# Best one/two man shanty



## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

I fish alone for the most part. The one man's I've looked at were light(VERY important to me) but just too small. The two man's were all very nice sized but too heavy. 

I need to be able to throw that shanty into my truck alone(unloaded) and it has to be reasonably towable on foot. I prefer the flip style shanties.

I have fished in a homemade shanty for 25 years and it has served me well(38" x 38" x 60") but I'd like to move into something just a little larger.

Any input would be appreciated. If you have one you like alot and it sounds like it would fit the bill, please respond or shoot me a PM.

Harry


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## ericzerka24 (Aug 12, 2010)

I have the clam nanook thats pretty awesome. If you feel like spending a little extra I'd go with the frabils.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Here's the one I plan on getting. Its a little more roomy than the trap pro. There's 2 different models. I like the one with the bench seat, it has a netting underneath and works great for rod storage to keep them off the bottom of tub. Plus their made here in Michigan!

http://www.shappell.com/rover15dxshelter.html


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## jrsoup (Mar 2, 2007)

Ralph Smith said:


> Here's the one I plan on getting. Its a little more roomy than the trap pro. There's 2 different models. I like the one with the bench seat, it has a netting underneath and works great for rod storage to keep them off the bottom of tub. Plus their made here in Michigan!
> 
> http://www.shappell.com/rover15dxshelter.html


Ralph don't buy that one till Shappell comes out with this years line. After I wrecked that brand new otter I bought last year I fixed it and sold it. Was going to buy a new 2.0. Capt. Andy told me to wait till this season as they are revamping the entire line of Rovers. I used my old 2.0 the rest of last season and am going to check the new line out in the fall.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Thanks Jeff Still using my buddy Joe's 2.0, so can wait. It just gets pretty darn heavy loaded down to lift up and down on my rack:yikes: Hope they don't do away with the bench seat and storage, I really like that feature. Noticed some of the Eskimo's have that, and they look pretty nice.


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## jrsoup (Mar 2, 2007)

From what I understand the hinge system for the framework and the frame itself is totally redesigned. Going to be interesting to see.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Sounds great, just hope that don't make a big hike in price to compare with the otters and Eskimos. I'm sure it will though:sad: I guess if its worth it, will have to wait and see.


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## bucktownboy (Dec 28, 2008)

I have a Trekker II . It drags like a dead horse thru the snow until I set an old pair of downhill ski under it . Now fully loaded with the bird, auger, camera , heater and poles , it pulls easy with two fingers . I like that I can take one seat out when I'm fishing alone .

Bucktownboy


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

I bought the frabill commando last year and I love it. Nice windows, roomy. and a padded boat seat. I see they came out with a commando Max this year that looks even nicer but heavier too.


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## Lerxst (Feb 2, 2008)

Harry go with the Shappell Rover 1.5-SP. I would have bought that one when I was in the market I loved the bench seat but at the time I didn't like the frame. They now have changed the frame to a telescopic system just like the Clams. I have the Fish Trap Pro which I love but I wish it had the bench seat. It has the room your looking for and it's only 45 lbs. I put the UHMW rectangular bar on the bottom of my tub and it glides over the ice/snow with little effort. You saw mine at the meet n greet. The new Rover is priced right too $259.99.............Scott

Check it out : http://www.shappell.com/rover15spshelter.html


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

I don't think that one has the bench with netting under it. They had some like that at Franks that had just a piece of carpeted wood seat, then some with the chair seat(dx).


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

I have an older clam one man and a new nanook. The nanook i put a regular boat seat in and I love it . It pulls easy and is easy to load. I didnt bolt the seats down and can take one or two.


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## BIG DAVE (Mar 3, 2003)

ficious said:


> I fish alone for the most part. The one man's I've looked at were light(VERY important to me) but just too small. The two man's were all very nice sized but too heavy.
> 
> I need to be able to throw that shanty into my truck alone(unloaded) and it has to be reasonably towable on foot. I prefer the flip style shanties.
> 
> ...


old bones cant take the cold??? :lol: buddy don bought one from jackie 
last year, its a 1.5 man... very light and lots of room, he fishes 3 poles from it!!! the material is like a heavy vinyl.. cant remember what brand!!!
but think he payed bout $350...will ask him what brand!!! also dont forget
your discount there... dave


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

I have an older clam one man and a new nanook. The nanook i put a regular boat seat in and I love it . It pulls easy and is easy to load. I didnt bolt the seats down and can take one or two.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Harry,

I have a FT pro (1 man) and FT guide (2 man). What I've found is that its actually easier to pull the two man through the snow than it is the one man given the same amount of gear loaded into each one. The greater surface area of the two man is what makes the difference and keeps it from sinking as deeply into the snow. Loading it into the back of a truck is easier too. I put one end up on the tailgate, walk back and lift the other end and push it into the truck.

Another thing that makes them a LOT easier to pull is adding about ten more feet to the overall length of the pull rope (measured from the tub to the end of the loop). I slip step inside the big loop of rope and pull it up to my waist and start walking.


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## Lerxst (Feb 2, 2008)

Ralph Smith said:


> I don't think that one has the bench with netting under it. They had some like that at Franks that had just a piece of carpeted wood seat, then some with the chair seat(dx).


It has the the new frame system but yeah it looks like it's not the deluxe bench seat with back rest and netting underneath.


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## Quack Wacker (Dec 20, 2006)

Which ever you decide on either the 1 man or 2 man, I would HIGHLY recommend picking up one of these babies. I got one last year and use it on my two man and it is a world and I mean WORLD of difference then pulling with your hands. 

$34.99 at www.clamcorp.com


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## Outdoor2daCore (Nov 8, 2010)

After seeing that, I think I'm going to rig something up with some of the harnesses I get from the factory deer tree stands that I never use. Same basic concepts, my nicer harness has a deer drag attachment, why not modify some of the cheaper ones if you got em laying around. Just my .02


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

That's what I'm talking about with making the pull rope a lot longer than the factory original. Put it around your waist, its a LOT easier to pull from there than it is higher up and in the middle of your back.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

ih772 said:


> That's what I'm talking about with making the pull rope a lot longer than the factory original. Put it around your waist, its a LOT easier to pull from there than it is higher up and in the middle of your back.


Yep, my rope on shanty and on jet sled each are about 10', and are just a large loop (attached at both sides on front). I just pull it up under arms across chest and walk with spud in one hand and the other hand is empty. Same concept, works great instead of pulling with an arm. I always have who ever is with me walk behind sled, that way if I do ever unfortunately go through the ice, the rope will stop me since its up under my armpits, and the can grab the back of sled to help pull me out. Also I always carry a boat cushion as a seat, and can be used if ever anyone is in the water.


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## ficious (Aug 28, 2002)

Can't wait til fall to see some of the shanties that you guys have recommended. It's hard to make a choice from small pictures, but I like the idea of a bench seat versus the boat style seat. I want to look at the pole/frame systems of the various brands too. 

Anyone use a piece of rubber or carpet to block some of the incoming light to see deeper/clearer?

Harry


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## jfn (Apr 24, 2011)

is that otter a bad sled ? looks great ,looks roomy ....i was thinking of the black & orange one man ....really looks nice ,price a little more ,but cover is included. the one man almost looks like you could fit an adult & youngster . i bought the commando last year ...luv it but elbow room is a little tight & no way for even a kid to join ya . love not having to screw with the poles ...just flip & go ..


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## jfn (Apr 24, 2011)

i wish i would of taken a trip to Franks .....they display all the shanties out !!! last years shapell 1.5 had two models one with a back to the bench seat & one with No back .before i bought the commando ...the 1.5 was the one i wanted ,,,but not the one the local sporting shop had ...without the back piece.


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## 3rd_geer (Dec 21, 2009)

jfn said:


> is that otter a bad sled ? looks great ,looks roomy ....i was thinking of the black & orange one man ....really looks nice ,price a little more ,but cover is included. the one man almost looks like you could fit an adult & youngster . i bought the commando last year ...luv it but elbow room is a little tight & no way for even a kid to join ya . love not having to screw with the poles ...just flip & go ..


I love the otters. I'm not sure how soup had the problem with his, maybe just a bad sled?, but I use an otter medium sled for a pack sled and it is TOUGH. I also use the same sled for hunting and around the yard. Compared to all the other sleds out there theirs is definitely the most rugged, but its also the heaviest. The black and orange one you are talking about is the wild series and I believe the sleds are a little lighter duty, but still good setups.


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## Flag Up (Feb 15, 2009)

I bought the Shappell 1.5 Rover SP last season and just love it. Shappell also makes the 1.5 DX. The DX comes with a thicker tent material, a cushier bench seat with a back rest and the under seat storage. But the DX comes with a added cost and weight. All of these extras could easily be added as a home mod if you wanted. The telescoping poles have worked just fine so far. I am 6'2" 280 and found this unit to be more than enough room for me and my gear.


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## y2ba (Jan 9, 2005)

I fish out of the rover 1.0 and wish it were just a bit bigger. It is light and pulls excellant. For the extra space wish i woulda picked up the 1.5. The only knock i have is the bench seat is a little low and takes a toll on my back. I usually slide it back and put my bucket in the sled. All in all the rover is great...and made in michigan. Shappell has awesome customer service!!!


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## jfn (Apr 24, 2011)

Justin said:


> I bought the frabill commando last year and I love it. Nice windows, roomy. and a padded boat seat. I see they came out with a commando Max this year that looks even nicer but heavier too.


 
Did you put the runners on the bottom of your sled ?


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## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Not yet but I'm planning on it.


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## jfn (Apr 24, 2011)

Justin said:


> Not yet but I'm planning on it.


 


I bought the tracks ,but have not put them on yet ...we had almost record snow last year,i pull the sled by hand .....but after using the sled a couple months ended up with a hole in the front bottom of the sled ...i was pissed ,frabill did replace the sled !!! now i am leary of drilling into the bottom & those tracks are really stiff ,thats why i was wondering if you had done it .


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## Crappie 1 (Mar 15, 2011)

I got a Rover 2 a couple years ago from Andy at Frank's. I bought a couple old skis and bolted them on the bottom. My wife & I fish 3-5 times a week and pull it with a quad. I would not hesitate to buy another Rover. Only problem I ever had is with the wind. I have to make sure the wind is blowing into it when I take it down, other than that it's great...


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Crappie 1 said:


> I got a Rover 2 a couple years ago from Andy at Frank's. I bought a couple old skis and bolted them on the bottom. My wife & I fish 3-5 times a week and pull it with a quad. I would not hesitate to buy another Rover. Only problem I ever had is with the wind. I have to make sure the wind is blowing into it when I take it down, other than that it's great...


Is it the older style with the sleeves the slide to connect poles? If so, what we do is after taking out support bars across top, is fold back all the poles before sliding the sleeves. After their all laying flat horizontal to ice, we slide the sleeves back and fold the poles up


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## Crappie 1 (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks Ralph, I'll try that. I usually just turn it around facing the wind..


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## FishinJoe (Dec 8, 2003)

Last year I had the same question and went with the Clam Kodiak, I liked how deep the sled is compared to other 1 man shanties. I looked into other brands but after having a Clam Yukon for years and never having issues with it I decided to stick with a Clam. It is not that bad to drag when I go out alone and it has plenty of room inside for all my gear.

Joe


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## DidSomeoneOrderTheFish? (Jan 16, 2011)

I am looking to get the Clam summit thermal for this season. Seems like it has more room for gear or an extra person. Don't really like the fact that it dosent come on a sled, but you can get the optional floor to act like one. We dont have a quad or sled so we pull our gear out onto the ice. Anyone have experience with these pop-up style shelters. Sould I pull the trigger on this one, or go for the Nanook thermal that is on a sled but less room and heavier?:help:
PS. It's gonna be used for 2 people, 3 on occasion.


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## Ralph Smith (Apr 1, 2003)

Thinking of getting one myself for river fishing. I do alot of fishing on sag. river until ice on bay is thick enough to get out aways, and use like many do, a homemade box with all my gear inside. The box has a windbreak only, but one of the pop ups would go right over it, and give me some heat on those cold days. You can make a complete box from 1 sheet of plywood that will hold all your gear for yourself.


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## DidSomeoneOrderTheFish? (Jan 16, 2011)

Ralph Smith said:


> Thinking of getting one myself for river fishing. I do alot of fishing on sag. river until ice on bay is thick enough to get out aways, and use like many do, a homemade box with all my gear inside. The box has a windbreak only, but one of the pop ups would go right over it, and give me some heat on those cold days. You can make a complete box from 1 sheet of plywood that will hold all your gear for yourself.


Sounds like a good idea. I have considered it, but untill either my buddy or I have the $ for another truck, it will have to go inside my GF's Buick with the seats folded down. Just barely enough room for the one I have now. Suppose we could make a sled to fit the trunk, but it may not be deep/tall enough to be any good. Then again, I might be underestimating our skills. It's a stupid problem to have, but it's mine none the less. Any ideas?


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## stillfish (Dec 5, 2005)

I have a Clam Kodiak one person and like it. But like JrSoup said cant wait to see what they will come out with in the fall. Cant wait to see 20 yrs down the road what portable ice shanty will look like... Just saying...


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## PackerFan (Sep 7, 2004)

When should the new 2011-2012 shanties be hitting stores?


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## Perchchaser (Nov 8, 2008)

I bought the Fish Trap Guide (2 man) couple years ago and its an awesome 1 man and ok for 2 guys. Quality is great and it is holding up very well. I pull it by hand and load it in my truck full of gear by myself. I won't claim that loading it in the truck full of gear is real easy but do able.

I bought a pop up style end of last year and used it a couple times and that works pretty well also. Biggest concern would be high wind which i did not expierence yet.


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## charcoal300zxtt (Sep 8, 2011)

The two person shappell shantys are the way to go, there light and sealed up tight. Any usually pretty cheap too. Good luck


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