Otter XTH Lodge Hub VS Clam BigFoot XL4000T

I recently stopped by Reeds in Walker and was able to compare them side by side.

Otter – Shorter not as tall
Otter – Slightly smaller square feet
Otter – No cargo nets inside for gloves jackets or other stuff
Otter – Smaller Skirt
Otter – Darker in side
Otter – Removable windows
Otter – Great Name brand

Clam – Considerable taller than the otter
Clam – Slightly more square feet
Clam – Two cargo nets on the sealing
Clam – Larger skirt
Clam – More light coming through the fabric
Clam – Windows not removable

Over all I was not that impressed with the Otter compared to the Clam. You have to duck further down to get in the door and once in it felt much smaller which I accredit to more the shorter hight vs the square feet difference. And then with no Cargo nets and shorter skirt for banking up……. Looks like a Clam might be in my future!

I’ve heard rumors of Otter coming out with after market cargo nets for the hubs. Stay tuned…

BTW the ice anchors Otter has are way better than Clam’s in my opinion.

Turkeynate,

That would be great on the cargo nets. The ice anchors is one thing I did not look at.

I was really hoping the Otter was the winner but at this time I think the Clam is edging out the Otter

I will be picking up one of the two at the St. Paul Ice fishing show in December.

Like you said Stay tuned & don’t change that “Bat” channel LOL

Mocha wrote:

Turkeynate,

That would be great on the cargo nets. The ice anchors is one thing I did not look at.

I was really hoping the Otter was the winner but at this time I think the Clam is edging out the Otter

I will be picking up one of the two at the St. Paul Ice fishing show in December.

Like you said Stay tuned & don’t change that “Bat” channel LOL

Mocha – there are 3 Otter hub models, so in terms of size, you can purchase anywhere that fits your budget. Cabin, Lodge, and Resort, just like the flip-style shelters.

A few other points to consider in terms of the Otter. The reason there was no light coming through is because of the Thermal Tec fabric. It has an exterior floating outer layer to trap more air for more insulation, and with no holes, you get little light transfer or condensation. Aside from the windows coming out, the material in them is the same as what’s used in the Otter flip-over shelters. It won’t yellow, and it’s been tested not to crack down to -30. It’s the same material used in BMW convertible tops, and is called TPU, you can look it up.

Turkeynate mentioned the Ice Anchors used, and that’s a good point, but so is the oversized poly-lined bag. I think it’s a superior carrying bag to what else is out on the market.

Joel

Hey Joel thanks for the feed back. I did see the other sizes of the Otter but was comparing with the most comparable from Clam, apples to apples thing. Besides not looking at the anchors I also did not look at the carrying bag. I hope they have all three sizes set up at the ICE show in December. Apples to Apples the 4000 feels much roomier than the Lodge Hub IMHO but will see what happens by the Ice show.

Mocha wrote:

Hey Joel thanks for the feed back. I did see the other sizes of the Otter but was comparing with the most comparable from Clam, apples to apples thing. Besides not looking at the anchors I also did not look at the carrying bag. I hope they have all three sizes set up at the ICE show in December. Apples to Apples the 4000 feels much roomier than the Lodge Hub IMHO but will see what happens by the Ice show.

Cool, wish you luck in your hunt.

I can also confirm what Turkey Nate is saying, there will be two different models of cargo nets available, that will fit in either the flip-style or hub shelters.

Good luck and drop by to say “hi” at the Ice Show!

Joel

I ended up going with the Otter Resort. It’s the first HUB I’ve ever owned. I was amazed how quickly it went up and came back down. I have two other flip over Otters. This HUB is going to be fun to take the kids and hang out with good friends. Easily get 10 people in it. Attached is a pic of the Resort set up and one of Otters ice anchors.

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Picked up the Cabin Hub. It’s perfect for my wife and myself. The one I got would not open properly so Otter replaced it. I live close and drove over to Maple Lake. These are really nice hubs, you will love the bag.

Big thing for me have to drag everything being i do not have a snowmobile or atv so weight needs to be considered. The otter is 14lb lighter and it is cheaper than the clam. It all adds up as I’m sure you know. The 1 sq foot difference in floor space probably equates to 1/2 inch around the border of the whole thing which seems very minimal. I have never been impressed with clam quality and that is what makes me also lean towards otter as my choice. I compared the two and it was a definite win for otter. Good luck!

Had not looked at the weight difference but yes quit a bit heavier for the Clam. Price wise it seems to be a horse a piece.