Clam Kenai

I’m pretty well set on getting a Kenai due to the price point and the size of the sled relative to the weight. I’ve seen pretty good reviews, but I’ve heard it pulls hard. I was wondering if anyone has experience with this shelter and can shed some light on this or any other pros/cons and any potential remedies. Also, with a shelter like this, what is the best way to pack the auger? I’ve got the Jiffy Pro4 Lite if that is of any consequence.

I am open to suggestions on comparable models at this point. Sled room and weight are premiums for me as I’ll be pulling it by hand with my auger, Showdown, Buddy Heater, 1lb tanks, minnow bucket, other buckets and 6 or so rods. Wow, that seems like a lot now, lol.

I have one and yes they pull hard, I just toss my Nils on and go if pulling by hand, with the quad I tow it behind my big shack or throw it on the rack….

I have a kenai and yes it pulls hard.I built a smitty sled to pull it on.Also built an auger holder on it. You could come by and see it sometime. Might even be interested in selling it.
Randy

I looked at the smaller Clams and liked them, but pick up a Shappell FX 100 a couple of weeks ago because I liked the weight of it, 37 lbs. It has a bench seat with no back on it. Maybe I’ll catch a lot of fish and won’t notice my back killing me.

Quote:

---

I looked at the smaller Clams and liked them, but pick up a Shappell FX 100 a couple of weeks ago because I liked the weight of it, 37 lbs. It has a bench seat with no back on it. Maybe I’ll catch a lot of fish and won’t notice my back killing me.

---

That was the other one I was really looking at. My concern is the sled being too small. Do you think it would fit all my crap? It sucks there are no Shappell carriers locally, so I can’t see it first hand.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I looked at the smaller Clams and liked them, but pick up a Shappell FX 100 a couple of weeks ago because I liked the weight of it, 37 lbs. It has a bench seat with no back on it. Maybe I’ll catch a lot of fish and won’t notice my back killing me.

---

That was the other one I was really looking at. My concern is the sled being too small. Do you think it would fit all my crap? It sucks there are no Shappell carriers locally, so I can’t see it first hand.

---

At this point, I’m planning on my hand auger,Vex., heater, bucket w/rods, tackle, scoop, lunch, waxies. maybe a scoop shovel. Oh, and spud bar!

I would never buy another. 2 seasons now of use. The seat is junk, I knew upon purchase and added a swivel and boat seat.
I would not trust the tub to last if you pull with a quad or snow machine, very thin.
Also the first month I had it the rubber coating they line the canvas with started peeling off ever place the tarp had a fold crease.
I too bought it for price point needing a smaller solo house other than my Otter Lodge… I should have bought an Otter cottage because thats what is going to happen next.
Just my .02

Quote:

---

I would never buy another. 2 seasons now of use. The seat is junk, I knew upon purchase and added a swivel and boat seat.
I would not trust the tub to last if you pull with a quad or snow machine, very thin.
Also the first month I had it the rubber coating they line the canvas with started peeling off ever place the tarp had a fold crease.
I too bought it for price point needing a smaller solo house other than my Otter Lodge… I should have bought an Otter cottage because thats what is going to happen next.
Just my .02

---

Is that in reference to the Kenai or the Fx100? The more research I do, the harder it is to make a decision, lol.

i had one, i never noticed it pulling hard. with hifax i’d expect it to pull about the same as any other small sled. it’s pretty light. pack the heaviest things near the back so that the nose can float a little. the seat is pretty bad. super easy to change tho. just about any boat seat will just bolt on.
i did change houses tho and am very happy. i picked up the clam big mouth full thermal that was an exclusive at gander last year. clam came out with the scout exp this year, which is almost the same thing, but only has a thermal top?? seems like an intentional step back so they wouldn’t be competing with their own premium sleds like the x1

I have a Frabill Commando and I think its a step above the kenai in quality. I have a friend who owns the clam tc pro in fact I helped him assemble it and I was surprised that the seat seemed cheap and poorly engineered. It seems the seat for the kenai is worse than that of the tc pro. Hope I didn’t offend anyone as Im sure there are things about mine that people could pick apart but if it were me I would spend the extra and get a frabil commando insulated. You get what you pay for JMO

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I would never buy another. 2 seasons now of use. The seat is junk, I knew upon purchase and added a swivel and boat seat.
I would not trust the tub to last if you pull with a quad or snow machine, very thin.
Also the first month I had it the rubber coating they line the canvas with started peeling off ever place the tarp had a fold crease.
I too bought it for price point needing a smaller solo house other than my Otter Lodge… I should have bought an Otter cottage because thats what is going to happen next.
Just my .02

---

Is that in reference to the Kenai or the Fx100? The more research I do, the harder it is to make a decision, lol.

---

The Clam Kenai.

I’ll admit that the Clam Kenai pulls hard when you get some snow on top of the ice. If only one of the major ice companies would invent some sort of “Hovercraft-sled” it would make pulling our gear a breeze

I wait till after x- mass and buy kids snowboards dirt cheap and cut them to fit my sleads, one being a kenai. Wears forever and slides on the snow better. The snowboards are wider, harder, cheaper, and wear longer than hifax.

Also, I took the seat out and use a clam folding cooler chair, it has back support, keeps my beer cold in the summer and less freeze prone in winter, and can be used in or out the shelter. When folded it provides more room in the sled.

Won’t a stadium seat work if you have a bench? Basically a strap on seat back.

Quote:

---

Won’t a stadium seat work if you have a bench? Basically a strap on seat back.

---

I’m giving that some serious thought, I’ll try just the bench first to see how it goes.