# Pop Up Shanty questions



## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

My brother, a buddy of ours, and myself are talking about going in together on a pop up. We're thinking about getting a 6 man since we do an outing with several other guys in February. This leads me to my questions. First, do they usually restock the large pop ups after they run out, or do we need to grab one while they still have them in stock? Second, where are the best places to get these? Our buddy will probably actually pick the thing up and hang onto it if we get it in a store since he's the only one that still lives in Michigan. If we get it online, we have to pay for shipping and you end up paying an extra 20 bucks or so. Obviously, we would want to find a reputable online dealer that sells them for cheap enough to make up the difference in shipping costs. Last, which ones do any of you think are the best? From what I can tell, the Eskimo Quickfish 6 has better reviews than the one made by Clam, and the Frabill doesn't have any reviews that I can find. (I think it's newer.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!


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## Lazy K (Jul 28, 2004)

I'm using the Eskimo Quick Fish and it's a really nice unit to set up, take down and fish in. I've not tried the others so can't give a comparison. The Eskimo is well built and the canvas is nice and heavy. It's dark enough when sealed up that we spear out of it too.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

Lazy K - Thanks for the info. Your review sounds similar to what I've heard. Mind if I ask where you got it and how much you paid?


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## unclepaully (Nov 26, 2007)

I own an Eskimo quickfish 6. I love mine and so do the other guys who fish with me. For a group of four or five guys nothing beats it. Plenty of room and light enough for foot travel. 
As far as a place online I would recommend Glen's Outdoors. Prices are pretty much the best out there. Also check to see if there are online coupons floating around. Last year I got mine on sale with free shipping. Right now they are asking $249.95. I would also give the new 6 person from glens a look. I've been reading some good stuff about that one and its the cheapest. Supposedly they have added a few things that the clam and eskimo do not have.
I would say the only drawback is that it is ALOT of space to heat. Get a good heater! 
If you have any other questions just ask.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

unclepaully said:


> I own an Eskimo quickfish 6. I love mine and so do the other guys who fish with me. For a group of four or five guys nothing beats it. Plenty of room and light enough for foot travel.
> As far as a place online I would recommend Glen's Outdoors. Prices are pretty much the best out there. Also check to see if there are online coupons floating around. Last year I got mine on sale with free shipping. Right now they are asking $249.95. I would also give the new 6 person from glens a look. I've been reading some good stuff about that one and its the cheapest. Supposedly they have added a few things that the clam and eskimo do not have.
> I would say the only drawback is that it is ALOT of space to heat. Get a good heater!
> If you have any other questions just ask.



Thanks. I may check Glen's out. I'm not too worried about the amount of space. We have at least 3 Mr. Heater Buddy heaters plus a couple lanterns. My Dad built a homemade hodgepodge shanty last year using 2 x 6's, conduit, and tarps. It was pretty close to the same size as the Quickfish6. We had one Mr. Heater and a lantern in there, and we were cooking.


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## LxHunter1983 (Nov 10, 2008)

I ordered a Eskimo quickfish 3 from glens. Very fast shipping. If you order the glens model it is 239.95 and if you use the code shantytown it is FREE shipping.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

Wow. I was just researching them on Glen's website. If you include the shipping on the Eskimo, it would be almost 40 bucks cheaper to get the Glen's model.

LxHunter - is yours actually the Glen's brand or did you get the Eskimo? You said Eskimo, but I just wondered if anyone on here has any experience with the Glen's Brand. It sounds pretty similar, but everyone says good things about those Eskimos so I don't want to make a big mistake just to save a few bucks. Especially since I'm splitting the cost with two other guys.


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## LxHunter1983 (Nov 10, 2008)

I have the Eskimo. Here is a thread about the glens.
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=156287.0


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

LxHunter1983 said:


> I have the Eskimo. Here is a thread about the glens.
> http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=156287.0


Good info to have. The Glen's doesn't sound too bad.


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## BryPaulD (May 30, 2009)

get one while you can, most places will not get them back in until next season


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## 3rd_geer (Dec 21, 2009)

Is the Eskimo also a 600 denier fabric? I'm looking to get a six man hub and both the Eskimo and the glens one look really nice but I cant find how heavy of fabric the Eskimo has.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

BryPaulD - That's what I was afraid of. I may have to light a fire under my Brother and our Friend. I don't think my brother understands how the ice fishing gear sales usually works. I tried to tell him that they usually restock. He was like "I can't imagine that they won't take advantage of ice season in full swing and not get more in."

I appreciate everyone's help so far. Hopefully I can get them on it sooner rather than later.


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## Benelli Bob (Sep 23, 2010)

I'm happy with my Eskimo quick fish 3. My friends and I have 3 of them. No problems so far. Just make sure you anchor them down if the wind is blowing or you'll end up chasing it.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

Benelli Bob said:


> I'm happy with my Eskimo quick fish 3. My friends and I have 3 of them. No problems so far. Just make sure you anchor them down if the wind is blowing or you'll end up chasing it.


Yeah. My Step Brother has an Ice Cube (I think) 4 - Man and we had it blow up on us once. Most of the time, if it's not that windy we can just pile snow on the flaps and hold it down. I'd imagine based on its size, the 6 man definitely needs to be anchored down.


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## white shark (Aug 2, 2009)

FYI-
The costco on 23 near Brighton has the quickfish 3 for $169.00


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## mkroulik (Jan 14, 2003)

Just a thought, but unless you are doing something like smelt fishing and each only using one pole, fishing 6 people in a shanty will be very tight.

Mike


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## BlackRhino (Feb 21, 2005)

I have the Frabill. It is nice. Being black it collects heat. Also, usually we just tied one corner to the rhino without anchoring with the screws.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

mkroulik said:


> Just a thought, but unless you are doing something like smelt fishing and each only using one pole, fishing 6 people in a shanty will be very tight.
> 
> Mike


That's pretty much exactly what we will be doing. We do an outing every year in February on Higgins Lake. We do a little perch fishing, but we usually fish mostly smelt. We might only end up with four guys in it at a time, but then we will just have lots of room.


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## 3rd_geer (Dec 21, 2009)

Thats why i need the 6 man, only for smelt fishing. It gets boring only having one person to talk to all night. I figure this way we can comfortably put four or five of us in there and have some room left to move around a bit. I wanted the big clam hub, fishcamp i think it is, until I saw it in person, i think my truck could fit in there. I dont know how you would ever heat it.


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## mkroulik (Jan 14, 2003)

I have the clam base camp. It's big!! A heater on each end and we usually have our coats off. 

Mike


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## Lazy K (Jul 28, 2004)

I bought mine on this site used for $100. The ONLY thing that really sucks about them is trying to put them back in the stupid back pack cover when you are done fishing. I haul mine in a jet sled so don't need the pack straps. Just need to protect it from getting cut and keep it from parachuting out of the back of the truck. lol Yesterday I bought one of those 8" quick crete fiber tubes for $5 and it slides in and out of that pretty easy. I'm trying to find an 8" tube made of plastic that is lighter than pvc. That would be the ticket.


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## CharlieRay (Jan 27, 2010)

Have a 3 man pop up. Damn thing is great. Spear or rod fish out of it. Set up times a snap and take down. Traveling on foot with it is easier than pulling a floor shanty. Plus their much easier to store. Get one now as around Feb they're hard to find. Thinking of getting one of the 6 mans too. I chain smoke cigars, cigs, and chew so not having a floor is great for spit and ashes. The larger area inside is good for the thick cloud that can build up in the small floor shanties.

Two Cons but not a big deal. Its a kind of a pain to get the ice anchor screws started. Thinking of getting some lags similar in size and a bringin my battery powered drill out for it. In high wind you need them. Second con is if you plan a long day out there and have a heater kicking on high the floor can turn into a puddle. But just pick it up and move over a few feet and your good to go. Love these pop ups over floored shantys.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

Well, we made our decision yesterday. After listening to the advice on here plus doing a little more research we ended up ordering the Glen's Outdoors 6 man pop up that unclepaully suggested we take a look at. $239.95 and free shipping. Great Deal. It sounds like they pretty much took good features from the Clam and Eskimo models and put them together. We really liked the 2 piece straight zippered doors in place of one piece curved zippered doors. Glen's Outdoors seems to have good prices and super fast service. The order was in yesterday morning and it shipped yesterday afternoon. As far as the anchors go, I've heard they work better if you start the holes with a drill first. Anyone else tried this?

Thanks for all the great info.


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## unclepaully (Nov 26, 2007)

Let us know how you like the glens 6 man. I might be in the market for a 1 man pop up. You're right about glens service very fast and easy to have something corrected if you have any problems. By far my favorite sporting goods store to order online from.


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## mkroulik (Jan 14, 2003)

Clam makes and installation tool for the anchors that mounts on a drill.

http://www.thornebros.com/winter/shelters/clam/iceanchors.html

Mike


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## BryPaulD (May 30, 2009)

I use that clam drill attachment...works like a champ


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## Flag Up (Feb 15, 2009)

I have the quickfish 6 and we have had some great times with it. I bring a small cordless drill to pilot all the anchors, this works slick. I also use bicycle hooks made for your garage to use as additional anchors for when the wind really gets going. Take the time to really anchor it down and it is rock solid. Two people can set up and tare down in just about any conditions. To reduce the melting of the ice on long sits we set the buddy heaters on top of milk crates to get them off from the ice surface. This seems to help alot.


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

talked to my brother earlier today. He was at our buddy's place and the Glens 6 man arrived. They set it up in his garage. Said it was real nice and HUGE. Sounds like it should work out well. I will let you know how it fares out on the ice once one of us makes it out. I'm not sure I'll make it out till February, but our buddy may take it out before then.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JimmyJames (Nov 27, 2010)

Last year I got my shanty from a random vendor on amazon. It a 4 person popup and I paid $125 with shipping.


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## glockman55 (Mar 9, 2006)

Cruisin' Spartan said:


> talked to my brother earlier today. He was at our buddy's place and the Glens 6 man arrived. They set it up in his garage. Said it was real nice and HUGE. Sounds like it should work out well. I will let you know how it fares out on the ice once one of us makes it out. I'm not sure I'll make it out till February, but our buddy may take it out before then.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


They look big.. I wonder how that Hub style double will be folding up.. I struggle with my hunting blind when I take it down..But thats just me.. Keep us posted..


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## Cruisin' Spartan (Jan 31, 2010)

glockman55 said:


> They look big.. I wonder how that Hub style double will be folding up.. I struggle with my hunting blind when I take it down..But thats just me.. Keep us posted..


They said it took them about 4 minutes to put it up for the first time. They said it went up pretty easily. Didn't say anything about it being difficult fold back up. They were even able to put it back in the bag ok as far as I know. I definitely saw pictures of it up and then back in the bag.


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