insulated fishing shelters. worth it?

Looking at pop up ice fishing shelters. Are the insulated ones worth the extra 200+ bucks?

Yes. Its a night and day difference.

They are however heavier.

WS

Yup .

Never been in an insulated one. But in my uninsulated one with the heater on in a cold day. It gets pretty wet inside with all the condensation

For sure!

Insulated does really help.

The fabric on most portables are much better on wind resistant than they use to be. I remember the first otters that dame out where you could actually see through the fabric.

Block the wind and your way ahead.

Cool. I will keep looking at them. Besides, the wife gets real cold whenever she looks at an ice cube. Even if you have to run the heater less hard, thats great. Also, weight doesnt matter because ill always be using a snowmobile

Are you staying there overnight?

Worth the extra cost. Cuts the wind and less condensation.

The problem in staying in one overnight is the heater you would use. I use a Mr.Heater in mine during the day while fishing, but I don't think I would care to sleep in there at night. Condensation moisture dissipates nicely during the day when the sun is hitting the dark colored shelter.

Not to mention the danger of carbon dioxide killing you while you sleep!!

Likely no overnights. Maybe every so often if I do a run somewhere. If that happened I wouod take my 8x10 snowtrekker wall tent and wood stove. Way better for overnight. Have stayee overnight in it before. Floorless so you can fish out of it easily. The ice fishing shelter would be for day fishing trips with propane heater for ease of setup

Yes, plus the insulated ones are stronger and hold together better.

Yes , my hub is insulated and so is my 2-3 man flip over , my little one man flip is not. You can buy those mats that lock together like puzzle pieces for the floor and that really helps keeping the moisture down .

Yes it is, but My eskimo was only 40 dollars more for the insulated one

Exactly Rags, Iw as for sure going to do that if only to keep the wifes feet warm. Also, another insulated surface means just that much more warmth.


Another question. Any really good 2-3 person models anyone particularly likes or would recommend?

I always had a fish shack out years ago, but a permanent one. Insulated, heated with kerosene. But now I dont just fish around here, and the new shelters make it so much easier to be mobile and go different places. There is a fishery near here where catching 10-15 huge lakers a day isnt out of the ordinary. It is however, 35 miles away by snowmobile. No problem if you are mobile, but after a ride like that no way the wife will be good for an all day fish without heat.

A friend of mine said a group of 5 of his friends ended up fishing there for four hours and got over 100 lakers. Sign me up lol

Anyone tried the cabelas shelters? I like their prices, and they are on sale

If you are buying a hub style house I don't think it really matters.

If you are buying a pull behind flip over get an Otter.

Personally, if you don't have one already, I'd get the flip over first. I've got both and if I had to chose one it would be hands down the flip over.

Yea, I get the flip over one, but I need another tow behind sled like I need a tooth pulled. I have a really good covered Northern Sledworks style sleigh that will last forever, and dont need the cost of something redundant and that I will need to find a place to store. I have others also that just sit around. I have used the hub style before, and I feel it will work fine for my needs.

The hubs are good, my only problem with them is on days like today where it is blowing 25-30 mph. Then they can be a major PIA.

How about an insulated floor I like to be comfortable when I am ice fishing! I don't have the insulated tent(I'm going to have to get one) I built an insulated floor that the tent fastens down on and sewed a silicone chimney boot in my tent so I can use a wood stove. I fish in my tee shirt and spend the night comfortably for several nights. Wife and grandkids enjoy fishing a lot more when you can take off your coat. Bucket goes in the hole like a sleeve to seal out the cold and your holes don't freeze up. Everything goes in it and if you want to move to a different spot it takes about 15 minutes for take down and set up. My trapping dog gets cold easy too! lol

I like that roof jack in the Eskimo .

Just pulled the trigger on a cabelas wide bottom insulated 3-4 person shelter. End of season sale, regular $500, got it for $300 free shipping to store. Hard to beat that. Regular price you cant find a non insulated one for 300.

Comes with a power drill adapter for the ice screws.

i am not sure who makes it for them, but I know Clam makes a lot of them. Just not sure about this model. Oh well, well see how it goes next season.