Pulling pop up portables

[Hoffer]

Lets see if i can make this question short and clear

I currently have a medium sized otter sled. I put all my gear on top and inside including my suitcase style fish house and auger etc. I find pulling it to be very difficult- especially if there much snow.

So, I am looking at a portable that pops up from the sled. I am looking at a specific brand. One model has a thermal roof and the seat is a bench seat. Its really made for one - but the becnh seat can fit 2 if needed. The better model is fully thermal (kind of what i really want) but that smaller (and lighter) thermal model only comes with a single seat. The next size up comes with 2 seats. The difference in weight is 80 pounds vs. 100 pounds.

If I decide on the larger model with the 2 seats - its an extra 20 pounds and i am just wondering if i will have JUST as much trouble pulling that around as what i am currently doing now = stacking evertyhing on top of my otter sled. I really like the idea of the bench seat (only comes with the thermal top)- but also like the idea of the fully thermal. Is 20 pounds a deal breaker do you think? or would I notice a difference? What do you think of fully thermal vs. just the thermal top? Last...can anyone provide feedback on how they find pulling these? (I might add that the difference in price between the fully thermal and just the thermal top is not a factor. I want to purchase the best overall set up for my purposes and if it means an extra 200 bucks thats fine.)

[chris63]

You say the difference is 20 lbs in the sled/shelter combo.Lets say the gear you load inside is another 60 lbs.The 20 lbs. won't make much of a difference.If you are lugging that much weight with manpower alone you will get mired down fast if it starts to snow while your fishing.The large portables pull hard even behind a wheeler in heavy snow conditions.I had an otter cabin that was hard to load into a conversion van without unloading all the gear first.It was better when I had a pickup.I could drive the wheeler or sled onto the snowmobile trailer unhook the tow bar and slide the whole works into the bed of the pickup without unloading or lifting a thing.c63

[coombia21]

I think you are looking at otter products. Are you talking about the cottage size and the cabin size houses? I believe that you are looking at the difference between the wild series, and the otter series. If you want the cottage size in an otter which is fully insulated you can piece the house together. I piece a lodge together a couple years ago, just so I didnt have to have the bar that the factory seats slide on. You can just buy the otter sled and otter top and put the wild bench on it. Talk to dan up at pro edge outdoors. He is just starting out and is willing to piece the house together, and he has amazing prices. They are way below retail.

[Northlander]

Pulling a Otter Cottage or Cabin will be easier to pull than a Otter Sled with a big suitcase style house on top plus all your gear. Im guessing you will save weight.

If your at the St. Paul Ice Show stop by the Otter booth and if Im there that day I can help you out otherwise any of the other guys can help you out as well.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Pulling any Otter sled/house combo by hand very far in snow over 6 inches deep can be a killer! Or any other brand for that matter!

Best to bring a strong friend fishing with you in that case!

I have done it on bare ice easily but the deeper the snow gets the closer to the vehicle you will end up fishing!

Cliff

[Hoffer]

Thats what I am concerned about.

I am actually debating on whether or not to modify my current otter sled and add some skis to the bottom. Then buy a hub style lighterwieght house and then just try to pull that stuff out like I have been doing. I have a feeling that the skis would help a lot. However, I REALLY, REALLY like the idea of a thermal cottage and having everything together. Thanks for the advice guys...keep it coming if you have more...

[Down Deep]

I would go with the Otter style sled and tent. If you are always dragging the sled by man power I would buy the lightest one man sled I could. If you want something that will fit two start shopping sleds of all brands and look at the weight. That two man bench in the Otter is a heavy unit and you are stuck with taking it every time you fish. Why not buy two single seats, which are much lighter, and put the second seat in when you need it and will have an extra person to pull your sled. I would also do an inventory of your gear and lighten up. If you are at all like me, you have a lot of stuff in the sled that you rarely need. I used to haul around tackle for all species of fish, 6 tip ups, 2 or 3 metal scoops, 20 lb tank and just about extra everything. I usually use a snowmobile to pull the rig, but unloading all the extra gear made moving it around a lot easier.

[Northlander]

If you get the Otter Cabin you can use 1 seat all the time and then toss in the 2nd if you have someone else coming along. The nice thing about the Otter sleds is they have that nice high "attack angle" in front so they ride over snow better than some of the sleds out there.

As DD said lighten your load as much as possible, get a good deer dragging type harnes and enough rope so you arent hitting the sled when walking. Good ice cleats also are a must when pulling by hand.

I pull by hand until we get about 5" of ice then its the snowmobile. If you dont have a snowmobile than set up your tow rope so 2 guys can pull it and toss in the 2nd seat and fish with a buddy. I find when the snow gets to about 6" its tuff to pull any house.

[Gunflint Guy]

I spend most of my fishing trips pulling my gear by hand. I generally do this on lakes in NE MN, where the snow is less likely to be blown off. I admit I am not in great shape. My experience is that all flip shacks, with the possible exception of the lightest solo versions, are all too hard to pull in snow. Their width causes too much drag. Skis would only help in minimal snow covers or hardened snow. The solution is indeed a pop-up house, but you also have to get a different sled and cut back on gear weight. My standard set up is a basic orange gear sled, small pop up fish house, buddy heater with one pound tanks, 2 rods w/reels, a tip-up, a tiny three-legged chair, travel shovel, tackle, hand auger, bait, etc. You'll have to bungee the house and gear down to the sled. Like others said, make sure you have a harness for your haul rope and plenty of rope. The advantage of this is that you can pull the narrower sled further. The disadvantage is that with a hand auger, the pop-up shelter, and all the gear bungee effort, there is no such thing as run and gun. Pick a good spot and settle in for the day. But, without a snowmachine, an expensive flip shack, and a power auger, what other options do you have? I maybe don't catch as many fish as the run and gun crew, but I get out and have a relaxing time (and I still catch my share). I do a lot of my ice fishing in the BWCA, anyways.

A link for the type of sled I use: http://www.target.com/p/EMSCO-66-FAMILY-FUN-TOBOGGAN/-/A-12848204),

[MinnGuy]

Gunflint Guy nailed it on the sled. I use the exact one in the boundary waters. The long length and narrow width pulls easily. Sorry it will not help if you want to carry a bigger suitcase style house.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

A set of skis under the sled helps a lot until the snow gets deep enough that it starts dragging on the bottom of the sled. It then becomes even harder to pull and turning becomes a nightmare!

Works well though if you have a packed trail all of the time!

We are talking about ideas that many of us ice fishermen have tried and abandoned.

Cliff

[mww24]

When your pulling 80 pounds of house and gear 1/4 mile to your hole. It all sucks. Weight is the killer. You want light. bring your bucket one or two rods a tin of waxies and a small hand auger. Our ice fishing forefathers did it for years. were just spoiled in the age of technology and comfort.

[Down Deep]

I sat on one of those buckets before all the technology and comfort existed. I vote for technology and comfort.

[BrandonJ]

I have a suitcase and used to put it on top of my gear sled and all the weight in one spot can get heavy. So I screwed a tent stake to the back of my gear sled and towed my suitcase from that, same weight just spread out so it doesn't sink in the snow as much, or get a new set-up.

[Rippinlip]

Try to carry some of your gear in a backpack or side bag to eliminate the weight on the sled.

Make sure you keep the rope is as high on your body as possible, it moves the sled angle up.

I used to use one of those deer drags to hook the sled to so it would use multiple spots on the torso to pull it, not just your hands in awkward positions.

or buy a wheeler or snowmobile.....

[jbird68]

I built this today to put my sled on top of when there is snow. I didn't come up with the design. Someone on another forum came up with it. We call it the smitty sled. The cross beams just pull apart so you can disassemble it and put in in your car. Waiting for cold weather to give it a try.

[reinhard1]

looks great. i got a few old ski's here. thanks for the idea. good luck.

[sunniewally]

I sat on one of those buckets before all the technology and comfort existed. I vote for technology and comfort.

BOY YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!!! AFTER 50 YEARS IT GETS OLD!!

[Hoffer]

Looks great!

How did you attach the wood blocks to the skis?

Did you countersink bolts through the bottom of the skis?

Did you go all the way through the wood parts and bolt them on from one end to the other?

Have you had it out yet? How did it pull?

Thanks!!

Hoffer

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Very similar to to a design that I used years ago!

You may have problems with the cross bars breaking and/or spreading when you put a load in the sled though! You may need to make them as wide as the top of your blocks for more strength and stability. ???

Will certainly make pulling a load much easier!

Cliff

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I sat on one of those buckets before all the technology and comfort existed. I vote for technology and comfort.

BOY YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!!! AFTER 50 YEARS IT GETS OLD!!

X2

Cliff

[jbird68]

I used (3) 3 1/2" wood screws in each board to attach them to the skis. I countersunk the holes so the screws would be flush.

I used 3/8" x 5"L bolts to pin the bridges to the upright boards. Drilled the holes size-on-size on the bridges so it is a press fit and drilled the holes on the upright boards a little oversize so the bolts slip in and out easily.

To cut the notches I just screwed the 4 upright boards together and used my circular saw and made multiple passes until the notch was complete.

I am no guru when it comes to using wood working tools. I just had to be imaginative.

I haven't had a chance to use it in snow yet. So I don't know how it pulls. Hoping it will be much easier.

[BoxMN]

That looks great jbird. I bet it will help a ton! Have fun

[mww24]

To all the guys saying they want the tech and comfort over my original suggestion of bucket and pole and hand auger. I totally agree with you. Nothing like fishing in a super warm hut with a padded seat and flasher. I just wanted to lay the option of the old school way out there. That ski set-up above was very well done. Like it a lot

[Hoffer]

So, I really like the above pics and project.

My brother actually gave me a pair of skis today exactly like those pictured...same brand and everything.

I am still thinking of mounting the skies permanently to my sled. I would use some kind of "spacer" - like a 6 inch wide piece of wood or maybe a 6 inch piece of PVC tube etc...

I would mount the spacers on each end of each ski. I would countersink the screws into the bottom of the ski - and then they would go through my spacer and enter into the bottom of the sled. On the bottom inside of the sled I would then use a washer and a screw and tighten up the long bolt running through everything. I would think that would keep the skis from moving around and would be stable. I dont mind not being able to seperate my sled from the skis etc...especially if this worked - it would just be a permanenet deal. What do you think?