Clam 4000t or Otter xlh Lodge

[LindellProStaf]

Tomorrow I am going to buy the first hub house I have had.  I have a wheel house and a Clam flip over that I really like.  The local sporting goods store has a Otter xlh Lodge set up so got to see it.  Looks real nice in the store.  They have a Clam 4000t in the box.  Wish I could see it set up.  They are packed for room so not going to happen.  Both are insulated.  Same size I believe, about 8 x 8.  The clam is $20 more so that does not matter.  I would appreciate any good info you guys have on these two products.  Looking forward to a new toy and want the right one.  The only thing that worries me about the Clam is I hear so much about the zipper pulls coming off.  I guess they can be replaced though I don't know where you get them.  So please help.  I want to use it here on LOW before the football games start on Sunday.  I have to work on Sat...    

[LindellProStaf]

OR does anyone have either of these Hub Houses, and what do you think of them?

I have always liked Clam products and like Dave Genz's style as a person so would like to go that direction I guess.

[Todd Caswell]

For me a hub house is a waste of money, can't think of any time I would want anyone fishing with me in a " portable" setting and would not want to have to stake it down ..

 

[Mistermojo]

Howdy - check out a little pro/con comparison of the Otter, Clam, and Eskimo I did in this thread:

 

 

[LindellProStaf]

Thanks mojo.  Great info.  I want to keep my wheelhouse here on the river by my house so will use the hub so my wife can come along and hit the lake a few times a year when the bite is hot out there.  Will be a fun new toy to use.  A lot easier to set up than the old suitcase style I used years ago.  I opened it up after not using it for 10 years and it was full of mice holes.  Time for a new one.  Your info helped.

[ClownColor]

You might want to avoid both...1st off, Clam tends to be lower end fishing gear ( you already know about the zippers) but its $20 more- that seems like a double negative that DOESN'T make a positive.

I might be wrong here but is this Otters 1st run at HUBs? Past reports indicate most companies entering the HUB market for the first time run into some issues...however, Otter tends to make nice products. 

[LindellProStaf]

Like I said it looks good in the store.  

[38bill]

I have grandkids that want to try ice fishing so I picked up a Otter Lodge hub just last month. Still pretty new to me but I'm impressed with the look of things so far. I got the feeling that Otter did their homework when they designed them. Only time will tell how they hold up.

[Mistermojo]

No issues with the Otter out in the wind yesterday until I ran out of propane and had to put my jacket back on.    Fished 3 of us comfortably, not sure I would want to do 4 guys unless I had the Resort model.

The Clam Hub light really does throw off a bunch of light, it's very nice in the Otter with the light colored fabric compared to the dark walls of the Eskimo.

[LindellProStaf]

Got the Otter.  Went to the lake for a first time run and it worked great.  Went better than I imagined.  Fished for a few hours and brought 7 fish home.  A complete success.  The wife enjoyed it too.  We had a buck on first, most and biggest fish.  I owe her $3.  Of course she got a huge kick out of that.   lol

I am sure the Clam is a good house too.  They only had a Clam 6 x 6 here and I wanted 8 x 8 so had to go with the Otter.  Sure glad I went with that size.  Perfect 2 man house for me.  I don't like crowded.  

[Juan Grande]

Lindell,

I have the Clam XL40000T.  Just brought it out for the first time yesterday and I like it.  If you want a Bigfoot you have to get the 4000 to get thermal.  The XL2000 and xl6000 don't come in thermal. Best you can get with either of those is a thermal cap which is the roof only. 

You can't go wrong with the Otter. From what I've heard, they make great fish houses!

 

[mattLi]

I also have the Bigfoot XL4000T and I love it it very easy to set up and the bag that it comes with is over sized and really easy to put away. On calmer days  I don't even stake it down. The zippers seem to be really good quality the only thing I am not sure of is that you cant take out the windows and replace them but I am not sure that you would ever need to. I also have a Frabill thermal Guardian that I hardly use anymore since this is so much more roomy and easy to set up.

[Juan Grande]

Spot on about the bag Mattlinster, that's the best thing about it. A company who finally made a bag that is bigger than the actual contents so you have some wiggle room and it's easy to put away.  Seems like a small detail, but it's huge when trying to get that thing back in the bag when it's cold out.