I told Otter it was too tight!

Bought a thermal cover last year and from the get go it was way to tight on my lodge. I called Otter and they said to set it up and let it stretch so I did. Still way too tight after a few weeks of using it. I called Otter back again told them it was way too tight. They told me to “cut the poles shorter”. I told them I would not do that because my wind poles would not fit then. Otter then told me to leave it set up and let it get wet and the thermal cover will stretch. I called BS but I did what they said.

Well went fishing today and the pics explain it all! Now I have a torn thermal shell and and am suppose to go to Lake Erie next week!

Today is Sunday so I have not called Otter. I am going to send an email and explain (again) that something is wrong with this thermal. I just don’t really see this going my way. For the money I spent on the cover, this should not happen.

Anyone know anybody at Otter that will help?

Send them the pic, I had pin holes in my otter from where the stitching was and light was coming in. I took a pic from the inside with it bright outside so it showed up real good, the lady sent me a new tent to replace the one I had. No problems. Her name was Jessica

The pictures are from the poles being extended only to the first hole. No way they could ever make it to the second hole.

PM sent

I bought the 1200 cottage this year and had to send first two canvas in because of stitching and missing velcro. They were also too tight. Thought the 3rd one was ok until I got out on the ice the other day and couldn’t get the back wind pole to fit, not even close. It seemed ok in the house when I set it up. I’ m thinking I may have to cut it. See what happens later this season when I use it again. I’m hoping it was just uneven ice or something that caused it.

Well, Otter emailed me back and had me fill out a warranty sheet and attach pics for them to review. Hope this turns out well.

Does anybody know where the tents are being sewn? I’m assuming they’re now off-shore, yes?

I bought the Otter Wild Cottage (Black Camo) when they first came out, I am on my 3rd canvas and that one is junk too. The interior coating is crap, looks like I have had it for 20 years when I only have taken it out 3 times. I was told that they had quality problems with the manufacturer in China.

Thumbs up to Otter. They had me send pics in with the warranty report and they are sending me a new cover. I just have to box the ripped one up and send it back.

Nice knowing a manufacturer has your back if something goes wrong.

I was thinking about upgrading to an otter when they start closing them out but after all of the problems im hearing i’ll definately not buy one. It seams to me since they know they have a problem they should have a return policy in place if it doesn’t fit instead of the customer waisting hrs trying to get ahold of them, it also seams like they just keep on sending them until one fits. When someone spends that kind of money they shouldn’t have to make any mods. I assume why the IDO tv crew can’t chime in is because of sponsorship and i understand that, guess i just wish they could give an open minded review or the pros and cons without always saying there the best product out there, not bashing them at all, the whole problem is with Otter

We just got a cabin and I was very nervous when it was time to put the canvas on. It fits alright but is way too tight to get one of the inside skirts to seal. We’re gonna take some pics like otter said and possibly get a new canvas but I’m even more nervous the new one will be worse. The new otters are awesome units aside from the problems but for cryin out loud is there not a procedure to at least get the canvas CLOSE to the same dimensions every time? It seems like some are just so far off from where they need to be.. And customer service recommending to cut the poles that they supposedly manufactured to fit makes me laugh at how absurd I think that is.

The problems have definitely been exposed, I just hope they make an attempt to fix them.

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Send them the pic, I had pin holes in my otter from where the stitching was and light was coming in. I took a pic from the inside with it bright outside so it showed up real good, the lady sent me a new tent to replace the one I had. No problems. Her name was Jessica

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So the pin holes from the stitching isn’t normal?!? Great!

Otter was being made by a USA company at one time, they are called Canvas Craft out of Rogers, MN. They still build shelters for Otter sleds.

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Otter was being made by a USA company at one time, they are called Canvas Craft out of Rogers, MN. They still build shelters for Otter sleds.

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Are you sure that’s true? I thought canvas craft always made their own covers and put them on Otter sleds. I second the earlier post about the Otter wild series. I destroyed the canvas in one trip. They did replace the canvas.

I’ll be honest, I have the old green style with the round tubing and never thought that it was all that bad. Square or round, I don’t think it matters to me. The square ones are bigger therefore heavier. I looked at the new ones and noticed that the pole in the back that goes into the sled had some flimsy plastic compared to the more rigid one that I have. The one in the store, the canvas was so tight the poles wouldn’t fit. As for Canvas Craft, I had called them and they told me that they began making the skins for Otter.

For the original poster I hope everything goes good for you. It’s got to be frustrating.

As far as the canvas craft shack I could not be happier with the one I currently have and the steel conduit poles work great they are not so tight like the otter ones that bind

Just an update for everyone. Otter sent me a new thermal canvas and I sent the tore one back. I asked them to ship it to my work and they did. Shipping to my work was faster. They also emailed me a call tag to return the tore one. I put the new canvas on last night and what a huge difference! This canvas fit properly and did not push on the seams hard at all.
The only thing that disappointed me was the tag on the inside of the canvas that says “made in china”.

Thank-you Otter for taking care of me.

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If you as a manufacturer have a problem then fix it instead of doing it through customer service after the fact.

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One thing to consider here is that there may have just been a bad batch, or a portion of a batch with defects. These skins may be all over the place, or maybe confined to a couple of stores. Whatever caused these errors may be impossible to detect until after the product has left the retailer and put into use. In that case, having quality customer service like reported here–where Otter sent the OP a new skin and basically sent him the postage to return the defected skin–is essential. The other thing to consider is that in pretty much any service market; statistically a party with a bad experience will tell at least 10 people about how bad their experience was. Someone that had a good experience will tell an average of 2 people. To be honest, I’ve personally read many more positive reports about people’s experiences with Otter’s merchandise than I have read negative reports. So even though I don’t own an Otter, (yet) that’s enough to convince me that my odds of getting a good product that will last me a long time are higher than the alternative.

It’s good to hear they took care of you bud, now go out and catch some fish, I want to see pictures of hogs in the house!
And to everyone else, I am ashamed no one made any “too tight” jokes yet. so here it goes…
I’ve never heard anyone complain about it being too tight before

That’s what she said!