portable shack floor ideas

[Dakota Iceman]

Hi, wondering if anyone has some ideas to keep your feet off the ice when inside a portable? Does carpeting work good? I was thinking about those rubber mats that they sell at the ag places for like stalls ect... would also thinking it would be nice to have your holes precut in the mat/carpet so a guy could drill the holes using the material as a template, then clean off the ice and set up your shack...perfect location of holes everytime!! anyone had experience going this route? Iceman out>

[say_der]

I have a Fish Trap 2 man portable. I built a wood frame w/ styrofoam insert in it to put my feet on. I designed it so my propane tank could sit in it while I transport my house (keeps it upright while pulling it & while in my truck). That keeps my feet up off the ice. I have good enough boots now that I don't need it but it used to help.

[Tahoe2349]

My brothers friend has a portable with such a set up he made!!
Made a false floor template with cut out for holes and propane tank & minnow bucket in opposite corners...Laid in inserts in all his holed areas and set floor in place and had "foam insulation" blown in under the floor which appeared about 3" think.
Has marine carpet over the floor board and looks great.

Also had 12V wiring through his side supports and overhead where there was a Rv type light over head. Had a portable seat base that housed his battery with a 12V female receptacle in the floor area the seat sits over.

I'm not a "portable" fisher but this thing looked great and simple for warmth & lighting..

[arbuck]

Iceman,
I have been fishing out of a flip over portable for a few years now and when I first bought it I thought the same thing, cold feet, need a floor. I tried the carpet idea and found that it is not nessasay. In fact I thought it was more of a pain in the backside than anything. Invest in some quality warm gor-tex boots and forget about toting around all the extra weight.

Just my .02
arbuck

[augernaut]

I have to agree - I mean, you buy a flipover portable to be, well, portable. The more garbage you bring on the ice with you, the less mobile you become. Good boots and a buddy heater, you can stay warm down to -30 in a one man flipover.

[joshb]

i am gonna make a floor for my otter lodge, not cuz i get cold feet but so when i am sitting in the same spot for a while.....or when i take the gf with, there isn't all that melting and slush. i plan on just using 3/8 inch treated ply cut the short way from side to side, carpet, then attach to hinges that run the complete length of the cut. it will foldup like a map and sit in the bottom of my sled. i'm not too worried about weight cuz if anyone has an otter lodge, you know it aint light enough to begin with. so adding 15 pounds is not an issue.

as stated above, i would not use a false floor in my one man, for reasons of mobility.

[30 inch eyes]

I used the semi-foam garage floor mats also called anti-fatigue mats to put on the ice keeps your feet warm and knees dry if you bend down to get something out of the hole, they also don't soak up any water and don't slip on glare ice. they are 2'x2' and lock together like a puzzle and are about 1/2 to 3/4 thick and lightweight. they are a grey color. they cost about $10 at an automotive parts store.