Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I received this item as a Christmas gift from my wife. This ice fishing shelter seems to be a great deal when you do comparables to other similar products. You simply get more for less money.
Unpacking it was simple. The instructions for setting it up could've been more detailed, but I figured it out and put it up quickly. Setup is a little difficult by yourself, I recommend having a helping hand.
The inside gets very dark, which is nice. Each wall of the shelter has a trapezoid-shaped cutout upon which you can apply a clear plastic window with a blackout lining. The blackout lining can be removed. The window insert does not have the best fit. It took me several tries to get the insert positioned just right in orer to prevent light from coming in through either the bottom, or the top of the cutout. Even after you get the insert perfectly positioned though, the blackout lining has a very loose fit - so light does end up filtering through where that lining sags. I will purchase some velcro tape and line the entire edge of each insert's blackout liner in order to resolve this issue.
There is plenty of room on the inside for two people. A couple of holes for each person, some seats, and any necessary gear will fit inside the shelter. I love that there is enough room to stand up straight inside the shelter! I believe that you could sqeeze a third person into the shelter; however things will quickly become very crowded, and you may not be able to drill as many holes as you would like.
I'd have liked for there to have been a weather strip lining the zipper on the outside of the door. There's nothing there, and this lets in both sunlight and wind. I will admit this is minimal for both, but I would prefer to conserve as much warmth inside the shelter while blocking out as much sunlight as possible. The two vents along the roofline of the shelter provide adequate ventilation, so a weather strip lining the zipper would not detract from any necessary air circulation on the inside.
Take down was a little more difficult than the setup. You have to coordinate the collapse of each side of the shelter, otherwise your hubs end up getting tangled with the poles from other hubs. This makes it somewhat difficult to get things sorted out properly after it's all collapsed - and it's impossible to expand back out once this happens. The instructions are not helpful at all in this. Again, having a helping hand for this would be recommended.
I had some difficulty getting the collapsed shelter to fit back into the carrybag. This was probably because I was doing this by myself (which proves that the setup, takedown, and packing can be done by one person), but still seemed to be overly difficult for such a simple task. The carrybag has built-in shoulder straps for packing the shelter in and out without a sled. I found these to be somewhat comfortable, but would like to see a little more padding on them. I also think that it would be beneficial to have some kind of strap that could go around your waist to help support the 20 lb load on your back.
Now here's the big BUT I put in my title. I immediately brought the shelter over to my in-laws to show it off to my family. During the setup, after I had popped the roof up, I was attempting to expand the first side of the shelter when I heard a horrible cracking and popping sound. I immediately stopped what I was doing, but decided to proceed setting up the shelter as I could not view any damage the way it currently was. Once setup completely, I confirmed that one of the four poles linked to the hub on that wall had completely shattered length-wise down the majority of the pole. This was very saddening and somewhat embarrassing.
I contacted the manufacturer today. I got right in and was able to talk to a live, easy-to-understand individual. I told them what happened, and without any hesitation they said they would send out a replacement hub with four new poles. The lack of hesitation concerns me somewhat as it seemed very routine. In other words, I believe that this probably happens on a somewhat regular basis with these pop-up shelters. I don't know if that is a downside to the product design itself, or if it is a result of poor materials being used by the manufacturer. Either way, I am concerned about the longevity I will get out of this shelter. Luckily there were no issues in replacing the damaged parts this time, but what if this happens again, or 3 months from now, or a year from now. Will they still stand by their product then, or will I end up having to buy a "disposable" ice fishing shelter every season?
I gave this a 3-star rating because I do like the product. The minor quirks with the fitting of various components & difficulties in the setup, takedown, and packing of the shelter - combined with the negative experience thus-far concerning the integrity of the product itself - have detracted from me giving this a 5-star rating. If the replacement part they provide for me ends up being useable and lasts me through the whole season, then I will update my review and give this a 4-star rating. I will recommend buying this product. I recognize that my product could have received damage prior to my owning it that weakened the now-shattered pole, and I will give the manufacturer the opportunity to prove the integrity of their product to me.
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KillZone Igloo© 2 Person Ice Fishing Shelter/Ice fishing tent /Ice Shanty 5KThe popular KillZone Igloo 2 to 3 Person Ice Fishing Shelter has been updated for 2011 with a Heavy Duty 600D Poly Shell that will keep you warm and out of the wind. This hub style premium fishing shelter features an open floor, 4 clear removable windows with shades, flap vents, and a black-out interior for superior fishing vision. The redesigned lightweight steel hub design makes set up and takedown quick and easy. We include 8 auger stakes and a zippered carry bag at no additional cost.- Fits 2 to 3 People- Open Dimension: 73" Hub to Hub x 69" Center- Folded Dimension: 43" L x 8" W x 8" Tall - 4 Removable Clear Windows & Shades Included- Carry Pack Included- Auger Style Stakes Included
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