Advice on buying new Ice Auger

[Cove]

I have a Strikemaster Strike-Lite 4 stroke purchased December 9, 2007. Other than replacing the plastic drill unit with a metal one been very pleased with this unit. When I fire it up this week it will be entering its 6th season with me. It is light weight, always fires quickly, and no mixing gas and oil.

The only auger downside has nothing to do with the Strike LIte but all to do with fact that I like to fish in the Mille Lacs area and the Rochester area. The gear I least like hauling back and forth is the power auger. It eats up space and is prone to smelling like gas and oil.

So, this year I decided to splurge with some Christmas Money and get a second power auger. But which one? My style is to study up pretty completely. Criteria are again going to be light weight, easy of starting, reliability, how they do in very cold...the usual, and I want to get that information from this "Equipment-Expert Information Forum. Yes, I have a dynamite manual auger, a Nils Hand Auger 8 inch purchased December 7,2007. I am 63 and have prostate cancer with painful bone mets to pelvic, spine and some ribs so helps you see my criteria.

I can, and will, just go out and read, talk hold the various models but I am hoping the Forum can teach me something useful. So, fire away. Give me your argument for buying one or the other. Open to advice on how to haul these things (car top carrier? gear basket behind the Jeep?)

[Rick G]

Being you already have the Nils hand auger I would just pair it up with a Nils power head. I have seen plenty of them in action and imo they are hands down the best auger on the market today.

[slurpie]

I would purchase the strike master four stroke or a nils.

nils I own one I have the six and eight inch. If your tall these augers are good or order the short shaft I'm 6' and like ,it my brother at 5'9" don't as much. The biggest downside of nils is there 8" blade cover sucks I yet to find a good way to make it stayon. The six inch blade cover works good.and second the f lighting is smaller than the cutting head so you won't get a clean hole you will need a ice scoop. Good they are light the blades are best on the market and compact head design.

Strike master ,no mixing of gas ,clean hole, still fairly light. I wish they had a better blade design seems like they get out of pitch to easy. Both good augers if I had I four stroke and was getting another while keeping the first I would go four stroke again. Transport any way you are comfortable with it strapped on the outside of the vehicle would work but I would put it in a auger bag.

[RebelSS]

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