Tips for putting Relectix in an Otter Lodge

[castmaster]

I am going to install some Reflectix in my Otter Lodge tomorrow while watching the game. I am looking for some tips or ways others with Otter Lodges have done theirs. I want it to cover the back wall and entire roof of the house.

Is it best to get a 4' wide roll, and then cut pieces the width of the house and seam them at the 4' intervals, or pull off enough from the roll to run up the back wall and across the roof, and then seam in a 2' wide piece the same length, leaving one long seam running the full length.

Not real sure how well the seams hold up. Figured I'd use duct tape along the seams.

[Iceboy]

Be sure to "assemble" the pieces at room temperature - the tape doesn't seem to want to stick too well in the cold. I'd go one full length seam I guess since the seams never want to hold too well.

[WTN4ICE]

I put it in my Voyager this fall.I just put it in the roof since it has the trap link. I used two pieces of the 4' cut down to 3' to have one seam down the middle.I also found some 4" wide duct tape at FF that worked slick for the seam. It will add some bulk to the fabric when it's folded down.

[BartmanMN]

As long as you piece it together in the same direction, it will continue to fold up nicely.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I used emergency blankets and they work well. They have foil on one side and red plastic on the other side with grommets to fasten everything. They are super thin and flexible. Two of them covered the entire ceiling of my Otter Lodge. We had it out on some of the coldest days in the metro are and still fished in t-shirts. $26 dollars for both and well worth it!

I checked into the celetex and my first though was bulky and not so flexible. The emergency blankets are a great alternative!!!

[3littlemonsters]

Gorilla tape is the bomb....its got excellant adhesion and is tough as nails...it may end up being too stiff at the seams if you used it on both sides thou....I can't even use regular duct tape anymore

[BK19]

where did you get the e balankets thanks

I used emergency blankets and they work well. They have foil on one side and red plastic on the other side with grommets to fasten everything. They are super thin and flexible. Two of them covered the entire ceiling of my Otter Lodge. We had it out on some of the coldest days in the metro are and still fished in t-shirts. $26 dollars for both and well worth it!

I checked into the celetex and my first though was bulky and not so flexible. The emergency blankets are a great alternative!!!

[hoggs222]

Do you think the emergency blankets worked as good as reflectix? There are a bunch of emergency blankets on that big online auction site for cheap. I might have to give it a try.

[BuckyBadger]

This is one of the first mods I did on my new otter cabin after I saw how well it worked on my friends house. I only did the roof. Couple threads I looked at for this

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2113460/1

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2057709/1

One tip I did, I wasn't sure how I was going to find the velcro spots to put slits in once I did a dry fit of the reflectix. What I did was mark the current location of the velcro straps with painters tape on the tubing. When I unlatched the velcro and slid the rx in for a dry fit I found it easy to mark on on it where I needed to make the slits. I took out the rx and made the slits to make sure I didn't make a bonehead mistake and cut through the fabric. And like on the other threads I reenforced the slits with duct tape.

I just used the 4' wide and added on the width difference, my thought was I only needed to make one long cut, vs two if you wanted the seam in the middle. I used foil tape that was rated to -20 below. I just got off the ice tonight and the sides were frosted up but the ceiling was fine, no dripping. And as others said keep the seams going the same way, folds up great.

[castmaster]

The comments on the seams going the same way is what had me pondering on whetehr it was best to run one long seam front to back, or a couple shorter seams side to side. The side to side seams would then be folding in the same direction as the canvas when taking hte house down, where as the long fron the back seam would be getting folded opposite to the direction the seam is running.

[BuckyBadger]

I see what you are saying now castmaster, I just went with one long seam from front to back. It folds up fine, the first time you fold it up it will create the crease in the tape. I was surprised how easy it folds up. I thought with the long seam vs side to side was that the tape was less likely to work its way loose and overall had fewer seams. With a seam from front to back, it only creases the width of the tape. If you do side to side and fold it up, it may fold along the entire seam. So I felt it would hold better only folding the width of the tape vs it folding along an entire side to side crease. I think if you went side to side you will be cuttign and taping for a while today. If you go front to back, only one cut and one taped seam. But with good tape I am sure either way will work. But I went with the way the rx was rolled up, so it was already "folding" this way.

Final tip from me is to make sure to setup the house fully, poles etc, so that you are at max (stretch) of fabric before marking the location for slits.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Do you think the emergency blankets worked as good as reflectix? There are a bunch of emergency blankets on that big online auction site for cheap. I might have to give it a try.

I have not been in a house with reflectix but the blankets do the same thing. The foil reflects the heat back into the house. It also helps light it up as well.

Technically I guess they are called "space" blankets.

There super thin, very flexible at any temp, and like I mentioned they have grommets that help when attaching to the poles.

Its a night and day difference once you have them (either the blankets or the reflectix) installed.

I bought mine at sportsmans but anyplace that sells camping supplies should have them.

[BartmanMN]

I see what you are saying now castmaster, I just went with one long seam from front to back. It folds up fine, the first time you fold it up it will create the crease in the tape. I was surprised how easy it folds up. I thought with the long seam vs side to side was that the tape was less likely to work its way loose and overall had fewer seams. With a seam from front to back, it only creases the width of the tape. If you do side to side and fold it up, it may fold along the entire seam. So I felt it would hold better only folding the width of the tape vs it folding along an entire side to side crease. I think if you went side to side you will be cuttign and taping for a while today. If you go front to back, only one cut and one taped seam. But with good tape I am sure either way will work. But I went with the way the rx was rolled up, so it was already "folding" this way.

Final tip from me is to make sure to setup the house fully, poles etc, so that you are at max (stretch) of fabric before marking the location for slits.

I agree with everything Bucky stated and installed mine the exact same way.

[Surreal Deal]

I installed Reflectix in my Cabelas 2 man (A rebranded Team Wild 2 sold under the Cabelas name) I set the seam horizontally at a pole joint (It seemed like a natural place for it to bend anyway)

I used the pricier foil tape. I reinforced my velcro slits with it, and reinforced the horizontal seam with generous amounts of the stuff.

I did all the taping inside the house to ensure proper adhesion.

I can't wait to get it out this Saturday!

[Finlander]

The space blankets should work on the sides I would think not bind up much. I'll see if I can do this to my Frabill Trekker II. How to attatch it to the sides will be determined as I try to attatch it! I'll let you know when done!