Pros/Cons.. 3 man flip by Clam, Frabill or Otter

[ice_l0rd]

Hey all,

I am looking at getting a 3 man flip for my 2 boys and myself.

I was looking at the Frabill, Clam, and Otter. What are the opinions out there on these 3 brands? What are the advantages of one over the other?

TIA

[deepportage01]

I had a frabill for years and loved it. I just sold it last week after six years of good hard ice fishing it seved me well, now I have up graded to the Otter 2 cabin and man the over all qualty is just plain good all the way around from the poles to the canvas and sled.

Now this is MO but I would go with the 4 man for you and your two boys sooner or later they will have as much gear as you and want to use it.

The sqare tubing is what sold me on the otter, it slides soooo nice with no kinking of the poles.my frabill was loud to fish in when there was wind that was really sickening to listen too.

I donno man if I had to list all three from good to bad

#1 Otter, sqare poles,good canvas,nice high sled.

#2 Clam,good canvas,low sled

#3 Frabill, thin fabric, kinky poles,low sled, but man are they light

I don't sit or roll over for anyone, and I'm not paid to say good things about any of the three sleds but the Otter is best for me folowed by Clam in close 2nd place.

[Northlander]

Do a search, there has been thousands of posts on this.

Lots of good houses out there its about what you need, how you use it and what you can afford.

For me its Otter. I have had many houses and I use my stuff almost daily and I dont pamper it. Otters will last when others wont.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Just MO but if your looking to ice fish with your 2 sons in an ice house, chances are you won't move a lot. I would suggest and Eskimo Lodge. I got one about a year ago and love it. Nice thing about it is the room. I'll have 4 guys in the hut, a table,heater, 2 aquaviews one for each side, and four poles. Then everyone puts a tip up outside the window that they sit by. I don;t know why most guys think they are tought to move. If the fish weren't bitting. we just left everything in the hut ant pulled the hut standing to the spot we wanted it at. Sometimes it was a little tough with the wind, but if you went with the wind it was really easy.Also the canvas is nice and thick, my friends frabill is so thin you have to dress for the cold to keep warm, with the eskimo I hardly ever had to run the heater untill the night time. My self, I like a solid floor under my feet. Some guys are diffrent though. I found out the hard way. Cold ice+kids feet=cold feet. Cold feet=sick sick=less sleep for me.

[Jim Hudson]

Well I guess I will have to go against the grain here and make a vouch for the Fish Trap line of shelters.

I would look into the likes of the Voyager, depending on how old your kids are. If they are younger, the three seats this shelter comes with will suit you well. This shelter is very roomy for two grown adults and can fit a third smaller person, and if it is just you and two young kids, you will be set. But if they are older, check out the new X Trap 4. A 4 person shelter that flips over on both sides. Similar to other 4 person shelters on the market, but differ in the pole glide technology they have. Rigid round tubing that fits well with this beast of a shelter.

One thing is for sure, with any two to three man shelter, hand towing them will be a bear through any amount of snow/slush conditions. Hopefully you have a snowmobile/ATV to tow these tubs or are just going to drive to the spot on the spot with your truck when the ice gets thick enough.

Other neat thing is that if you fish with buddies that also have Fish Traps you can link them together with the Trap Link. Makes for a fun time for the kids, running back and forth between the shelters. Can also set up a table for them to play on when the fishing gets a little slow.

[wishing for walleyes]

I also have an eskimo lodge and really like it.It sets up very fast(Can be done in 30 seconds)When pulling it out you can set alot of gear on it.Lots of room in it once you get it setup.

[jigging-matt]

Another vote here for the Clam Voyeger. Bought mine last year and wish I would have done it a few years ago.

[ice_l0rd]

I have a 9 year old and a 12 year old. Which means in a few years, it will be like 3 adults in the shantie. I have a 5600 and aside from it being a 2 man, setup and tear down has been a pain, especially in a good wind. I have a 20' camper converted into an icehouse, so the cushy fishing works for 1/2 the season, but it takes almost 2' of ice to roll that bad boy out.

So that's where me plan for a portable 3 man (or 4 man) comes into play. I do have a sled and 4 wheeler, so weight isn't a big issue. When I looked at the otter, it seemed to me that the bench seat was less comfortable than the padded swivel chairs I have seen in the clam and Frabill. This is good info, keep it coming.

Thanks

[jerkin'm]

I have the Otter Village...it flips out both ways from the sled allowing fishing on both sides. Easily fish four guys in it. I made a wood, trunk like box to fit in the sled and mounted padded, swivel, folding boat seats to the top. It is about as comfy as you can get in a portable. I have a two man frabill flip over as well....Hasn't been used since I bought the otter....If you have a sled and wheeler so weight isn't a consideration it would be a good option....

[minneman]

Dont forget about the Otter Resort!

[Ryan_V]

another vote for the voyager. I looked at the Otter and the voyager, went with the voyager for price and weight. both awesome setups, and the otter has the square tubing and heavier sled, but is much more $$ and more weight.

[ChuckN]

I vote for the Otter, and I have the Lodge. I've fished 3 in a Lodge, but it would be nice to get a larger model if there's three.

I have had the swivel seats in my Otter, and they would work fine if you are around 6' tall/taller, IMO. I'm a bit shorter and when I used the swivel seats I sat bit high and farther back so my feet would not hit the ice for enough support to be totally comfortable. I bought the bench seat and it is MUCH more comfortable. The bench seat can be easily adjusted, along with some of the swivel seats, but not enough with the swivels in my case. I will never give up the bench seat.

Other pluses to the bench is when I fish alone I can put beverages and tackle boxes all over the seat while fishing without fumbling for stuff in the sled.