Hub style shelters

Looking at a hub style house. Either a Eskimo or a Clam. Question is how does the insulated fabric compare to the non-insulated? Kinda like the look of the 949I from Eskimo…. Thoughts?

I have the 949 fatfish and love it! Sets up in seconds with one person yet can fish 4 comfortably if needed. Lik all things, it is difficult to near impossible toget in the bag whe cold. I would imagine the insulated version is the same. Mine gets bice and warm with the sunflower heater so I would gets the 949i gets nice and toasty.

I picked up a non-insulated version of the fat-fish last spring and have put some hours in it this winter. I love it. The Big Buddy heater works great – usually set on low.

The hub style has it’s limitations (windy days especially), but I’m a big fan thus far.

If you guys had a chance to buy a quick flip or a hub which one do you think you would prefer? Just wondering because right now I own a Eskimo quick flip 2 and it is not that bad to pull by myself but when there is snow on the ice it pulls like a tank. So I thought maybe give the hub style a shot but still not to sure.

I have the 949i and it is quite nice. You have a ton of space too. The 949i is longer and heavier than the clam but is also a bit bigger once set up. I got mine from Thorne Bros. The guy I spoke to said they have sold over 400 in the last year and only replaced 4 since then. That was enough assurance for me to pull the trigger.

I think the hub’s are nice if you do more walking out because they can be thrown in a sled. The flip shacks that weigh 90-100lbs are tough pull with much snow.I have kids so bigger area inside was the final deciding factor for me. Flip shacks are for people who know how to hold still… 7 yr old and 3yr old don’t even know what that means.

I had an eskimo quickflip and got rid of it for a fatfish for the reason of pulling in snow. The hubs are light as heck and can be thrown in a sled easily. They also have much more room than quickflips. Wind can be an issue but usually just staking down the wind blown side fixes that problem in only a minute or two.
I heard original fatfishes has issues with the poles so they redesigned and beefed them up? At least mine had this claim on the box.

I’d buy a flip style over a hub all day long. When its windy you’re fishing if you have a flip over.

I’m thinking of buying a hub just for light-wind days when I take others fishing. I have an Otter Lodge but it would be nice to have something that is roomier and light. Even in the wind we had a couple of weeks ago my Otter was tipping and sliding on the ice. How much wind can a hub handle without being a PITA? 10mph?

I’ve been in 25mph winds out here in the wide open and it worked fine. Someone else on this site gave good advice for setting up in the wind… put one stake in BEFORE you set it up so you don’t go parasailing. Also, I always put a corner facing the wind rather than a flat side. Once they are set up you’re not going anywhere.

I have the fatfish 949i and its sweet. I would go with the insulated hands down. Never thought it would be a big deal but since owning my Otter Pro Cabin I wouldnt buy another non-insulated fish house.

I think it would be nice to have a one man flip for those days I’m fishing alone and walking out on the ice. Otherwise I thought maybe a hub would be nice for when I fish with other people that don’t have a shack and we are walking out on the ice. I tend to bring to much out with me so the weight is almost to much for one guy to walk out with. But I do like the flip when I drive out because then you are fishing in seconds and don’t have to worry about the weight.

I was fishing in my hub shelter this past Saturday in 40mph wind with no snow for banking, so they can hold up in the wind if properly secured. That being said, if I had to only have one ice house, I would have a flip over. Best bet is to have both and bring the one best suited for the situation .

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I was fishing in my hub shelter this past Saturday in 40mph wind with no snow for banking, so they can hold up in the wind if properly secured. That being said, if I had to only have one ice house, I would have a flip over. Best bet is to have both and bring the one best suited for the situation .

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I like that idea of having both to use for whatever the situation my be. I really do like the flip I just wish at the time of purchase I would have spent more time looking into how much they weight.

For me the hubs are very versitile. I’ve got the Clam Summit insulated. I built a floor that I use when I’m camping overnight on the ice. Otherwise with no floor it is quick and easy to setup. Also, last week when the Yamaha Grizzly wouldn’t start, around zero out and probably some water in the fuel system, I set up the shelter and turned the Big Buddy on high and in about an hour the whirr of the fuel pump returned and it started right up.