Eskimo Fatfish tips

[Willard_J]

Two of the common issues with these houses seem to be the walls popping in and stuffing it back in the (inadequate) bag. I usually tie off the windward side wall hub to a rack on my wheeler or a single ice screw while setting up if it's windy. I'll stake down the windward corners after getting lines down if need be. If it's really windy, I'll stake a corner with a door into the wind before popping it up, and then the two adjacent wall hubs, then drill the holes in the shack(love the doors on both ends and velcro windows for venting fumes!).

For getting it back in the sack and zipped, I start by putting the hub end of the shack in the end of the sack at the "bottom" of the zipper and work the sack over the tips of the corners at the other. Then I roll the sack so the zipper is facing away from me and kneel on it to compress it and start moving from the bottom and zipping it a little at a time. It takes about a minute and it's much easier than trying to horse the zipper up while squeezing all that fabric in there.

I've got the 949i and love it except for the bag issue.

[olbaidhh]

Got the same shelter... I am on a second bag already (they sent a new one RMA out to me) The house is AWESOME... the bag CHEAP.

I am sure that is to keep costs down. Your description of how to put it in the bag is spot on... also do not grab the fabric on the bag or force the zipper make sure you have enough play that you are not stuffing anything, or the bag will rip at the seam. The bag should have been made better ...but again weight \ costs. I am searching for something a bit better maybe a hockey bag?

I think they could have built in more velcro on the shelter to strap it up instead of the one they give you to do it that is not connected to anything. 3 or so from the top to the bottom already attached to the shelter would make it a lot easier to bundle up.

my 2cents

[mtbucket]

It is difficult to find a bag of the right size to fit the 949i. I submitted the following response to another post on this subject. I hope it helps.

Poster: mtbucket

Subject: Re: new eskimo fatfish

I have the 949I. It measures 65" X 8.25" X8.25" collapsed when dry and folded correctly. It is tight to get in the bag when dry, and I know that it will be nearly impossible when wet. I was also not impressed with the quality of the bag. I looked at quite a few of the usual stores for a larger bag and did not find any long enough. Hockey equipment bags are way too short. Then I thought of hockey stick bags and found team stick bags. Most of them are shaped like a hockey stick, though. I then found a Bauer Team Stick Bag, #2486, that is cylindrical and very heavy duty. It measures 72" X 18" X 8". I found it on line from $35 to $60. I just ordered one for $34.99. Many of the team stick bags are over $70 and are the wrong shape, too short or only have a smaller zipper at one end. It looks like this one will be much better than the one Eskimo supplies.

[olbaidhh]

SWEEEEEEETTTTTTTT

Got it ... 34.99 now I need to figure out a way to add the backpack straps.

Thanks!

[Hardyboy]

For those of you struggling to stow the bag i bought a couple of straps (pull tight instead of the ratchet type). when i collapse the house i slip those on and cinch them down around it and it compresses the house fast and makes it easier to stow the house. Also another member on here pointed out that you can gets double use out of the straps and use them as tie outs for the sides on windy days.

[mtbucket]

If it was a well made and sturdy bag I may have gone the strap route. Since the Eskimo provided bag does not look like it will last long anyway, I decided to just buy a sturdy bag that was actually big enough to put the hub house into without any extra effort. The bag I chose has room for a few extras, like a hanging shelf, lights, etc. I tried the shoulder straps and found it difficult to carry any distance that way, especially while trying to handle an auger and other gear. I usually either drive or pull a sled out anyway, so this is what works for me.

[Mike Stark]

It is difficult to find a bag of the right size to fit the 949i. I submitted the following response to another post on this subject. I hope it helps.

Poster: mtbucket

Subject: Re: new eskimo fatfish

I have the 949I. It measures 65" X 8.25" X8.25" collapsed when dry and folded correctly. It is tight to get in the bag when dry, and I know that it will be nearly impossible when wet. I was also not impressed with the quality of the bag. I looked at quite a few of the usual stores for a larger bag and did not find any long enough. Hockey equipment bags are way too short. Then I thought of hockey stick bags and found team stick bags. Most of them are shaped like a hockey stick, though. I then found a Bauer Team Stick Bag, #2486, that is cylindrical and very heavy duty. It measures 72" X 18" X 8". I found it on line from $35 to $60. I just ordered one for $34.99. Many of the team stick bags are over $70 and are the wrong shape, too short or only have a smaller zipper at one end. It looks like this one will be much better than the one Eskimo supplies.

Have you put the shelter in this bag yet?

[mww24]

genius idea on the hockey stick bag if it works. Good luck guys.

[mtbucket]

Have you put the shelter in this bag yet?

Not yet, as I just ordered it.

I had looked at other team stick bags that were "L" (stick shaped), with many having wheels on them. I didn't want that, even though they were very heavy duty. They were also pretty spendy. The Bauer bags that I looked at were also well made and I was happy to find one that was cylidrical with a full zipper on line for a good price.

[Mike Stark]

I think I will buy the same bag and I would like to hear out it works with the shelter. I was able to get my shelter back in the original bag by using p-cord to compress it but it was not the easiest thing to do and this was in my garage on a warm day. I don't know what Eskimo was thinking when they designed that bag for the insulated shelter.

[mtbucket]

I will post after it arrives and I try it out. I really don't want to wrestle with a portable down on the ice in the slush and snow after I am already worn out from wrestling all the big fish through the hole.

[mtbucket]

The Bauer Team Stick Bag arrived this morning. The Fatfish 949i fits in it easily with room to spare. No need to roll the house around in the snow, put straps around it and wrestle it into the bag. There is plenty of extra room in the bag for some other items and it is very well made with a full zipper, two loop straps in the middle, two loop handles on the ends, two cinch straps and heavy vinyl reinforcement at each end. The two middle loop carry straps could be used to carry it as a back pack if desired, but they are not padded. It is better than it looked on line and I am very pleased.

Mike Stark: I sent you a PM.

[Mike Stark]

Thanks for the update.

[olbaidhh]

Any pics? ... I am going to get one now THANKS1

[mtbucket]

You can see pics on line. Search for Bauer Team Stick Bag 2486. The lowest price I found was $34.99 + shipping. Maybe you can find them at a store that sells hockey equipment.

[olbaidhh]

I have seen the bag... I have not seen the shelter in the bag. I got one ready to order for exactly that $34.99 (must be the same site Perani's Hockey world) but just wanted to see a pic of the shelter in the bag... but your saying there is a LOT of room?

[mtbucket]

There is a little extra length and quite a bit of extra width/depth. A picture of the bag with the house in it would look basically like the picture on line. It appears to be approx. 50% larger than the OEM bag. Yes, That is where I bought it, and they didn't charge sales tax.

[Gekhang]

just dissasembled my newly bought fatfish(non I) and was able to get it back into the original bag with alittle bit of packing and it zips up right away.

[butsy]

try doing that when it's cold, dark, and the fabric's stiff.

i'm ordering the hockey bag...

[Mike Stark]

just dissasembled my newly bought fatfish(non I) and was able to get it back into the original bag with alittle bit of packing and it zips up right away.

The UN-insulated shelters are a lot less bulky. There is really no way to fit an insulated shelter back in the bag with out compressing it some how. Eskimo should have made a bigger bag for the insulated shelters. Maybe next year...

[mhanson]

I've been looking at snowboard bags as well. The dimensions are very similar to the hockey stick bag. Just another option.

I had my 949i set up in 30+ mph gusts and it worked great when everything was tied/staked down, so I thought. When I was taking it down I had a grommet ripped off where the ice stake was and a bottom corner rip. I'm sure I could replace the grommet but I'm nervous about sewing the corner back up. Will Eskimo customer service work with me?

[olbaidhh]

My experience with Eskimo customer service has been great. I hoped I would never need it but...I did. The FatFish 949i is an awesome shelter... the bag not so much. Either way the customer service was excellent.