Ice Gator vs ION

[DTro]

I know I konw, people can pick many things apart in this video, but on the surface it is very eye opening, and I would most certainly trust a video like this before I would some professionally done piece.

[Lusid]

don't innovate if you can copy someone else and "Make it better"

[slurpie]

Well that's a fair amount of holes. The ice gator guy is [PoorWordUsage] off at ion that's for sure. What kind of shaft is on the gator? Seems like electrics have came a long ways.

[harvey lee]

My big question is, did they both use the same model auger shaft and cutting blade's? Huge difference.

The Gator could have had a NIl's auger and the Ion a different one so one would be faster than the other. They never talked what auger heads they used.

One could have had a NIl's factory head and another could have had a Frank Deluca aggressivly sharpened one that that could also make a difference.

Blade for blade, yep, the Ice G blew the Ion away.

[aanderud]

My big question is, did they both use the same model auger shaft and cutting blade's? Huge difference.

The Gator could have had a NIl's auger and the Ion a different one so one would be faster than the other. They never talked what auger heads they used.

One could have had a NIl's factory head and another could have had a Frank Deluca aggressivly sharpened one that that could also make a difference.

No they're not the same cutters. He doesn't claim they use the same blades. I read his commentary under the video, he says that the gator is using a strikemaster blade and the Ion is using the blade it ships with.

I guess my question is why would you prefer that he puts a different head on the ion auger to test it? If they do that, how is it really a valid comparison? You buy the ion head with an auger, so that's the unit that should be tested. Otherwise someone looks at the review and says "where can I buy one of those"....oh, well when you buy it, you get that other cutting head that we're not looking at. Doesn't make any sense. His method of testing it stock makes the most sense here.

What I'm seeing is that not only is the gator better, but the ion folks are falsely claiming that they were first -- since the gator has been out for years. The ion is a good auger. Gator is better. Better doesn't always sell more or make more money in this day/age. Those who were around during the beta/vhs days said beta was better quality all around, yet VHS became the defacto standard for a decade or more.

Marketing does a lot. Not sure why the gator folks aren't selling more units, but I'm guessing there are reasons similar to why the canvas craft folks don't sell more houses.

[CJH]

Not sure why the gator folks aren't selling more units, but I'm guessing there are reasons similar to why the canvas craft folks don't sell more houses.

Marketing and cost, pretty simple. Ice gator costs more, so that is pretty self explanatory. Ion you can find at most of the chain stores, Ice Gator you can not. Ion has also been at the Ice Show the last two years, has Gator? I don't remember them being there. You have to "sell" they product if you actually want someone to buy it. My

[B-man715]

I think the fellas from Ion say they were the first to use lithium ion batteries?? Not the first to make an electric auger....

The Ice Gator is one mean machine, and no doubt blows all other electric augers away.

But it doesn't fit the bill for everybody. When it comes to equipment and performance, everything has a compromise.

The initial cost would be very expensive ($540 + $100-$150 bit) So you're talking $640-700 into it ........ not to mention a $240 replacement battery....

They say the batteries are not effected by the cold, but we all know that is bologna. Warm batteries work better than cold ones..... How do you keep that whole power-head warm for the best performance?? Can't exactly set it on the dash.....

We all agree that speed is awesome...the Ice Gator is FAST!.. but too fast for me in a wheelhouse trying to keep ice out of the shack. The overall size and weight of the Gator was another turn off for me. But that reverse is awesome Wish the Ion had it!

[Hawg]

I fish as much as anyone and have never seen an Ice Gator in real life. Why would I buy something that must be a very limited production unit? If they were accessible I might have bought one. What does a gator with a Lithium ion battery cost?

[cam7069]

The ice gator only comes with a adapter for hand auger and is 540. It is wired for there charger witch you have to buy separate! 700. later yes it does cut a lot of holes between charges.

[DTro]

The ice gator only comes with a adapter for hand auger and is 540. It is wired for there charger witch you have to buy separate! 700. later yes it does cut a lot of holes between charges.

According to their site, the $540 includes head, auger adapter of your choice, battery pack and charger. So yes you would still have to buy an auger shaft as well.

All the marketing things aside, I thought the video was very interesting.

[MikeH55343]

It looks like the Ice Gator has a shaft higher RPM.

[Great Outdoors]

The Ice Gator is one cutting machine, and they did offer the Lithium Battery Pack several years ago.

As someone mentioned, the battery charger is included with the power head.

I talked to someone at Ice Gator and they stated that the most holes come when using a Nils cutting head.

You can cut the number in half if using a chipper blade type head, but that was before they had the Lithium option.

[harvey lee]

Ice Gater is an AWESOME auger and I have a Nils head on my Ice Gator.

NO way Ion was first with an elec and I believe Ice Gator did or does offer an Ion battery pack.

I believe I have had my Gator for either 4 or 5 years.

May be a spendy but works great for what I use it for.

It's heavy, it's a bit costly and it cuts like no other.

Brian, I was just wondering how each would do if they both had the same auger on the powerehad. Then we would truely know which powerhead cuts the fastest. I realize one cannot purchase it set up like that but was just trying to see which truely is the fastest. I understand your comparison. Maybe I am going to deep into the comparison.

[harvey lee]

I think the fellas from Ion say they were the first to use lithium ion batteries?? Not the first to make an electric auger....

The Ice Gator is one mean machine, and no doubt blows all other electric augers away.

But it doesn't fit the bill for everybody. When it comes to equipment and performance, everything has a compromise.

The initial cost would be very expensive ($540 + $100-$150 bit) So you're talking $640-700 into it ........ not to mention a $240 replacement battery....

They say the batteries are not effected by the cold, but we all know that is bologna. Warm batteries work better than cold ones..... How do you keep that whole power-head warm for the best performance?? Can't exactly set it on the dash.....

We all agree that speed is awesome...the Ice Gator is FAST!.. but too fast for me in a wheelhouse trying to keep ice out of the shack. The overall size and weight of the Gator was another turn off for me. But that reverse is awesome Wish the Ion had it!

You can buy or make a slush bucket so you will have no worries with ice chips flying around in the house. Very easy to make an a post telling how in the Ice Fishing forum.

As Far as keeping it warm, It cuts well for me when it has been in the pick up box but I have not went out with it and cut 100 holes with it being cold or at least the battery pack. Works fine with cold batteries but I am sure it would cut even more with warm batteries if needed. If I use it in the wheel house, most times I only need 4-6 holes and that is not an issue with a cold battery at all.

Cheap, no, but a darn good auger.

[hamms-scooter]

I saw that video and posted about it and people jumped on me like it just wasn't fair comparison... It is one brand against another. That gator killed the ion. I know ion has a 6" auger now as well. If I didn't own a light weight tanaka The gator would be a serious option. I run a 6" drill most of the time so I would get endless power from Ice Gator with lith ion pack. Not to heavy either. I loved the video and I'm a fan.

[hamms-scooter]

I believe Rod Woten runs the ION with 6" lazer maybe he will give a report on how he likes that combo.

[BLACKJACK]

Why would they sell it without an auger attached??! Could I take the 8" auger off my Stikemaster Lazer Mag?? Or my SM Electra?? Sounds like the Ice Gator would be the way to go, I could cut down to one auger. Hate the Electra, it just about jerks your arms off when its getting to the bottom of the holes. But its going to be hard to sell one of the SM's if it doesn't have an auger on it....

[CaptainMusky]

I have a feeling it was probably difficult for them to get a contract with some drill company to supply them. Just a guess.

You can use the ones from your strikemaster, eskimo, etc, but a Jiffy wont work.

[hamms-scooter]

Yeah comes without. You have many options that way. Get adapter for nils, lazer, a hand auger you like like fin bore... You wouldn't touch that electra lazer head again.

[BLACKJACK]

You wouldn't touch that electra lazer head again.

Not much of a market for just the head either. I'd like to get down to just one auger, its a pain to carry two, especially on extended trips where you have a lot of other gear. My thought is that if the Ice Gator is really that good and can cut a lot of holes I'd sell both the SM Lazer Mag and Electras.....

Hate to part with the Lazer Mag though, have had it for over 10 years, its been a cutting machine, and starts on the third pull every time. I watch other guys struggle with their augers, hard starting, leaning on it to cut and really appreciate the Lazer Mag.