New portable questions

[mnmofro]

I am hoping to pick up a new sled pull over style portable house this year, looking at some otters, canvas craft, frabill, ect. There are a couple of things I am debating or wondering about. I would like to be able to put three in the house commfortably so I was thinking between something that can sit three wide or the 2 people back to back style where it flips both ways open. My questions about them is I want to be able to close the hatch on my 6.5 foot bed so I don't don't know if the longer models would fit, and I was also wondering if the double wides have an option to just open one side if I only have two people in it. I don't see too many people with the double wides so are there some negatives to them? Heavier? Harder to set up? Any other things to consider with this size portable? Thanks

[Northlander]

Double wides are of course heavier, need way more heat to heat them and 2 heaters is best, dont fit in many trucks with tailgate up and not many are being made any more if any at all.

Your best bet is a Otter Reort but it wont fit in a standard bed truck. The Lodge just barely fits in them and it fishes 2 ok but 3 is tight.

[mnmofro]

I was thinking of checking out the Canvas Craft northlander magnum double, which is norpac insulated and says it is 6 x 12 set up so was thinking length wise would fit into the back of the truck and shouldn't take much to heat since it is insulated. Also looking and at something like the Clam X4 but i don't believe this is insulated. Weight is not a huge concern since i would typically drive out and have someone with. Just have never fished out a double wide so looking for any reason not to get one or wierd nuances with them.

[KG243]

Check with canvas craft, they have great products.

[jerkbait]

Check with canvas craft, they have great products.

X2

[bobbymalone]

i have a clam denali, double wide back to back. it's the two man model rather than the 4 though so it's a bit smaller. Clam engineers must have worked in collaboration with Subaru, because it fits exactly in the back of my ice fishing machine Forester. The 4 man is a bit wider and longer if I remember right.

As far as options go for not fully opening it, I have tried and it doesn't work too well. The problem is getting a good seal between the fabric and the snow/ice to keep the wind out. I tried it a few times and wasn't happy. If I go solo, I open up both sides and just put my heater on the unused side. That means I have to heat up more space, but in turn I have a ton of room for my stuff.

Most of my ice fishing is either solo or with my wife in tow so that two man back to back is perfect for us.

[walleye44]

I am hoping to pick up a new sled pull over style portable house this year, looking at some otters, canvas craft, frabill, ect. There are a couple of things I am debating or wondering about. I would like to be able to put three in the house commfortably so I was thinking between something that can sit three wide or the 2 people back to back style where it flips both ways open. My questions about them is I want to be able to close the hatch on my 6.5 foot bed so I don't don't know if the longer models would fit, and I was also wondering if the double wides have an option to just open one side if I only have two people in it. I don't see too many people with the double wides so are there some negatives to them? Heavier? Harder to set up? Any other things to consider with this size portable? Thanks

You are going to want to go with the Magnum dbl R2 Norpac model then. I have the Norpac Magnum single & it fits perfect in my 2006 Chevy. I can fish two guys perfect in the magnum single, but if you are waiting (3) & fit in the pickup with the tailgate closed, you will want the double. You will need to open up both sides on double models, but when you go with the R2 Norpac material it heats up fast & stays heated. I have had to open the vents up all the way some days too. It is a great portable. I love it. If you want a single you can go with the Large model, but that you would have to have the tailgate open. Plus, they are still made in the USA! Give Canvas Craft a call they will treat you right!

http://www.canvascraftinc.com/sites/all/themes/canvas/images/northlander/sled/sled.pdf

[Hookmaster]

I bought a Canvas Craft Magnum dbl R2 Norpac last December at the Ice Fishing Show. It is an awesome house that is 6' X 13' when set up. It does not fit in my 5 foot 8 inch (crew cab) box but will in a 6.5 foot box. I transport it in my covered snowmobile trailer. I bought a used snowmobile last year also to pull it. You need to open both sides to set up, but as previously stated it heats up quickly and stays warm. I bought a Big Buddy and rarely kept it on the medium setting once it was warm up. On warmer days I heated it with a Sunflower junior. I highly recommend it. Weight wise the Canvas Craft insulated houses are much lighter than the Frabills. I don't know how much the new insulated Otters weigh.

[mnmofro]

I don't know anyone that has a CC but sounds like people are happy with theirs. I like that they are local, I live 5 miles from the Rogers site. Do they have them at their shop? It doesn't look too big of a place so didn't know if they have a showroom. Hookmaster did they happen to have a good deal at the show when you bought yours? How is it lifting with help into the truck? I have seen people talking about using a cheap ramp to help get them up into the truck. Thanks for all the responses so far.

[walleye44]

I don't know anyone that has a CC but sounds like people are happy with theirs. I like that they are local, I live 5 miles from the Rogers site. Do they have them at their shop? It doesn't look too big of a place so didn't know if they have a showroom. Hookmaster did they happen to have a good deal at the show when you bought yours? How is it lifting with help into the truck? I have seen people talking about using a cheap ramp to help get them up into the truck. Thanks for all the responses so far.

I would give them a call before you go in, but around end of Oct./Nov. they have example houses setup right in their factory in Rogers. I believe they will be at the ice show again this year too. You will not regret a Canvas Craft house. I have had Otters/Clams & now Canvas Craft. Wish I would have bought this one sooner.

[Get'n Jiggy]

Check with canvas craft, they have great products.

Good products, good people, insulated houses are the way to go.

[Northlander]

For some reason I forgot about Canvas Craft. I wouldnt hesitate a bit to buy a ice house from them. I have never heard anyone who has one complain about their house.

[Hookmaster]

I bought the house (it's an Otter sled), 2 seats, hyfax, hitch and cover plus assembly. I could have assembled it myself but had a time crunch before my first trip. I think I saved 10-15%. Some of the items, like the seats, they get from other manufacturers (Otter) and the markup wasn't as much so the discount was less. It is definetly worth it. Maybe call them before the show and ask if you can get the show prices without going there. After my first trip (LOW) I dropped it off at their shop to fix one thing and make a deeper cover for it so I can leave the seats installed when moving from spot to spot.

If I needed to put it in a truck box I could do it empty. With gear in it is a two man job. Fully loaded I can pull it up the ramp into the snowmobile trailer which is lower than a truck's tailgate. It is work though. I got smarter and started using the tilt feature of the trailer which makes it fairly easy. If I went the truck route and was by myself a lot, I would rig up a come-a-long or electric winch.

These norpac insulated houses are so sweet. Much thicker insulation than the clams and all the canvas is insulated, not just the top. The inside is white which helps you see better especially in low light. The new insulated Otters look like the use the same insulated fabric. You will definitely like it.

[walleye44]

I was curious so I gave Canvas Craft a call. The new Otter material is not made by Canvas Craft. It is made over in China. Canvas Craft used to supply the raw materials to Frabill also, but sadly those are now suppled & made overseas too. It sounded like the R values are not as good as the Norpac material is in the new Frabill case at least, because they went with a cheaper product. That was decided because of the places selling these items wanted the prices lower to sell more units.

[canoepaddle]

I had a canvas craft double wide for years when my kids were young and it was a great house. It would fit in the back of my 2003 chevy hd and I'd heat it with one mr heater sunflower heater. Great for three people and sometimes I'd have four in it. On really cold days on lotw when there wasn't a lot of snow to bank the house with, you'd need two heaters in it. It was a great house, long before the advent of thermal canvas.

canoepaddle

[KG243]

Just a FYI CC wont be at the show this year.

[mnmofro]

Hey KG I don't know if you have old info or if the lady at CC was out of the loop but i stopped there earlier this week and the lady at the front desk said they would be at the show.

[KG243]

Interesting.