved before it even has time to get fully heated or build condensation. I’d be much more concerned about how well it seals drafts quickly without having to shovel snow around the skirt.

Well you were making relatively good sense until this. With the sled part in the back, the skirt is on the flip over front. How would you be able to shovel snow around the skirt if you were in the one man flip over?
I was able to get around this dilemma by facing the back end toward the wind. The wind would settle a little snow around the skirt once you just planted the flip after planting your rear end in the seat. That and when you flipped it back up, it wouldn’t sail across the ice. Comical when it happens, unless it happens to you.

As before stated I would avoid clam products like the plague! Just a thought but why don’t you use your Cabela’s bucks to cover a portion of the otter hideout and pay the difference? Otter is absolutely the best shelter on the market!

If you ask me Eskimo products are underrated have had very good luck with them. I’d go inferno. Had a clam zipper ripped when I have been very careful with it. They sent me a second one was super careful ripped again. Have an otter can’t beat it but fricking heavy as heck. Clam should be cheaper than it is for the quality

Ok, much to answer in reply. First , I searched cabelas at the onset and they do not offer the hideout for sale. Odd, as they carry a number of otter shelters, but not the hideout.
So unless you have access to a different cabelas site, I can’t find one there. Send link please if you find it. Thanks

In terms of the comment about not getting a thermal, I am getting a thermal! Where I will use it, it is regularly 0-10 below air temp and wind chills, well, worst we fished in was -45, but -10 to -20 is not at all uncommon. so if you have ever fished in that, it gets cold, fast, without insulation. So that will be a must as part of this whole process is to be mobile even if really cold.

On lifting, I am 6’3”and 225 – “not as good as I once was but as good once….”. Well, you get the picture. Looks like weight of the Eskimo or otter is manageable.

Krayfish,
I am a bigger guy like you. I had an Eskimo two man flip over and it was a solid starter shack. The sled is not the heartiest out there. I had an EVO and used it one year. It was not the as easy to set up as it looks. It had to be anchored every time.
I have had five portables, otter and my current Shappell FX150 were the best. I am very happy with the 150. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

krayfish wrote:

Ok, much to answer in reply. First , I searched cabelas at the onset and they do not offer the hideout for sale. Odd, as they carry a number of otter shelters, but not the hideout.
So unless you have access to a different cabelas site, I can’t find one there. Send link please if you find it. Thanks

In terms of the comment about not getting a thermal, I am getting a thermal! Where I will use it, it is regularly 0-10 below air temp and wind chills, well, worst we fished in was -45, but -10 to -20 is not at all uncommon. so if you have ever fished in that, it gets cold, fast, without insulation. So that will be a must as part of this whole process is to be mobile even if really cold.

On lifting, I am 6’3”and 225 – “not as good as I once was but as good once….”. Well, you get the picture. Looks like weight of the Eskimo or otter is manageable.

The size reference was basically the purpose of my post, hope it was helpful!

Where you fishing that it gets so cold, Arctic Circle? Ha but seriously my point with the thermal was that when I’m using a 1 man, I’m usually not sitting over 1 hole for more than 15-30 minutes… not really enough time for insulated fabric to make a difference. Another thing that’s up to personal preference and how you plan to use the shelter.

It was very helpful. I was looking for someone who has hoisted them and you solved that for me. Thanks

On the thermal, not the Arctic Circle, but Canada and some times, I think it is warmer in the AC! I really do not want to lug a heater, etc with it and I could sit in it for extended periods, maybe 30-45 minutes, so in my mind, for the little extra weight, it is worth it. You are correct, if I was using it down where I Live, then probably would skip it- personal preference.

On another matter- called Cabelas last night and they simply do not carry that model and they will not special order it. Saw one on Craigsist, link from an earlier post, but they did not return my message. They do have them at Bass Pro, go figure, but they will not honor my Cabelas bucks.

So, still looking, but will probably be the Inferno, to save $150-$200, unless I find a used Hideout.

Clam Nanook Insulated version

krayfish wrote:

On the thermal, I really do not want to lug a heater, etc with it and I could sit in it for extended periods, maybe 30-45 minutes, so in my mind, for the little extra weight, it is worth it.

I understand some of your intent to dial this in to certain specifics, but I am puzzled by some of the logic. You say you do not want to lug a heater, yet are willing to “lug” a portable with a little extra weight? I’m curious about this seemingly aversion to heaters. There is another thread on this forum debating bibs or a custom rod and many of the responses say bibs because you want to stay warm. Ah…yea!! A Mr Heater Buddy would take up no more room or weight than your flasher. For me, a heater is as required as anything else I bring to keep from cutting the trip short. Once that chill sets in, it can be difficult to shake it. That and when it’s truly cold, my fingers go numb and quit working. Can’t tie/retie hooks, jigs whatever you’re trying to tie to 4 lb test line without holding my numb fingers in front of the heater for a few minutes.
Maybe because I’m getting old?

MAybe I should have been more clear. Lug a heater means as I move from hole to hole, not with me on the sled. If I want to jump around, say 10 holes on the edge or in the mud, I want to do it quickly, with minimal movement and minimal accessories. if I can do it without a heater, I want to do that. Remember, my two man is set up close by and will be warm, this is a quick run and gun to check out a surrounding area. Also, say it is 15 and not -15, I can do that without a heater in a thermal for a while, probably not with a non insulated. I have plenty of heaters, just trying to fine tune a bit.

I have an Eskimo wide one and I’m very happy with it.

krayfish wrote:

MAybe I should have been more clear. Lug a heater means as I move from hole to hole, not with me on the sled. If I want to jump around, say 10 holes on the edge or in the mud, I want to do it quickly, with minimal movement and minimal accessories. if I can do it without a heater, I want to do that. Remember, my two man is set up close by and will be warm, this is a quick run and gun to check out a surrounding area. Also, say it is 15 and not -15, I can do that without a heater in a thermal for a while, probably not with a non insulated. I have plenty of heaters, just trying to fine tune a bit.

I got’cha now. I keep forgetting, not everyone fishes like I do.