Flip overs

What’s everyone’s opinion. Otter or clam and why

Or Eskimo? That is what the IDO crew was keeping warm in last season.

Both make nice shacks but I’ve personally always ran otter. Had the lodge ii, lodge xt pro, and resort xt pro. Very nice shacks. I watched lots of my friends have endless issues with clam for a long time.
Seems to be clam stepped it up the last couple years. But I still would buy a otter over clam. The customer service issues were endless but sounds like that’s different now to

I honestly think it’s how you take care of them. I’ve had Otter and Clam over the years and haven’t had issues with either. Clams zippers were horrible for years but they are much better over the last couple years and the sled is much thicker than previous years.

Pretty tough to find a “bad shack” with the products out these days in my opinion.

I’ve had both and want to try an Eskimo, always had issues with Clam, maybe I’m too hard on them… it seems that Otter uses heavier materials that can take abuse (well some)… Eskimos look like they can take some abuse, but as I grow older I want less weight so looking at Clam again but the red dressed shacks are appealing to me… Hmmm, sounds like I’m talking about women… anyway I currently believe in Otter…

Have owned both Otter and Clam. I’ve kept them for a minimum of 6-7 years each so I’m not one to go out and but the latest and greatest because it’s what IDO is using.

Owned a Clam Fish Trap Voyager for a ton of years and it was solid. Until I started pulling it with a snowmobile, then I wore a hole in the sled and it filled with snow. Broke a rod and had a hell of a time getting it back to where I was staying. Overall I was happy with it just not a fan of the sleds.

Bought an Otter Lodge about 6-7 years ago and it’s what I own now. Overall the sled is much nicer but assembly was much more involved. It wasn’t as straightforward as the instructions made it sound. The seats are now falling apart. The poles seem flimsy but never had any issues with them other than the screws falling out. Just need to screw them back in. The zipper got all corroded. Took a couple hours working on it with some penetrating oil but I got it free again. My sled has hyfax so it’s setup for pulling with a snowmobile but I don’t think I’ve pulled it more than a couple miles behind one. The sleds and seats sit much higher than the Clams and for a shorter person like me it isn’t as comfortable as it could be.

It sure what I’d buy next time but I’m open to all options.

Depends on what you plan to use it for and how you will transport it. If you have a snowmobile and trek miles across the lake, Otter would be my vote. If you want a compact flip over that fits easily under a tonneau cover or the back of an SUV, my old clam nanook fit this criteria.

I also think Otter canvas is superior to Clam.

Haven’t used an Eskimo so no opinions there. Buddy had an evo crossover (? I think that’s the model) and the poles busted on the second trip.

Overall, I prefer Clam. I like having the back door and light bar built in. For one man, I think Clam has more comfortable seat. But as others have said, hard to go wrong with products that are on market these days

If your going to be pulling it with ATV/Sled most the time I would say Otter 100% because they are just the best built and best sled but they are heavy. If your always pulling by hand then I think lighter options from some of the other companies come into play.

I think the Otter thermals are slightly warmer than the other brands. Had too many issues with the early Clam pop-ups and have never gone back to them. Nothing bad to say about Eskimo, just slightly prefer the Otters I have fished in.

I own an Eskimo Grizzly. I’ve only used it a few times due to the late ice on Mille Lacs last year. It’s well designed and I have no complaints other than I find it impossible to keep the skirt under the cover when transporting it across the ice. I could see some wear issues with that.

I had a Fish Trap for many years. Collapsing the poles meant you were ripping your finger nails off to try and push that pin in. That’s about my only complaint with it.

Ive only sat in a clam once (forget the model but it was one of the higher end ones) but I bought an otter pro lodge. Havent been on the ice with it yet as I bought it at the end of last season and just worked too much to get out. It seems to be very well built, only thing that annoys me with it is the poles are a little sticky to extend, gotta pull on one side then the other. A little dry lube should help though. Seats are more comfortable than the clam were, don’t push you forward as much. Biggest reason I bought it though is I’m 6’2 and can stand straight up in it everywhere but the very front without my head touching. Either one should work great though.

Just an update for Clam flip overs….The push buttons on the poles now have thumb tabs covering them so they are very easy to push in. Also the sleds are much thicker than the older models. As of the last 2-3 years. I also like the grey tubs, easier to find your stuff.

Just giving them a fair shake.

I’ve been using the Ice Runner Explorer for a couple years now. Bought it at Gander for a song when they were closing. It’s been a good shack….super light and easy to pull at less than 50#. Easy to setup and takedown and the windows are very nice.

It doesn’t come with seats which is good and bad. The tub also isn’t very deep…makes it light but when you haul stuff can fall out.

If you are mainly fishing on your own and walking it’s worth a shot. Very easy to get out of the truck and folds down low enough where the tonneau cover isn’t an issue.

I have an OLD yukon that I keep around, never used the zippers… Sled is in good shape and overall it has been a very good shack for 15 years or so now. I bought a otter hub shack 3 years ago and used it about 3 times. I bought an otter lodge last year. I think the otter lodge is about as good of a shack as you can get for quality. The newer clams seem to be pretty good, but when I was looking last season It seemed like they improved all of their components, but assemble them cheaply. loose strings on the fabric, velcro not sewed in correct spots causing extra stress on seam, just too many small things that I did not like.

Alex Fox wrote:

I had a Fish Trap for many years. Collapsing the poles meant you were ripping your finger nails off to try and push that pin in. That’s about my only complaint with it.

Clan now sells these tabs..

Attachments:

1. 

   C76189C4-F672-4506-BC74-CD4FC108AC7A.png
   

We’ve been running Otters for years but like anything else the quality is going the wrong direction. All these manufactures are piecing everything together from the cheapest Chinese garbage that they can. Just flip a coin now days and just expect to replace it down the road.

Sylvanboat wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Alex Fox wrote:</div>
I had a Fish Trap for many years. Collapsing the poles meant you were ripping your finger nails off to try and push that pin in. That’s about my only complaint with it.

Clan now sells these tabs..

They come standard on the shacks too.

Sylvanboat wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Alex Fox wrote:</div>
I had a Fish Trap for many years. Collapsing the poles meant you were ripping your finger nails off to try and push that pin in. That’s about my only complaint with it.

Buy extra. My buddy breaks one every few trips

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Sylvanboat wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Alex Fox wrote:</div>
I had a Fish Trap for many years. Collapsing the poles meant you were ripping your finger nails off to try and push that pin in. That’s about my only complaint with it.

Buy extra. My buddy breaks one every few trips

The thumb tabs? What is he a gorilla?

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Sylvanboat wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Alex Fox wrote:</div>
I had a Fish Trap for many years. Collapsing the poles meant you were ripping your finger nails off to try and push that pin in. That’s about my only complaint with it.

Buy extra. My buddy breaks one every few trips

He breaks a thumb tab every trip? What is he a gorilla? I’ve had two different flipovers with them and NONE of them have broken. Same with my buddies.

He breaks a thumb tab every trip? What is he a gorilla? I’ve had two different flipovers with them and NONE of them have broken. Same with my buddies.
[/quote]

No not every trip. I assume it has yo do with dragging it behind a sled with gear in it. Which I assume you don’t do. Don’t shoot me I’m just the witness. I’ve seen so many issues with both there hubs and sleds I can’t support them. The new ones look more solid. But I’m thinking day late and a dollar short. I can’t recommend them after seeing the endless issues. I get you are on the promotional side. But you gotta admit they were cheaply built for a long time. I’m not trying to insult a brand you work for I’m just speaking honestly

The thumb tabs? What is he a gorilla?
[/quote]

They should be gorilla proof though, I mean ice fishing stuff needs to take abuse. With that being said. I’m buying a used clam 1 man. Because the price meets my little needs I have for it

mahtofire14 wrote:

Also the sleds are much thicker than the older models. As of the last 2-3 years.

Thicker may make them better than prior Clam tubs, but unless they are roto molded they are not going to stand up to the abuse the Otters can take. I am not sure, but I think the Eskimo tubs are roto molded now too which would make them pretty good too. Roto molding makes them heavier, but MUCH more durable in extreme cold and abuse from running across the lake.

Has anyone actually broken a clam sled?

biggill wrote:

Has anyone actually broken a clam sled?

I havent personally, but I have seen plenty from my buddies and their families. Granted they were pulling them across LOW behind snowmobiles so stuff gets beat to heck, but the otters that replaced the clams havent broken. There are posts you can find too on FishingMN, etc. Even some here from a few years ago.

biggill wrote:

Has anyone actually broken a clam sled?

Never seen one brake just crack. And if you go to ice shanty there’s many stories. But I’ve only seen them crack, not completely brake. All from being pulled behind a machine. ( which is its intended use).

Has anyone actually broken a clam sled?

I havent personally, but I have seen plenty from my buddies and their families. Granted they were pulling them across LOW behind snowmobiles so stuff gets beat to heck, but the otters that replaced the clams havent broken. There are posts you can find too on FishingMN, etc. Even some here from a few years ago.
[/quote]You posted the same response as me at the same time, but different. I got a laugh out of that

I wore a hole through mine pulling it across LOTW but I don’t recall ever seeing one crack. It’s what directed me toward an otter this time around but claims of improved sleds would make me consider clam again.

Bearcat89 wrote:

You posted the same response as me at the same time, but different. I got a laugh out of that

LOL yeah broken isnt the right word, its cracked. Those boys are hard on stuff, but they only thing they have issues with on the otter houses now was tearing the apron, but that was their own dang fault since they used the slush from the holes to bank the house and it was -25. Solid as a rock and they tore it when trying to pack up.