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12-07-2017, 08:27 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 209
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Pop up ice fishing tents, durability...
Hello I’m looking to buy a new pop up ice fishing tent. I looked at the Eskimo fatfish 949i the dimensions are perfect 8’x8’6’high, but I’m not really happy with the quality and materials It looks to me that it’s a one or two season use and then it’s just trash. I have an old canvas ice fishing shelter made by Norseman that I still use the thing is 20+ years old and built to last, but I want something a bit more roomier and that sets up quicker any recommendations you guys have on selecting a new pop up would be greatly appreciated?
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12-08-2017, 06:05 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Rocky View County AB.
Posts: 3,560
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Only thing to keep watch for are the poles, if they bend too much they break easily. Not a bad idea to order some spares to have on hand, they usually will break on take down.
Other than that it is like most things, look after them and they will last a long time.
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12-08-2017, 06:17 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: West Central Alberta
Posts: 6,670
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Have a 949i. Going on 3rd season still looks like the day I brought it home. I dry it out after every use. No issues with it in anyway, shape or form.
Wish I had bought a 6120i for the extra room as I am a bit of a gear junkie so be a bit crowded with more than 2 people in it.
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12-08-2017, 06:24 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 7,511
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohninAB
Have a 949i. Going on 3rd season still looks like the day I brought it home. I dry it out after every use. No issues with it in anyway, shape or form.
Wish I had bought a 6120i for the extra room as I am a bit of a gear junkie so be a bit crowded with more than 2 people in it.
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I have the same tent (949i) and mine is still going strong after 3 seasons too. I usually fish either Spray Lakes or Beaver Mines Lake, so it's not like it hasn't seen any wind lol.
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12-09-2017, 09:25 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,307
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Maybe they have gotten better in the last couple years but when I used to work at Wholesale, people came in all the time looking for parts. Broken poles, broken hubs, torn out grommets. I would go with one of the sled style flip up ones. But each have there advantages and disadvantages.
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12-09-2017, 01:29 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 383
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I too have the 949i and am happy with it. I have had two of the hubs break due to taking it down improperly. Check out the Otter line up, I think they are built slightly heavier.
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12-09-2017, 01:57 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West Edmonton
Posts: 5,174
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Everyone wants high quality but they also want it for pennies. Most people aren't willing to spend the extra bucks for quality hence why these companies have gone to producing products that are only just good enough.
That said the insulated Eskimos are pretty good. They can break poles or hubs(but usually that is due to operator error/poor handling) and they can have minor tearing around grommets etc(again often due to the way handled and stored) but they will last you for multiple years if taken care of and 10+ years probably wouldn't be crazy depending how often you use it. Not sure how you arrived at 1-2 years of use unless you plan on abusing it. The non insulated versions are a bit more fragile(as is pretty obvious just looking at the material) but are noticeably cheaper as well.
Otter tents might be a bit more durable based on what I have read and product specs but you pay more for them and they are harder to get as well as harder to find to get parts and service for.
I would get that 949i in a heartbeat as I think it is a very good quality tent at that price point. If you break a pole or hub you can usually get them locally(Fishin Hole usually has some in stock and other stores might as well) and if you have any other major issues Eskimo has great customer service and will take care of you.
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12-09-2017, 02:39 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Blackfalds
Posts: 6,950
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My 949i hasn’t given me any grief over the past 5 seasons. I am careful when setting it up and taking it down.
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Trudeau and Biden sit to pee
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12-09-2017, 05:46 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: ALBERTA CANADA
Posts: 103
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I too am going to jump on the 949i bandwagon. This is the 3rd year that i've had mine, and it still looks showroom brand new. I do dry it out after every time i use it though, and it's seen it's fair share of wind as well. One of the main reasons i did buy it because of the recommendation of the sales person on the customer service of Eskimo products.
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12-09-2017, 08:50 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,247
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I ordered a Otter XTH Lodge hub style tent a few days ago . It was priced close to the Eskimo 949i and seems about the same dimensions. I figured I would give it a shot and see how it goes. I agree that these are hard to find so I hope I dont regret it.
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Never celebrate till you got your knife stuck in it !
Some times you catch the Big fish, some times you get stuck in Chip
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12-09-2017, 10:30 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Sturgeon county
Posts: 156
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Doesnt hurt to have a couple extra poles on hand just in case,especialy if going for a weekend trip some where. But ive had mine 5 years and needed one pole so far and was my fault.
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12-09-2017, 10:55 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 333
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FishHunterPro
I ordered a Otter XTH Lodge hub style tent a few days ago . It was priced close to the Eskimo 949i and seems about the same dimensions. I figured I would give it a shot and see how it goes. I agree that these are hard to find so I hope I dont regret it.
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I currently own the Otter XTH PRO LODGE POP UP . I just received it one month ago. The tent had a few quality problems but Otter replaced the tent with no issues. I also have a Clam 5 sided Jason Mitchell 5000 thermal and the Eskimo 9416i . I have to say out of all the tents I find Clam to have the best hubs but lack in workmanship . Uneven sewing, panels don't match up things of that nature . That tent took a few exchanges to get it right. The Eskimo was perfect right out of the box .The Otter has the best Thermal Liner and tent options. The Eskimo is a good all around shelter. All three brands use 11mm poles .All three are made in China. In a nutshell they all have plus and minuses.The key is to dry them out after use and they will last a long time. Summer storage is very important also . I have mine tucked away in the basement . A dry cool place
Last edited by Jawjacker; 12-09-2017 at 11:16 PM.
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12-10-2017, 10:40 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 209
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Thanks everyone for replying to my post. It seams that the Eskimo fatfish 949i is one of the better made popups out there for what it is. The other offerings out there are not to bad either since the price point is similar. A big part of durability is looking after your gear like anything look after your stuff and it will last you for years...
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