Ultralight shelter (part 2)

Awhile back I posted an idea for a sketchy pop-up shelter I originally saw on Shark Tank. It seemed somewhat promising but it was ultimately a failure b/c all of the plastic windows shattered once it got down to ~10 degrees.

In any case, I have spent the past month rebuilding this dang thing stitch-by-stitch using my handy Speedy Stitcher and adding new features every time I go out.

It is now a ridiculously over-engineered and battle-tested piece of gear that includes:

* 2 or 3-ply insulation throughout using high-end ripstop+pvc coated tarp
* 1 full half-dome front window using marine grade vinyl rated to -20
* 1 full-length mesh gear pouch plus 1/2 gear pouch on both sides, full-size gear loft on top
* front porch light with 90 degree rotating LED flood light
* integrated half-dome LED lighting with full-length diffuser
* built-in holder with multi-angle adjustable straps for small Mr. Heater
* rear coat hanger
* 8 re-enforced anchor tie downs (top/bottom)
* full width tri-fold flooring with high-density EVA foam
* magnetic door holders with 6 different positioning options

With my back vent partially open and the door mostly open I clocked the internal temp at chest-high at a steady 75 degrees (outdoor temp of 10 degrees.) With the door at ~80 percent closed but still fishable, it got up to a ridiculous 105 degrees within minutes.

It still weighs less than 8 pounds, and I can set it up or take it down in less than 30 seconds.

It also still fits in its original bag at 21″ diameter, and drops neatly in my small sled. Overall, it took way more work than I anticipated but it was 100% worth the effort so far and it has been a rewarding project.

Next big test is high-winds; so far it has never gotten above 12 mph here, and I haven’t even need to anchor it once I drop my duffel inside.

i can’t seem to attach any images so I’ll try here:

Attachments:

1. 

   PXL_20230107_232459114-1-scaled.jpg
   

2. 

   PXL_20230109_012716618-scaled.jpg
   

3. 

   PXL_20230108_000047078-scaled.jpg
   

4. 

   PXL_20230107_232459114-scaled.jpg
   

in-progress shot of sewing my (second!) window, plus internal view:

Attachments:

1. 

   PXL_20230108_234007882-scaled.jpg
   

2. 

   PXL_20230111_055607503-scaled.jpg
   

Nice work…I would be curious what your whole set up weighs. By the looks of it I am guessing it is not much less than my single man shack and the gear I bring.

Where’s the hot sandwiches at?

Ripjiggen wrote:

Nice work…I would be curious what your whole set up weighs. By the looks of it I am guessing it is not much less than my single man shack and the gear I bring.

I’m a spreadsheet nerd, so I can tell you that exactly:

I used to pull an Ice Runner Explorer with a total weight of 49 pounds; with gear, I came in at just over 92 pounds total.

My total weight now is ~42 pounds (less than HALF my previous setup!) using identical or equivalent gear. The biggest difference is that I now sit on a bucket instead of an 8 pound chair, I have a much smaller heater, my sled only weighs 12 pounds, my shelter is less than 8 pounds, and my eva floor is lighter than air. And I have to fish somewhat outside instead of sealed inside, which is unexpectedly rather great.

Full setup includes sled, shelter, drill/auger, a full-size REI gear duffle with my electric lunch box/power supply, bucket, flooring, heater, sonar/battery, and a hobie kayak crate with 4 rod holders that I did not used to carry.

How do you like that speedy stitcher? Can it stitch nylon and poly webbing?

tswoboda wrote:

How do you like that speedy stitcher? Can it stitch nylon and poly webbing?

It can literally stitch almost anything. Mine is an original model from the 1980s when I used to repair/alter Duluth packs and my own backpacking gear. I learned from a sled dog runner up on the Gunflint trail but hadn’t pulled it out in years. It took a bit to get it down again but you can really fly once you do.

p.s. I did use a sewing machine for lots of the internals, and hand-stitched the top panels but the Speedy was used everywhere else and for all critical connections (i was able to keep the original full-length door zipper thanks to it)

p.p.s. i used it on nylon throughout but not sure how it would do with more delicate nylon-to-nylon but they do sell a variety of thread sizes and (i think) needle widths.

Awesome! I can see you marketing that.

It gets that warm huh? Let us know how it performs with the cold temps coming up. Pretty interesting setup. The sled at this point looks more packed than my 250 lb set up lol. I bet it’s at least a 1/8 of the weight though.

Does it have room for 2 holes inside the shack to jig ? Looks very cramped. What’s the foot print of that.
Re looking at the photos, are the holes out side the shack ?

Dang you put some work in on that thing. Do yourself a favor a build a smitty sled

broeker wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
Nice work…I would be curious what your whole set up weighs. By the looks of it I am guessing it is not much less than my single man shack and the gear I bring.

I’m a spreadsheet nerd, so I can tell you that exactly:

I used to pull an Ice Runner Explorer with a total weight of 49 pounds; with gear, I came in at just over 92 pounds total.

My total weight now is ~42 pounds (less than HALF my previous setup!) using identical or equivalent gear. The biggest difference is that I now sit on a bucket instead of an 8 pound chair, I have a much smaller heater, my sled only weighs 12 pounds, my shelter is less than 8 pounds, and my eva floor is lighter than air. And I have to fish somewhat outside instead of sealed inside, which is unexpectedly rather great.

Full setup includes sled, shelter, drill/auger, a full-size REI gear duffle with my electric lunch box/power supply, bucket, flooring, heater, sonar/battery, and a hobie kayak crate with 4 rod holders that I did not used to carry.

That’s pretty light.
Your actual apples to apple weight savings is more like 21lbs though.
So I have to wonder if that 21 pounds makes you more or less mobile with this application that needs to be taken down and packed away to move vs flipping old shack and walking to next hole?

Bearcat89 wrote:

Does it have room for 2 holes inside the shack to jig ? Looks very cramped. What’s the foot print of that.
Re looking at the photos, are the holes out side the shack ?

Hole is outside of shack. No holes inside.

Looks like one of those portable camping shitters. LOL

If you can’t zip it up and fish inside it, then I guess I am missing the point. Bigcrappie your right it would make a fine portable crapper.

I’m confused on the part where you sit inside but have the door open and jig out side. I couldn’t imagine sitting in my otter and jigging out the door or window ? If it’s warm out yeah maybe, cold then it seems awful backwards. Cut a hole in the corner and jig inside ?

You would honestly be much better off making a smitty sled for the ice runner that you already have. That would be even easier to pull than the setup you have right now.

I love these posts. One dude posts how he does stuff different because he has a different style and different priorities and a bunch of grown men can’t help but tell him how he’s doing it wrong and he needs to do what they do.

Broeker knows what a smitty sled is and knows what flipover is, but he wants to use something else. He’s not saying it’s better for you, just that it’s what he wants to use. At some point people gotta figure that out, right? Ha not a chance. Please keep posting the off the wall gear you come up with.

tswoboda wrote:

I love these posts. One dude posts how he does stuff different because he has a different style and different priorities …

I remember the original post and was skeptical at the time.

Sounds like you were successful at accomplishing your goal. Nice work.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Does it have room for 2 holes inside the shack to jig ? Looks very cramped. What’s the foot print of that.
Re looking at the photos, are the holes out side the shack ?

My original plan was to cut two 8″ holes in the corner opposite of my bucket seat with matching pop out covers in my flooring, but after ~8 or so trips I just have not seen the need.

I’m a pretty big guy at 6’1″/200lbs, and it is far roomier and less claustrophobic than any 1-man flip over I’ve tried but I certainly haven’t tried them all.

At the base, it is 14 square feet; plenty of room for a bucket in the back corner, a loaded gear duffel along one side, and my Mr. Heater in the other back corner. This leaves the entire opposite corner as an open space where I could easily fit two holes; the main limitation would be the need for 24″ rods.

But as I mentioned even with the door fully open, the heat collects up in the top of the shelter and at ~10 degrees I can sit in there coat-less at a comfy 75 degree temp. (There is a reason I had to install a coat hanger!)

By closing the top of the door slightly, I can adjust the temp in 2-3 degree increments all the way up to 105 with door almost closed (it was still rising but i could not take it!)

Here is a better pic that shows my 2 outside holes, and one of my daughter (5’9″) fishing where you can see that she has the bucket all the way up to the door instead of in the back corner.

Attachments:

1. 

   PXL_20230114_231924025-scaled.jpg
   

2. 

   PXL_20230116_001818145-scaled.jpg
   

I remember seeing the old Frabil windbreak shelters that are not enclosed this kind of reminds me of that. The fact that you insulated it was sweet. If I ever see the ultralight shelter while fishing in the metro I will make sure to stop and say hi.

Aboxy17 wrote:

If I ever see the ultralight shelter while fishing in the metro I will make sure to stop and say hi.

Running into you on the ice would be a dream, because it would mean I am in right place for catching a giant metro walleye which seem to have been avoiding me this year despite my new shelter!

I get you stay nice and warm. But what keeps the hole open. No way u have a bobber down next to a jig in 10 degrees. Or are you fully dependent on a ice defense

John Rasmussen wrote:

If you can’t zip it up and fish inside it, then I guess I am missing the point.

Fair enough but to be honest, I love kayaking, fishing, backpacking and other outdoor activities because it heals my soul to be outside.

Being zipped up in a dark shelter for hours always bothered me a bit, especially on those cold but bright sunny days that are so rare during winter.

Part of the impetus for this was that I went into the year thinking I’d go “no shelter” but I quickly realized that fishing at 9PM on a cold dark night with only a headlamp is not so great.

Now I’ve got the best of both worlds and on most days, my shelter doesn’t even go up until the sun goes down and I start getting cold. Then 30 seconds later I’m sitting in a wind-protected, 75 degree cocoon of warmth and ambient lighting eating a hot dinner

Bearcat89 wrote:

I get you stay nice and warm. But what keeps the hole open. No way u have a bobber down next to a jig in 10 degrees

Haha, funny you should ask. I rarely fish with a bobber but on colder nights I was getting annoyed by how quickly my holes were freezing over. This was solved by re-purposing a kayak leash and adding a custom roof hook for my ice scoop.

Now it dangles inches from my right arm, and every 15 minutes or so I lazily stir my holes and then just have to let go and my scoop pops back into place for the next go-around.

Attachments:

1. 

   PXL_20230125_202317242-scaled.jpg
   

That dead stick next to the jig is the walleye getter for me half the time. I like the idea and glad it works for you. It wouldn’t fit my fishing style. But it’s a cool design.
A small 2 man on a schmitty would be light weight, easy to pull and have the same exact purpose. But more functional in the cold. Have you ever thought about going that route ?

broeker wrote:

Being zipped up in a dark shelter for hours always bothered me a bit, especially on those cold but bright sunny days that are so rare during winter.

Don’t get me wrong it does suck to sit in the portable for hours. Glad it works for you, not doubting your temps but it seems like it would not stay that warm with the door open.

Bearcat89 wrote:

I get you stay nice and warm. But what keeps the hole open. No way u have a bobber down next to a jig in 10 degrees. Or are you fully dependent on a ice defense

Nothing a tip up and ice defender (or whatever) in the jigging hole can’t fix. Looks cool to me broeker!

I like your attitude Broeker!
If you like it and have been having fun building it, and have created something better for your experiences then good for you! And that’s all that matters.

Keep it going and I like that you have a positive answer for all the Naysayers comments.