Ice House Purchase Questions

I am in the market for a new portable ice shelter. I currently own a clam 5600. I was leaning towards a quickflip or an otter or even an eskimo. Does the no floor thing in the flip models ever get annoying? Like slushy conditions after your heater has been going? Does that happen? Some told me that not having a floor is sweet because you can drill holes anywhere you want. That is the most attractive thing to me. Holes for cams, vex, ect. Any input helps.

when the snow or ice gets just a little melted from the heater it tends to get a little slick inside a quick cure for this is a board or piece of outdoor carpet.

Also if you shovel the snow away it doesn’t get the “floor” as wet. Best thing I’ve seen to put down was some of the anti-fatigue floor mat, personally I don’t crank my heat super high sand I don’t really have any problems.

I purchased a Frabill Trekker 2 last year (Love It)Its small enough to lift in and out of the back of your truck yet big enough so you could have a vexilar ,camera, heater or another friend if you like for the slush didnt really have any problems you could shovel the snow away and lay a small piece of indoor outdoor carpeting down by your feet good luck

The Otter line of houses are second to none with there durability and fishability. Using them in our guide business I absolutely love them. I’ve got 3 different models so it really all depends on the size group you’ll be fishing with. The open floor is fantastic.

I have to say that camo blue ottter is sweet looking.

I have owned or been in just about every house on the market…. I don’t think you can beat a Clam X2 The open floor is no big deal. I only see water or slush, late season, when mother nature has melted the top. You would be hard pressed, finding a heater that got so hot, the ice was melting in the house. Have fun shopping

big G

I should mention it really does seem to matter what heater you use and melting the ice, from my limited experince, mr. heater cookers tend to melt ice, my little buddy doesn’t seem to as much.

I’d have to recommend the Otters as well. I put more hours on my houses in a year than most and they’re bullet proof. As was mentioned before the Clam X2 are nice but they basicly copied the Otters except the Clams are way heavier. If you’re looking for something light and durable the new Otters can’t be beat

My 4 wheeler doesn’t have a problem pulling my heavy X2… I think it is heavier, because the sled is tougher, the posts are tougher and the canvas is tougher… I will sacrifice being a little bit heavier, for the durability Yes, I think it beats an Otter…. for me anyways

big G