I am starting to look into getting a new portable shack. Old one has run its course. I am curious to see if the traditional flip over models are the way to go or if the new pop up style is best. Typically I fish with 1 other person on smaller lakes with less wind, but I hit Mille Lacs a couple times a year. I have heard the pop ups are not the best in the wind. Let me know what you think the best option is and why and what brand you prefer. Thanks
To me it all depends on your style of fishing. If you like to run and gun and stay moble the Flip up are the way to go. If you find yourself setting up and staying in one place for awhile then I’d say a Pop up would be the ticket. The pop up’s are more roomy and give you the ability to space out your hole further and to stand up and move around. My friend does not have much trouble setting up his popup in the wind if he has a partner with him – along a different story.
I like the flip style, quick to set up and you are able to put all your gear in the bottom of the sled to pull out to your spot. I had a suitecase style house previously and it was a pain to set up in the wind and to get all your gear out to your spot.
If u wanna b mobile n move around flip over is the way to go. Frabill or clam make good ones. If u wanna set up base camp for tip ups or trek off the beaten path to some smaller lakes. I’d go with a pop up. Glen’s army navy makes 3 nice models
I just took the pop up out yesterday and it was windy, didn’t have much problem setting it up, but besides the 4 screw in anchors i added 3 more to the outside so the wind wouldn’t blow the sides in. It has lots of room, but like they said, it’s harder to move. I also found myself making 3 trips back to the trucks to grab all my gear. With the popup I am going to have to buy a sled for my gear it looks like. (You can get the eskimo pop up for around $100, why not get both?)
I’ve taken too many “snow-boat rides” and don’t care for the pop-ups too much. As mentioned, more room if your staying put in one spot. I like the mobility of the flip up, and for me, I rarely have it flipped closed. 90% of the time, its just a wind break and only flipped up half way at most. My daughter goes with me a lot, and we fish 1 rod each mostr of the time. with the right conditions, we’ll fish 2 each plus locators and a camera.
Also, something I like. I see many of the new ones come with a seat/back rest. I took a flip up boat seat and installed on the bench in mine. When doing all day trips, that back rest really helps.
I just pulled the trigger on the Otter Wild Cabin, this years model has the insulated top, bench seat, and a tougher tub/sled. I was tired of the hassles the pop up had, if really cold the un-insulated pop-up would get a bunch of condensation, then I would turn off the heater then the material would freeze and make it hard to fold up and fit into the bag. Also I found myself moving less when getting the pop up set up, got comfy and just waited in the vast room.
I bought a Quickfish 3 last January and love it. You can squash 3 people in, great for 2 with 2 holes each, and fantastic for 1. Easy to set up alone, and it packs down fairly small. Normally I put a stake or 2 in to keep it from shifting with wind, and maybe an outside rope if the wind is stronger.
I had never had any real problems with wind until last Monday. My phone said it was 21mph, but i’m not sure that was accurate – people’s gear was flying across white bear and at least one house with a hard bottom ran off with people inside. Even with corner stakes and the windward sides roped down my poles were flexing in quite far. In the future i will always bring 4 much longer ropes instead of the included 2 short ones and I will aquire 2 more stakes. My buddy’s fishing pole got snapped due to a flying propane tank when the side bulged and he almost got clocked in the head by the circular plastic pole hinge when the 3rd side popped in.
That said, I think the conditions of that particular day were quite ridiculous with the wind, glare ice, no snow to pack the edges down, and 50 degree weather that made the ancors keep melting out. There were plenty of other popups out there that looked to be screwed down tight. Yet as other’s mentioned, I hardly ever move once I’m set up. I’m content with my popup, but it does look tempting when guys move around in the sleds and can flop the tops open if they want.
I once witnessed a pop up get blown from University Bay on Lake Mendota across the lake never to be seen again. 
Have had that happen with my son inside once and empty once, we call it ice trolling. 
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I am starting to look into getting a new portable shack. Old one has run its course. I am curious to see if the traditional flip over models are the way to go or if the new pop up style is best. Typically I fish with 1 other person on smaller lakes with less wind, but I hit Mille Lacs a couple times a year. I have heard the pop ups are not the best in the wind. Let me know what you think the best option is and why and what brand you prefer. Thanks
Check out Canvas Craft ice fishing houses. http://canvascraftinc.com/ice-houses
Best ice fishing house I have fished in. You want to be warm & not get the condensation drip? Then get the Norpac Thinsulate material instead of canvas from Canvas Craft. They are also made in the USA which means something to me. I have the Northland sled single in the magnum size & I love this house.
I own a few poetables and the 2 I use the most is my Otter Cabin for early ice and when it gets colder out, then I pull out my Canvas craft insulated portable.
Very nice, well built house and is very easy to heat.
Otter also has thier new insulated portable.
Both are a few more bucks than a regular one but they sure are nice.
On windy days if I am not using the 4 wheeler on glare ice, then I use ice anchors to anchor it to the ice. Holds great
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