Im in the market this year to buy a pop up fish house. MY question is to the people that have fished from them, Is the insulated ones worth the extra cash? or should i just buy a bigger one instead? And that brings up another question how are they to put up with just one person? Which brand is better? thanks for your time craig.
My recommendation would be to consider looking at one of the Otter Ice houses. These Ice houses are very tough and spacious and extremely easy to set up and take down. There are many different sizes to choose from 1,2,3,or 4 man and each one of them are attached to the industries toughest sleds on the market. These sleds have lots of room to store and carry all of your equipment including your ice auger. If you like to move around a lot and go from hole to hole these ice houses are so easy to move around after you set them up. Once you set them up which only takes seconds and you want to quickly move locations you simply just flip them open move locations flip them back down and you are fishing in seconds. As far as insulated verse non insulated I would recommend the insulated models they hold heat very well and they do not sweat and drip condensation which collects on cold days from your heaters. Take a look at the different models that Otter Outdoors has to offer and I would assure you would be very happy in your investment.
Paul Delaney
http://www.lateeyessportfishing.com
If you want to run a poll on quality pop-up houses you’ll need to put Otter up as a choice.
Another vote for Otter. I have 2 of them. One I have and use most is one of the orignal Otters (Black Otter skin) from many years ago. It’s on it’s second tub but still works like a champ. Neither of mine are insulated but I’ve never had a problem staying warm with a Mr Heater or Buddy heater.
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If you want to run a poll on quality pop-up houses you’ll need to put Otter up as a choice.
I know Otter makes flipover houses, but wasn’t aware that they are making pop ups now too. 
Do you have a link, James?
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If you want to run a poll on quality pop-up houses you’ll need to put Otter up as a choice.
I know Otter makes flipover houses, but wasn’t aware that they are making pop ups now too.
Do you have a link, James?
Sorry, pop-over, flip-over. 
Otter does not make pop-ups. I’m so used to everyone calling them “hub houses” that the whole pop-up thing went right over my head.
Pop ups and wind do not mix. Difficult to setup and stake down in the wind. That is if we are talking about the pop I have pictured? Basically a tent with shock corded frame support you assemble onsite.
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Pop ups and wind do not mix. Difficult to setup and stake down in the wind. That is if we are talking about the pop I have pictured? Basically a tent with shock corded frame support you assemble onsite.
I have a funny story about a guy I ran into out on the ice last winter. Now before I get going, this isn’t an “anti pop-up” post. Fish in what you want to fish in. That’s not the point of the story…
So this guy was fishing out of a pop up and we started chatting. We talked fishing for a bit and after awhile he was trying to sell me on all the advantages of the pop up; lighter weight. Quick to set up. More room. So I walked over to check it out. Around the perimeter… sand tubes. All 4 sides. As in the kind of sand tubes you throw in the back of a truck for traction to the tune of 40# x 4 tubes.
When I asked him about the sand tubes he said he lost his last pop up to the wind on and wasn’t going to risk a repeat. I still laugh when I think about it. Not about his loss of his previous pop up, more about the sand tube solution and the extra 160# he was hauling around so he could use his “lighter” pop up.
He was right though, his pop up wasn’t going anywhere. 
So, back to the original question… from the guys I talk to that own the pop ups the Eskimo seems to be very popular. With that said, I’m off to google blackice… never heard of them.
I watched a guy chase his last year with his quad. It was interesting..
Purchased an Eskimo Fat-Fish last year and love it. There are certainly days when a guy needs the flip-over (wind), but for calmer days it works great. It’s nice “exta” portable shelter too – doesn’t take much space in the vehicle and is lightweight. I have two younger boys, and it was getting too difficult to fit us all into the flip-over style house.
For people who think popups don’t work in wind just don’t know how to set them up..I purchased an Eskimo quickfish 3 last year it comes with 6 ice anchors and 2 ropes…when its windy screw one ice anchor in before you set it up then proceed to pop it up….if its really windy tie one of the ropes to the hub that’s facing the wind and screw ice anchor in about 3 feet from the house…so then when you pop it up you can tie that rope to the ice anchor so the hub won’t push in….then once the house is up put all the anchors in…once you do it a couple times you get the hang of it…I love my Eskimo 
I’ve fished out of two pop ups, both were Clam products, one was a Summit, and the other was a Command Post, both were in the wind, one was on the Red River right before it dumped into lake winnipeg. The other time was on a lake near my area, again, a windy day. I didn’t see either person struggle setting it up in the wind and have any troubles with it. I haven’t fished out of an Eskimo but there were a lot of problems with the pole systems ripping the fabric where it attaches to the shell.
I think that these pop up shelters have their benefits over a flip over style house in certain instances. But they wouldn’t be the only type of shelter I owned. The versatility of a flip over type house is unmatched.
I have a Black Ice popup and I really like it, especially considering it only cost $60. You will probably have trouble finding one now though as Rapala bought out AP Outdoors(the maker of the Black Ice huts)and discontinued virtually the entire product line in the name of less competition.
They have a Clam 5×5 with a sled and 6″ hand auger for sale at Farm & Fleet for $150 right now, seems like an OK deal.
Frabill was not in your poll? Good product with top of the line customer service.
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