First run with New Otter cabin xt1200

[picksbigwagon]

My son and I finished up the house this morning and hit the lake for some fun. We used a buddy heater on low all afternon and fished in sweatshirts. The outer shell kept the moisture non existant. The seats are great and the tubes slid flawlessly. We would still be out there if I had brought some lights. Being 6'7", I love the height of the seating and it was comfortable for my 10 year old as well.

[Esox_Magnum]

I get my XT650 Lodge in the morning cant wait to get it out in the afternoon....

[d beyer]

I got my xt1200 cottage last month and finally got to fish in it the other day and love it. I am on my 3rd canvas though but the CS has been great. They have sent all free and within a day or to. Also picked up the old ones for free. Haven't had a chance to look at the new one they sent yet, hopefully I finally got a good canves. Even with the canvas problems I like it better than my clam I had been using. The seating is very comfortable and I think if I really had to I could fish 2 guys in it.

[picksbigwagon]

Canvas problems??? Mine was tight, but I worked the edges on the tub for a few extra minutes and it is going no where right now, and it will never go anywhere either.......

[d beyer]

First one got had a spot where the stitching wasn't right. The second one was missing velcro to attach canvas to poles.

[picksbigwagon]

but you are up and running now though right? About the only thing I was missing was enough screws to secure the edging to the sled, but I had some left over when I did the same thing to my older otter den

[Chad Holst]

So besides missing screws, straps to secure the poles, and holes in the shell...its a great house that everyone is happy with. Sounds like pretty low expectations to me.

I know, I'm sure the house is great, when you finally get it right, but whats with all the shoddy worksman ship on these products lately? Its not just otter either. I picked up anew Clam Hub last year. The first outing i pulled 3 plastic zipper holders off and one ice anchor strap was not sewn in, while another came off a couple days later. Sure, i love the hub, after i sewed on my own anchor straps and put thin rope on the zipper ends. But the point is why are these companies making this stuff so "cheap"?

My friend picked up a new pull over last year..1/2 the holes were drilled twice and 2 nuts missing. Again, after he did some work, he liked the sled house, but come'on, just because most of us are "fix it" types, should we have to be? We like it if it works...we shouldnt have to "make it work", it should come that way.

Seems like a trend that is going the wrong way. With the price our our sports equipment going up so much, its a "must" that the equipment we do buy lasts. not just 1 year or 2 years, but i expect it to last for many years, and when i open the box and things are already falling apart, it doesnt build much confidence in how long it will last me.

Take a tour of the forum and you constantly see things like "new furnace not working on wheel house" x 20, "issues with auger", "flasher not running right", etc...

[Lusid]

Prices are going up but attention to details is going down. That's too bad really.

[Chad Holst]

I just think they take advantage of the majority of guys that use their products. We are the type of guys that tend to "deal with it". If we get a product and its missing a screw, we go to the store and get one, rather than send it back. When we purchase one of these things, its like a christmas present that we cant wait to go out and use. We dont want to wait to send it in, get it fixed, get it back..then maybe have it right. We want to use it NOW. So i would guess the return rate of a product damaged right out of the box is VERY low, unless its a major defect or one of the FEW things we can at the place of purchase.

[leech~~]

Love the two Clam Voyagers I have had. The only issues that I ever had with them I caused myself!

[Esox_Magnum]

Got my 650 and wife and I assembled it, even had spare parts...I did not yet screw the tent to the tub and not sure yet if I will or not... Shack is awesome only got to fish for about 3 1/2 hours but will be our home on ice for many years to come...

[castmaster]

I just think they take advantage of the majority of guys that use their products. We are the type of guys that tend to "deal with it". If we get a product and its missing a screw, we go to the store and get one, rather than send it back. When we purchase one of these things, its like a christmas present that we cant wait to go out and use. We dont want to wait to send it in, get it fixed, get it back..then maybe have it right. We want to use it NOW. So i would guess the return rate of a product damaged right out of the box is VERY low, unless its a major defect or one of the FEW things we can at the place of purchase.

I think the outdoors scene is just a little late to the "party". Nothing different than whats been happening with other consumer goods for a long long time. Discount quality merchandise at regular prices. As more and more of the small manufacturers get bought out by larger corporations it will only get worse. The higher up the $ food chain one goes the notion of producing a top quality product for a "fair" profit goes out the window in favor of producing a "fair" product with top quality profit.

But hey that capitalism right, lol. I guess we will just have to wait for the cycle to work its way back to small manufacturers getting back into the game to fill demand from people tired of the lessening quality of more mass produced items. In the mean time, many wont really get what they are paying for.

[castmaster]

Heck, if one wants to look at quality of craftsmanship for the dollar spent, whats up with 90% of the wheel houses??

If they cant even take the time to do a halfway decent job on the finish work a guy sees, what do they look like under the paneling!!

[picksbigwagon]

So besides missing screws, straps to secure the poles, and holes in the shell...its a great house that everyone is happy with. Sounds like pretty low expectations to me.

I know, I'm sure the house is great, when you finally get it right, but whats with all the shoddy worksman ship on these products lately? Its not just otter either. I picked up anew Clam Hub last year. The first outing i pulled 3 plastic zipper holders off and one ice anchor strap was not sewn in, while another came off a couple days later. Sure, i love the hub, after i sewed on my own anchor straps and put thin rope on the zipper ends. But the point is why are these companies making this stuff so "cheap"?

My friend picked up a new pull over last year..1/2 the holes were drilled twice and 2 nuts missing. Again, after he did some work, he liked the sled house, but come'on, just because most of us are "fix it" types, should we have to be? We like it if it works...we shouldnt have to "make it work", it should come that way.

Seems like a trend that is going the wrong way. With the price our our sports equipment going up so much, its a "must" that the equipment we do buy lasts. not just 1 year or 2 years, but i expect it to last for many years, and when i open the box and things are already falling apart, it doesnt build much confidence in how long it will last me.

Take a tour of the forum and you constantly see things like "new furnace not working on wheel house" x 20, "issues with auger", "flasher not running right", etc...

missing screws? No, they supplied screws, I like to over do things, I am putting three in a section, not two like they supplied......

[Chad Holst]

Quote:

Heck, if one wants to look at quality of craftsmanship for the dollar spent, whats up with 90% of the wheel houses??

If they cant even take the time to do a halfway decent job on the finish work a guy sees, what do they look like under the paneling!!

Hoenstly i think its more of them not changing with the times. I think the need from the buyers have changed over the last XX years. Most people cant afford the houses anymore, and those that can are looking for the quality they get from everything else they can afford to buy.

Back in the day the fish house user was the "keep me warm, dry and gimme a place to fish" type guy, and the 3rd part was the priority. now people want all of those things and a quality LOOKING house to do it in. I'm the same way, if im going to make a house, its going to look as nice as it fishes. I would rather wait to afford one with nicely finished cabinets, a hotter than needed furnace and a bed that makes my back feel like its supposed to after a good night sleep.

I think we are now seeing a couple manufacturers start to realize this is what their buyers are looking for.

The other thing is these manufacturers are "shell builders" not ice house builders. Several of them dont even offer to build out the inside as they are not able to do the quality people want, so they stick to what they are good at. And look, they are considered some of the better houses now"... not because their shell is really better, its just not covered by dump panelling and all the other cheap junk they throw in these houses.

[slick2526]

after what I have been reading lately I think I will be buying a canvascraft. seems worth the wait.

[Blackhawkxp]

Just curious on the seat storage on the pro models. Can you transport the sled with them folded down (like the bench in the xt650 model) or do you have to store them in the tub?

[picksbigwagon]

sirlips, you seem to be lumping permanent houses in with portables.......

Blackhawk, I would have no problem transporting them with the seats on as long as I had the travel cover on them. They do slide off the seat bases easily though....I will try it out this weekend as we walk out on to go fishing. I guess you could leave the bases where they are and just take the seats off and put them under neath too....hmmm, guess the boy and I will investigate it this weekend

[Chad Holst]

Quote:

sirlips, you seem to be lumping permanent houses in with portables.......

Do you mean Cast Master? Castmaster was making a point about this topic by saying

Quote:

Heck, if one wants to look at quality of craftsmanship for the dollar spent, whats up with 90% of the wheel houses?? If they cant even take the time to do a halfway decent job on the finish work a guy sees, what do they look like under the paneling!!

Didnt mean to get off topic, just pointing out the industry has a lack of "quality goods" at a FAIR price. sure, you can buy a good working product, but you are going to pay a hefty premium, when an average price will get you junk that doesnt hold up or doesnt do the job.

Portables? yep...same thing. they are supposed to last in Minnesota extreme weather, yet they cant make a simple zipper holder last in 30Degree weather on the first trip out. Strapps that are not even sewn together? Augers that last 2 years because they are made with inferior components? Ice reels that cost $40 that freeze up in 10 degree weather? like others said, the trend is towards junk be the "average price" and quality being only the "extreme high end" price.

[DTro]

I ran into a canvas that was too tight as well on my lodge a couple of years ago, emailed Otter and never heard back.

Having said that I think Otter has the best "Mass Market" houses out there, but yes I agree they all seem to have problems.

I read about a Hub style from another mfg in another thread that was not right so they took it right to the source and another one was pulled off the shelf, and that one had another issue with poles too long so then they did a "custom trim" in the shop. Well that's great for the guy that can buzz over to Maple Grove, but what about the guy in Alexandria or the guy in International Falls? The only option is to send it back and PRAY the next one is good.

Out of every house I've been in or put together so far, the Otter 900 is the best, and even THAT one was missing screws/parts.

[Johnnie5]

I bought the Otter Lodge last year and love it! Originally had the Clam Basecamp but the Lodge is so much nicer & easier to use. Full thermal ... WARM.

[d beyer]

The stitching problem wasn't terrible. It was stitched but not right. There was about a 4inch spot on one top seam that the stitch seemed to be out of line. Like I said I am extremely happy with the CS they have provided. Hopefully I can get a chance to get the new canvas on today. I forgot that I am also short a couple of the screws that you can use to attach the plasic strips on the canvas to the sled but I don't think I am going to use them anyway as they didn't have them when I had my old wild shack and it was fine.

[aczr2k]

This is what happens when everything is cheaply engineered and sent to china for poor manufacturing then turn around and charge a high price. Best part is get your paid "pro staff" to promote your over priced poorly made junk. Rant over.

[JoeMX1825]

Just curious on the seat storage on the pro models. Can you transport the sled with them folded down (like the bench in the xt650 model) or do you have to store them in the tub?

I leave mine folded down when traveling...no need to put them in the tub

[fisherman-andy]

This is what happens when everything is cheaply engineered and sent to china for poor manufacturing then turn around and charge a high price. Best part is get your paid "pro staff" to promote your over priced poorly made junk. Rant over.

Then where do one suggest these products be engineered? Here in the U.S? Who's to say you wont have the same issues and end up with more cost and a higher priced product? Then you have complaints of affordability.

The problem isnt where its engineered or made; its all quality control. Paying more doesnt always equal a better product. Hate to say this but made in the USA isnt all that either even though I rather support made in the USA.

Im a owner of a new Otter XT650 cabin and the housing cover fitted over my poles with no issues or minimal issues. The only gripe I had was the way it was folded in the packaging. This caused creases on the plastic hinges that hold the the housing or canvas to the sled.