Salem vs?

[bopper4]

Starting to look at wheel houses and am intrigued to the salems, true north, and yesterday I saw a Cherokee grey wolf I believe. I see they are all forest river products. Does anyone know the differences between them? Looking online the layout look very similiar.

[rustysetter]

Look at a big bite,very well made!

[kye1020]

Not here to bash any products out there. I do not have any experience with the Forest River ice houses. I do own a 2013 Forest River camper. If the ice houses are built anything like the campers are. I would strongly advise against them. The campers to me are a "entry level" camper and are cheaply built. I am disapointed with the general construction of the unit and do not see it lasting for many years. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for. I just wish I would have listened to my own words when purchasing my own camper last spring. I do have a lodge fish house and love it. I feel it is very well built and the attention to detail is above and beyond. They are expensive but these ice houses are built well. All houses go thru a ton of beating on the lake. I have seen many many broken axles, broken springs, and broken frames from the beating they take on the lakes. Personally I wouldnt be too caught up in the interior of these houses rather than the construction end of them. A well constructed house can be changed to your liking and poorly contructed house with a fancy interior can leave you on the side of the road or stranded on the lake. Just my opinion.

[Big A]

Myself and several friends have Ice Cabins and absolutely love them. Great company to work with and very well built. Would never look elsewhere.

As far as I have been told the only difference between true north and salem is what the letters on the outside of the house say.

The cherokee looks very nice as well. Has a few different options inside and out vs the Ice cabin/true north. Up to you on what is worth what in your books.

But I love my ice cabin and everyone I know that owns one loves theirs. Excellent choice.

[acesinthehole]

I own the Salem Ice Cabin 20RD model and love it. I would go with the ice cabin or true north (same just different name) over the Cherokee due the the type of frame they use (crank vs electric jacks) and the Cherokee does not site on the ice due to the frame set up.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I've been through quite a few of these at the shows, and I'm just generally unimpressed with the construction quality and materials. Lots of gaps, caulk, cheap materials, particle board paneling, etc. The electric jacks have a fair number of unfavorable reviews on this and other sites. I'm not big on Ice Castle, but even those look better constructed.

In order to get a better sample size of reviews, take a look at reviews on their RVs. It should be quite similar. The only difference is one has a frame that moves up and down.

[acesinthehole]

I've been through quite a few of these at the shows, and I'm just generally unimpressed with the construction quality and materials. Lots of gaps, caulk, cheap materials, particle board paneling, etc. The electric jacks have a fair number of unfavorable reviews on this and other sites. I'm not big on Ice Castle, but even those look better constructed.

In order to get a better sample size of reviews, take a look at reviews on their RVs. It should be quite similar. The only difference is one has a frame that moves up and down.

Ripper what do you mean buy cheap, caulk and particle board paneling? The panels a full cedar. There is caulk all the way along the bottom trim? I have not seen any bad reviews of the electrics jack on here?

[bopper4]

Thanks for all the input. My dad bought an ice castle last year and it works just fine being we really only tow it a few times a year for any distance but can tell they are an assembly line product. Big bite looks sweet and I've heard nothing but good reviews on lodges but my picket book isn't that deep. I also didn't care for their layouts. With a couple if gsps and a kid, eventually two I like an open floor plan. Do the salems with electric jacks have a backup system in case they fail?

[bopper4]

Also, does anyone know of any quality shell houses I could finish myself?

[slammer]

I would buy a Yetti for a shell house. Just my 02.

[Gus]

You can attach a socket and wrench to the electric jacks if the motors quit. I haven't heard of any issues on the jacks since their first year run.

The frame on the ice cabins are very sturdy. In my opinion, stronger than most.

I just got mine this year though, so I haven't really had a chance to beat it to hell.

When looking at pre-finished fish houses, you need to pick out what things are most important to you. None of them have it all, even the Lodges etc. Look at what is most important to you, and prioritize on down. You'll end up with your decision. It took me 3 years of sitting in and talking to reps at the ice shows to decide on what I wanted. Does it have it all, no. But it's the best fit for me and what I felt was most important.

[AlligatorDundee]

SALEM ICE CABIN

BLUE PRINTED.

DEALER and ACTUAL RV manufacture BACKED.

When I ordered my 2012 Ice Cabin

I asked My Salem Dealer to lend me a new Ice Cabin

To fish the last two weeks of the 2011 season.

Because I new they would let me.

They filled my propane tanks.

THEY DON'T EVEN RENT OUT RVs.

[Greenhornet84]

Most rv s are built like junk and finished to look nice . Lip ripper guy. Has some of the best fish house info/experience on this site I've been following his post for a long time. A buddy and I built ours this year and it's working great so far but if I had the money I would go with a yeti shell and finish it the way you want it inside

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Ripper what do you mean buy cheap, caulk and particle board paneling? The panels a full cedar. There is caulk all the way along the bottom trim? I have not seen any bad reviews of the electrics jack on here?

I should have given a more detailed response. Sorry.

'Some' of the electric jacks had been stripping gears. Probably read of 4-5 different guys that had that issue. Don't know if that is ongoing, or which brand had/has the problem.

I also should have specified that I didn't pay attention to the particular brand house. I can say that I was in a couple houses built by an RV manufacturer, and it was very shoddy work. This was at the ice fishing show, which is where I would think a manufacturer would want their product to shine. I look very closely at the exterior around windows and the various trim pieces. When I see tube(s) of caulk used around each window, I find that pretty unimpressive. Not to mention a nightmare down the road.

The fact that these are built by a big manufacturer doesn't necessarily equate to a guarantee of a quality product. Look at all the Ice Castle furnace issues this year, for example. Again, for reviews specific to the houses in question, take a look at the RV reviews for a larger sample size.

Just my $.02. Your mileage may vary. If I were a fish house buyer trying to educate myself on the various products, these are the type of posts I would like to see. Be an educated buyer, so you aren't surprised down the road.

[randerson]

I agree with LRG when I go into these houses you can tell the ones that are massed produced like a RV company or IC where even most Yetti's have a better quality build because there being done by mostly cabinet builders/contractors that pay closer attention to detail yes there are a few I been in that have had some corners cut but in general the individual contractors that finish them do great work I personally owned a Lodge and there wasn't many corners cut but to I paid for it. They say if you want something done right do it yourself at least that way you know the ins and outs of something if you do have issues. That being said the Salems are a fine house for what you pay and there is problems with everything.

[bopper4]

This is an awesome thread! Thanks everyone, exactly what I'm looking for! There is a lot to be said about building your own and making it your own. Years ago I tore apart what I believe was an old ice castle, wired for 110, out in a fold out bed, and put in a new vented furnace. Over the years if using that thing I have came to know anything and everything there is to know about the house and have spare parts on hand to fix anything on the fly! I'm trying to learn A little about the new furnaces in today's wheel houses as well but always have a backup heater on hand for the night I need it!

As far as aluminum frames go, do they tend to hold up to as much abuse? I know quite a few guys whom have had the aluminum on snowmobile trailers break over the years, which obviously worries me. I also remember reading about the aluminum studs sweating inside the walls causing water issues, and I also remember the first year of salems and their jack issues. I see above that it seems as if the jacks were fixed, how about the issues with the aluminum studs? Also anyone have a take on hydraulic frames? I personally know a guy that had a ton of trouble with them years ago, again if I remember correctly it was in their first few years of production