Frabill Commando

[mike morris]

Anyone here own a Frabill Commando, or ever fish one? I just bought one, and haven't used it yet, but it looks like it's a solid portable? Any mods?

[hamms-scooter]

I sat in one at the store and i liked the seating posture.plenty of room too.good quality frabill

[Castinski]

I've been fishing out of one for the past two seasons. It's a nice one man that is comfortable enough to fish out of all day without getting sore. It's light enough to pull out by hand if needed and I can get it into the back of the truck by myself. I haven't added many mods because I didn't want to add much weight to it. I have added the hyfax which makes it easier to pull/tracks better in the snow. I also put refletix from the bar above the door to the last bar in the back. I wish I could've found a way to attach it to the base on the bottom in the back, but I just cut some slits in the reflectix and placed it between the bar and fabric using the velcro to secure it. It definately helps hold the heat and eliminated any drips from the ceiling.

[Ed Carlson]

I have a couple seasons on my Frabill Commando now, and I'm very pleased with it. I made a few changes, so far. I added the Frabill Rod Holders to the corners, a modular storage system, and flat diode Oznium bar lighting system. I also added the Frabill HyFax kit.

I added a Digger Anchor Co. Universal Lightweight front and Rear Tow hitch package, All lightweight aluminum construction so weight is not a factor. Now I can be towed, or tow another shack in a train as needed...very handy feature. Easily removed so if I only require a rope to tow, I slip it into the Universal Tow hitch receivers, and go.

Rear hitch.

Front Hitch.

My most recent change is a NEW Frabill R2 Tech insulated skin...and that is very sweet. I think I can heat this shack with a candle now. Low on my Buddy 4000 is very warm now. (This is a prototype model R2 Tech skin, so the skin is not available yet to the public. But if one wished, he could have Canvas Craft retrofit a Commando skin with R2 Tech insulation.)

A $30 tweak that pay off in convenience and solves many personal storage challenges is a UTV bar storage satchel. I mounted mine on the rear seat support and use it to house my 10 amp battery to power my 2 - 20" Oznium Parana Bars in my Commando light bar system. The UTV module proves to be very handy deal for cell phones, cameras, tools, whatever...as I also have a 12 V receiver capable of plugging in any of these to charge.

No-Flash..poor pic but shows the intensity of the lighting.

Since these pics were taken, I also moved my seat back the width of the support, so it now sits more to the mid section of the sled. I ordered a new full height support from Frabill costumer service to accomplish this conversion, very simple to do.

This adds more front usable space and I also gained easy and fast storage of my Buddy 4000 and my Vexilar in front of the seat in transit. This leaves plenty of room in the front of the sled to store rods and ice auger. The new front space is adequate to also put ones feet inside the sled if you wish while fishing. This really opens up the front fish-able space.

Once I get the new pics uploaded, I'll share what the new R2 Tech skin looks like and the finished seat configuration and hitch kits in place.

[Mike Stark]

ed,

im curious about moving the seat back...i dont like putting my buddy on the ice infront of me...im a laker fisherman and jig like crazy...im afraid the line is going to catch the heater. right now i keep the heater in the sled behind me. please email me @ mstark83@hotmail

thanks,

mike

[Ed Carlson]

Here is a better new shot of the finished seat mod.

Note the increased room to store first use items, also that is plenty of room to place feet if one wished.

If you use longer rods, and jig aggressively like I often do...this is a must modification on the Commando.

I too often put the heater in the rear, the heat flows around to the front and back under the feet well. If you move the seat like I did, you gain a lot of front space, and the heater can easily move up and not get in the way.

[Brad B]

Ed do you for see frabill releasing the r2 skin to the public next year for the commando. if they do I may just have to buy a commando.

[hamms-scooter]

Ed, that seat looks almost to comfy! Nice looking setup! (mostly like the suttle advertizing of the vex stuff in the pic.)great

[michael morris]

How much was the extra support beam for your seat???

[Ed Carlson]

Ed do you for see frabill releasing the r2 skin to the public next year for the commando. if they do I may just have to buy a commando.

Maybe????

There largest concern is if anyone will spend what it requires for a R2 Tech version. If you voice your opinion to Frabill on there is a demand for such a premium 1-man unit, that will help push it to happen. They will not make what nobody wants, so requests for it will help.

My personal opinion is, guys will jump on them if they produce this model, as a Deluxe R2-Tech version of the Commando.

I do not see the jump in price being as large as the Predator to the R2-Tec version of the Predator, as it is not as large and requires less material to do the upgrade....but...it will certainly add at least $200 is my guess.

[Ed Carlson]

How much was the extra support beam for your seat???

I think the seat support kit ran $40?

If your handy, you can rework the short front support to be the new rear support...by lengthening it, and add the foot at the bottom to bolt to the sled. If you can get the material cheap or have it handy, that would be a good cheap option too.

[Mike Stark]

so ed.....you need a FULL height seat support? the one that comes with the sled will not work? do you put your feet in the sled?

[Mike Stark]

how do you bolt to the sled?

i want to do this mod.

thanks,

mike

[panfishpounder00]

i just bought a frabill cammando 2 weeks ago and love it as a stock unit. i've added a hitch for the snowmobile and led lighting so far, looking for the runner kit, but it seems everyone is sold out including frabill. i love the mods you've done so far, where did you get the utv storage bag, and what did you do for rod holders for use during fishing or transporting?

[Ed Carlson]

so ed.....need a FULL height seat support? the one that comes with the sled will not work? do you put your feet in the sled?

Yes, you will need a full (tall) support to match the rear support in the original seat position....either by ordering a full height support kit, or lengthening the no longer needed short original back support now mounted to the corner brackets.

I bolt it to the sled, just the same as the other full support, 3 bolts. The bolts came with the seat support kit I ordered from Frabill.

I can put my feet in the sled, or on the rear sled lip, whatever feels right at the time. I use the lip a lot as I like to support my jigging arm on my knee.

[Ed Carlson]

i just bought a frabill commando 2 weeks ago and love it as a stock unit. i've added a hitch for the snowmobile and led lighting so far, looking for the runner kit, but it seems everyone is sold out including frabill. i love the mods you've done so far, where did you get the utv storage bag, and what did you do for rod holders for use during fishing or transporting?

The UTV bag is available from Gander Mountain for $39, maybe a bit more for the Camo version. I also keep them in our ice fishing set here in the Fargo GM as a accessory, and have sold many for use in Commando's, Trekker DLX'x, and in Predators.

On these model shacks I mount the UTV accessory module to the rear support frame on the top (see pic), that way it is up safe and warm, and is a shorter distance to wire my Oz-Lighting bar system in place, and self stores in the tub when you fold down for transport...works slick.

My Rod storage is under my seat, and I also use a rod case that I tote as required.

I'm in the process of finishing up a new Tweaked module to hold 6 rod combo's and tackle that mounts under the seat that will also be self storing, and easily removable. I have a padded module case now to hold my Buddy 4000 and 4 1-lb tanks, with room to spare for more junk, that will also slides under the Commando seat.

A Pimp Shack Tweak'n tip I have for you... is a lot of UTV/ATV storage accessory options do translate and adapt very well into a multi-use ice shack storage component system...it just takes a bit of imagination to see it.

[Brad B]

hey ed,

not to side track the thread but I was wondering if you have any association with the digger anchor company since that is your avatar. if so are you one of the guys that was at the st cloud sports show. if so I have a suggestion for one of the products there.

[Ed Carlson]

Yes I do work with them, but it was not me at the show in St. Paul. It was likely Donnie Lahr president of Digger Anchor Co., and/or Doug Lien his partner, (two very nice guys) and that "Thingy" in my Avatar..I'm very familiar with it...The "Ice Angel"...I invented it.

Any suggestions, comments, recommendations, or concerns, feel free to call Donnie at Digger Anchor Co., he will be more than happy to speak with you on anything to do with his Digger Anchor line and our new Digger line of on ice and ATV/snowmobile products.

[Brad B]

Ed,

send me a email to : [email protected] with their phone numbers and/or email addresses.

Thanks,

Brad B

[Mike Stark]

thanks ed. i am going to contact Frabill tomorrow and order a full/tall height seat support. i might pick your brain a bit more once i get the support in. this is going to make laker fishing out of this shack SO much easier!

thanks again ed.

[Ed Carlson]

No problem, your very welcome, glad to help.

I can easily jig 42" rods now, if I so wish...it should help your cause greatly on the lakers.

[Ed Carlson]

Ed,

send me a email to : [email protected] with their phone numbers and/or email addresses.

Thanks,

Brad B

Done...you got mail.

[Eric_Kruger]

ed could you send me the contact info as well im interested in one of the universal hitches

[email protected]

thanks

[quijibo]

I wish that I hadn't seen this thread, my wife is going to flip out when she sees a new shack in the garage. She's already kind of at her limit after seeing the empty(for now) snowmobile trailer.

"My name is Adam and I am addicted to Lake Trout fishing through the ice."

[hamms-scooter]

Good luck with that Adam! When I brought home my 08 scout the year after i bought my guide my wife said what do you need that for?? I just said it was another option for me on the ice and if she asked again there would be a 3 man sitting there also. Well that hasn't happened yet but when i do it will be the Commandos big brother ....the Pedator!! great houses!