Flip-over question

[husker95]

Guys,
I have been using a pop-up shelter for a couple of years and would like to step up to a 2-man sled-flipover type of setup. I am considering a Clam Nanook or maybe an Otter Pro Medium Cabin. My question is about the seats. After a day of fishing with my current setup, my back just aches from the cheap camp foldups that we use. How are the swivel, backrest seats in each of these models? Is one better than the other? I will check them out this fall when they hit the stores but am interested in people's advice from their experiences. Thanks.

Husker

[Backwater Eddy]

Take a look at the Frabill Trekker DLX, very high quality high back Tempress seating, flexible movable seating. You can easily remove one seat and use it as a very roomy 1 man, or a 2 man..your choice.

[Box]

I have a Otter Cabin with the bench seat. It is nice because provides room, and for having two kids in with me, works. But it is slightly high (I am not tall but not short at just under 6') and after hours sitting on it, not as comfy as when you first sit down.

I like the single seats, especially the newer comfy ones.

I also have a Clam Voyager, and while older, those seats are waaaay uncomfortable, but they are old, not the new style.

For what it is worth, I have two Otter sleds and one Clam and the Otter are the best I have found as far as tough and nice running behind the snomos. I use an Otter tow bar even on the Clam and it works great.

good luck, and what Ed said about using only one seat when you only need one seat is good advice. When I put seats in my Otter Lodge (just use for storage/towing sled now) I will get the single comfy ones.

[eyecatcher01]

I think the flip over sleds are the only way to go. Its just a matter of what size to go with and which brand. I'm partial to FishTrap but frabill otter and others make very nice shelters as well. The single man sleds are nice if just tossing em in the back of a truck and heading out. The two man sleds offer much more elbow room as well as room for more gear but start getting heavy if pulling my hand and is hard to load it and a buddies gear/ sled in the back of a truck. I'm upgrading this year from a scout to pro thermal cap...same size sled just has telescoping poles to achieve that extra width. I know my old scouts seat isn't the most comfy so I drag along a throwable floatation cushion that I sit on....it also raises me up a couple inches plus not a bad idea to have a floatation device with ya.

[thump55]

I love the swivel seat in my Clam. It doesn't have a ton of padding, but for whatever reason, it is very comfy to me.

Remember, a lot just has to do with the height the seat is at. You want the tops of your thighs parallel with the ground. Account for runners if you will be adding them later also.

[teamlund]

I had a frabill ranger with the padded seats with back rests...It was awesome! I sold that since I didnt use it very much. I also have a clam scout. The seat is OK at best. I have been trying to find a way to put a better seat on it liek a boat seat but I really havent looked into it to hard. This fall i will get it figured out. My back is shot after a day of fishing in my scout.

last fall/winter I built a shanty so I rarely use my scout and this shanty is the main reason why I sold my 2 man frabil. Why would I fish from a ranger when I can fish from this thing? LP heater, great seating for two, fan, lights, 85 degrees in 10 mins. Nothing better than ice fishing in tshirt and jeans! :rockit:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/3shanty009.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/3shanty010.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/3shanty011.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/finalshanty001.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/finalshanty003.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn172/teamlund/finalshanty005.jpg

[ChuckD]

I've been running Otters (Lodge) for years, and I've always stuck with the bench seats. I like the room it offers to place all my "stuff" on it while fishing for easy reach, and when fishing with kids. I've always been comfortable with the bench, but their new seats on the market are very nice too. I've thought about switching to the new style seats....

Otters are the toughest sled fishhouse on the market, but they are heavy for that reason. That's the drawback if you tow it around by hand. I tow my house hundreds of miles a year behind a ATV and snowmobile and it never lets me down. Rides like a dream over rough terrain.

[Knot Tellin]

I have a Frabil Ranger and it works great. The seats are real comfortable.

Team Lund you must pull that thing out on the ice with your truck. Nice shanty but it must weigh a ton.

[teamlund]

I have a Frabil Ranger and it works great. The seats are real comfortable.

Team Lund you must pull that thing out on the ice with your truck. Nice shanty but it must weigh a ton.

The truck does most of the towing. I am leary of pulling it with my kawasaki. It is a 700 cc so it has plenty of hp but I am worried about bending the axle.........Iam going to move the outdoor LP tank storage to the back and also the battery to get some of the weight off the tounge so the ATV shoudl work this winter.
Even with a home made shack I still will always have a nice one man flip up..Its a must have!

[MrEyes]

I have 2 Frabill Predators and love them. The seats are very comfortable for all day fishing. The material helps keep you warm in the cold winter. The Poles are solid and built to last. I would take a look at Frabill.

Mark

[NCESI]

I made my own brackets to hold a swivel boat seat with a small amount of aluminim I got at a local hardware store. One can look at the otter style bracket that sits across the sled and easily copy the basic idea and adapt the width and spacing of the supporte to allow one to mount a comfy swivel boat seat to them.

[REW]

Husker,
Where are you located.
I may have the perfect flip over for you.

Drop me a line:

hflier@comcast.net

REW

[Hawgeye]

I have to say, I have a suitcase style of the 1060 clam, and although it works fine and is a good fish-house, it is not flexible if you want to move around at all. Need to virtually take it down completely before moving.

My friend has the Denali II from Clam and that is a great house. I only wish it would come out with the insulated top as I would buy that in a heartbeat. Easy as a single flip over but room for two fisherman back to back where each gets their own "space".

I am selling my 1060 and going with a flip-over, just not sure if I'll get the denali or an insulated version that can sit two people side by side....

[vanscj76]

I have a frabill preditor as well and it is the nicest shack i have fished out of next to one of the frabill r tec shacks.
Jeremy

[Spoonman]

Just remove all the heavy seat that just don't work & go with alum folding camp chair with arm rests
ya set 16" high with boots on outside of tub. sure makes loading rig to truck eaiser with less weight.


Spoonman

Lund tyee /150 0pti
15 stroker kicker

[Get Hooked]

This was my cheap fix for a little more comfort

[rotaxmandan]

I bought a clam denali II last december and what a piece of crap,seats are not comfortable,poles were not made right had to make shift it putting it together and the clam sleds are junk,they pull like a brick just look at them once. Sold my clam and went and bought an Otter Lodge Ice camo,sled pulls super easy and is quality made and the square tubed polls are the best. The otter sled is bar far a superior flip over and the new style swivel seats are great!