Dear Otter

[schweady]

But nobody has yet provided a reason for using camouflage patterned material on a fish house.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Yup, exactly!! When I'm alone I'm a runner/gunner and having to collapse the entire thing and tuck in all the fabric is a pain every time you move. I just want to be able to flip it up and move, flip it down and fish.

I don't collapse mine (lodge or cottage) when I move. whether its twenty feet or the other side of the lake towed behind the truck.

I really like the ice camo!

[CAMAN]

It's a camouflage pattern. Otter named it "Camo." And it's NOT trying to be camouflage? Maybe they came up with it just because lots of ice fishermen also hunt and Otter noticed that these guys buy a lot of items in camo patterns: pancake griddles, fillet knife handles...

"Stand out in the crowd?" Was your tongue firmly planted in your cheek?

None of it makes any sense. I think that sales have remained high only because Otter makes the best product out there, and right now it's the only pattern available in a new Otter. I'm just glad my Otter Cabin is green. (Solid green.) But, if next season Otter introduces a Puce Paisley pattern... maybe...

We passed the time of all camo being meant to hide you when it started showing up in designer clothing. Do you really think the clothing designer meant for the person to be hidden while walking down the street in New York? It was meant to make a statement and have the person stand out in the crowd! Do you really think the person who designed the pink camo pattern that women love was trying to camoflauge people? Otter is doing the exact same thing! Do they not stand out at the ice show when all the other ice houses around them are plain blue or black? It makes people stop and look. Like I said earlier, it doesn't matter to me what color the outside is, heck, I'm inside the thing 99% of the time anyways.

[Northlander]

Schweady what was it about my statement you didnt agree with? Dont you think the Ice Camo stands out from all the other colors out there?

Im not trying to argue or debate anyone here so please dont take any of what I say as that.

The color of a ice house is of importance to me but the function, durability, comfort etc. is much much more important. Whats working inside is way more important to me. Im inside it 90 plus % anyways. As long as it pulls behind my sled well and lasts and once Im in it is comfortable, easy to use and lasts thats what Im most worried about. This year Im really pumped to use the thermal with the 900 dneier fabfric blocking the wind and keeping the wind out. Should be much warmer days on the ice this year. It should equal less propane burned wich means hauling less propane. More room for tackle and other gear.

Captainmusky I will talk to the guys at Otter about a small 1 man flip over run and gun style house and see what they say. E-mail me some ideas you want to see in one and I will pass it along and who knows maybe your ideas will be incoperated into a new Otter runnin n gunnin special.

[CAMAN]

I don't collapse mine (lodge or cottage) when I move. whether its twenty feet or the other side of the lake towed behind the truck.

Yes, if its just 20 feet or so I don't bother collapsing it, but I try to pack light and when the sled is light the entire thing tips and the fabric and poles drag on the ice, which I really don't like wearing out the fabric prematurely. And in a few cases the sled has even tipped over spilling the contents into the tent and on the ice. So I try to collapse everything as much as possible to prevent these problems.

[tsande00]

It's a camouflage pattern. Otter named it "Camo." And it's NOT trying to be camouflage? Maybe they came up with it just because lots of ice fishermen also hunt and Otter noticed that these guys buy a lot of items in camo patterns: pancake griddles, fillet knife handles...

"Stand out in the crowd?" Was your tongue firmly planted in your cheek?

None of it makes any sense. I think that sales have remained high only because Otter makes the best product out there, and right now it's the only pattern available in a new Otter. I'm just glad my Otter Cabin is green. (Solid green.) But, if next season Otter introduces a Puce Paisley pattern... maybe...

They obviously aren't trying to actually camouflage their houses. If they were they would be all white, not blue/black/light blue, etc. The camo design is cosmetic only the irony being they use the camo pattern to standout.

In my opinion Otter houses do stand out, you can spot them a half mile away sitting on the ice. No other house looks similar. You can love it or hate it but their attempt in distinguishing themselves from the competition is 100% successful.

For whatever it's worth, I own a green Eskimo, lol.

[BartmanMN]

The Otters started out Blue, however it was to similar to Clam's color so a law suit was opened. Then they decided to lay the camo pattern over the blue to get around that.

I personally like the Ice camo.

[tsande00]

I think Clam has the best color combo. I like their newer ice blue with black contrast. I wouldn't buy one though based solely on some Clam accessories I've bought that were laughably terrible in quality.

[401TE]

I think they should all be black...then maybe you wouldn't need thermal fabric! Well, maybe it wouldn't make THAT big of a difference but it would make more sense for them to be black to absorb more sunlight.

[CaptainMusky]

Yes, if its just 20 feet or so I don't bother collapsing it, but I try to pack light and when the sled is light the entire thing tips and the fabric and poles drag on the ice, which I really don't like wearing out the fabric prematurely. And in a few cases the sled has even tipped over spilling the contents into the tent and on the ice. So I try to collapse everything as much as possible to prevent these problems.

Ive done the same thing and it works pretty decent when going relatively short distances. Just shorten up the front support pole (the slide adjust ones) and lock in place and away you go. BUT, I really have no need for a house this size for fishing by myself so I am looking for something more compact.

Sure a cabin/cottage, whatever its called may work but like I said I like the flipover styles out there by other companies versus the side flip in a one-man unit.

[CaptainMusky]

Captainmusky I will talk to the guys at Otter about a small 1 man flip over run and gun style house and see what they say. E-mail me some ideas you want to see in one and I will pass it along and who knows maybe your ideas will be incoperated into a new Otter runnin n gunnin special.

Northlander, that would be cool. I will send you a PM or email about some ideas I have floating around. Nothing too fancy. I am quite creative though. One of my buddies used to work for a boat company and while designing a new boat he asked my opinion on some things. Wouldnt you know many of them ended up on the finished product. Pretty cool I think.

Thanks for doing legwork with your connections. Actually, one of my other buddies used to work for Otter and I had been telling him these ideas for years, but he was more closely affiliated with the "commercial" side of the business and didnt do much for the Otter side. He's no longer working there though.

[boe757]

Its just not right, how would you like seeing camo blue John Deere's, its just wrong, wrong, wrong

[Dave]

Just buy a canvas craft insulated house on an otter sled. I second that idea. Great customer service and repair if needed.

I third that idea. A MN company that does stand behind its products. It is black outside & white on the inside for brightness. They had the Norpac 3m insulation before everyone else went to China's insulation.

Canvas Craft owners ARE Norpac. They invented NorpacR3 material with a partnership with 3M. I believe. So, if any comnpany wants the true quality Norpac, you know where they have to go

[schweady]

Its just not right, how would you like seeing camo blue John Deere's, its just wrong, wrong, wrong

Thank you, boe. Finally someone who gets it.

[CaptainMusky]

I actually like the blue camo. So anyone who hates it can simply donate their disgusting blue camo otter lodge shell to me. PM for address and shipping info.

[JIM C]

Dear Otter...Thanks for making such a GREAT looking ice shelter!

Jim Carroll NPAA #13

[tsande00]

If anybody wants to trade their camo Otter for my Green Eskimo Quick Flip 3 just let me know!

[walleye44]

Canvas Craft owners ARE Norpac. They invented NorpacR3 material with a partnership with 3M. I believe. So, if any comnpany wants the true quality Norpac, you know where they have to go

I was told that Frabill used to buy the raw material from CC & have it made somewhere else, but not this year.

[Red Cabin]

Dear Otter, I would have purchased a blue camo ice cabin but its just not pretty enough for Me!....Just kidding, I plan to buy one as soon as I can get rid of this Quickflip 3!

[fishersofmen]

I think they are pretty ugly as well and to me it does matter what the house looks like. I wouldn't buy an ugly truck (regardless of how well it performed) and I spend alot more time in my porty. My Predator is beautiful think I will go stare at it for a while......

[Hardyboy]

hardyboy, I think 90% plus of us on this thread own or are Otter fans... They are the best all around on the market hands down. I grew up 7 miles from the factory and know more than a few who actually produce these units. The consenses has been should have stuck with the original colors, from the locals standpoint at least. The color of Ice Camo is what is up for debate. Please otter lets do something different or at least give us the original green and purple back!!

I am agreeing that they are quality houses , thats the whole point of my post is that they are quality. At no point did i say the houses were bad at all. My point is that the color shouldnt overshadow what it really is and that is one of the highest quality houses out there. To overlook the complete package and only consider the color is a disservice to otter.