The Best Ice Fishing Tents of 2022
Ice fishing is a not a hobby for the faint of heart. It can be brutal and those who love it, REALLY love it.
When it comes to preparedness, there are certain things that you must have for a long and successful outing on the ice. Ice fishing requires a fair amount of special equipment.
Where you live and how cold it is in that environment will determine what items you will need to acquire to maintain adequate comfort and not abandon the trip prematurely.
While there are some pieces of equipment that nearly all ice fisherman should have, there are some optional items. Today we are going to take a look at an item that most ice angling enthusiasts would agree is a must have, high quality ice fishing shelters!
Preparation for any outdoor adventure where inclement weather is involved is non-negotiable and taking the time to research what gear will suit your needs is the only place to start. That’s why you’re here.
So let’s take a little time to answer some common questions you may have before heading out on the ice.
How Do I Choose an Ice Fishing Tent?
When choosing the right ice fishing tent, there are a few thing to consider. The material it is made of, how many people it needs to accommodate, ventilation, accessibility, and portability.
This is one of those industries where there’s a lot to choose from and sort through. However, if you take the time to examine your needs, you can shave the options down fairly quickly. Let’s take a look at some considerations.
MATERIAL:
Here is one of those areas that we do not need to skimp on. You’re going to want to purchase an ice tent made from the thickest and most durable material you can afford. An all-season tent is a wise choice.
A trip can be hindered and potentially abandoned if we are sitting out there miserable because of overwhelming conditions.
We are not only looking to battle the cold here, but the wind, snow/freezing rain, sun damage, and the intense reflection of the sun off of snow/ice on your vision.
The material you choose needs to be tear and wind resistant, while also being a breathable material to eliminate condensation build-up on the inside due to whatever heating method you choose to heat the interior of your ice fishing tent.
Better quality will last you longer and we are not dealing with kind environs here. Making a sound investment on the front end will serve you well here.
Having a well insulated and waterproof floor in your tent is also advised. Blocking the wind and cold is the first step, however, if our feet are constantly touching ice we are going to remain cold. Our feet are our roots and what affects the roots gets into the stem of just about any living thing.
CAPACITY:
Accounting for a few more friends or your family to join you on occasion would probable be a good idea.
Depending on whether or not you are staying the night and accounting for sleeping gear, a good method of measuring this is to allow for 15 - 25 square feet per person. What kind of sleeping gear/arrangement will also be a determining factor.
Remember, a fishing pole is not the only thing you’re going to want to keep inside with you. There will be other pieces of gear to consider depending on what kind of experience you want to have.
VENTILATION:
This is vital. You must have proper ventilation to ensure your own well-being, no matter what heat source you are using. Gas and wood heat require this and can have damaging or even deadly consequences, not to mention that in order for wood to burn properly you must have proper air flow.
Also, as mentioned above, proper ventilation will help to cut down on condensation inside your tent which can bring on quite a host of problems. A propane heater is a good choice, but it is a good idea to consider a tent with a stove jack already installed.
Wood heat will work more to keep your little domicile toasty, and better yet, dry. Not to mention, that wood is probably available somewhere close by if you have any kind of work ethic and a good hatchet.
Contained and radiant wood heat, like from a stove, is the best for safety and efficiency across the board.
ACCESS:
Choosing an ice fishing tent with two entrance/exit points is a good idea if you can. This will cut down on walking hazards, give you another option if nature is providing obstructions to one access point, and is simply convenient in an already inconvenient and potentially less than hospitable environment.
PORTABILITY:
Portability is one of the most important features that make these tents worth the investment. They are light, compact, and easy to transport along with your other gear on a sled or tow kit.
Being able to pack up and move within minutes is not only a convenience, but could play a crucial role in your ability to get set up quickly inside shelter and also to tear down and move quickly if you need to get off the ice in a hurry.
What Kind of Ice Fishing Shelter Should I Buy?
The 3 basic types of ice fishing shelters are Ice Houses, Tents/Hub Shelters, and Flip-Overs. The 2 most common types of ice fishing shelters are Tents/Hub Shelters and Flip-Over because of their portability and ease of setup.
Today we are focusing on the 2 most popular types of ice fishing shelters. Both of these styles have their pros and cons, but considerations here primarily have to do with what your needs are. Let’s take a quick look at what to consider here.
TENT/HUB SHELTERS:
These shelters are more sturdy and stable and come with anchors and tie-downs to help keep your shelter in place while limiting sliding and moving on the ice.
Tent and hub shelters also accommodate more capacity, usually up to 8 people. This is a great choice, as you can really utilize the extra space if you have fewer folks along for the trip.
Ease of use is still optimized with these types of shelters.
However, these are best suited for staying in place once they are set up and you must make sure they are properly secured to the ice.
FLIP-OVER ICE SHELTERS:
Flip-Over Shelters are ideal for 1 to 2 people and perfect for anglers who plan to move over multiple locations, as they are designed to “flip-over” and move with ease.
Setup and tear down is optimized with a good flip-over style shelter and is easily done even if you’re by yourself. These shelters are also a bit more forgiving in windy conditions.
However, again, Flip-Overs can only accommodate 1 - 2 people.
Do Ice Fishing Tents Have Floors?
Unfortunately, and I’m not sure why, a lot of manufacturers of ice fishing shelters do not offer thermal flooring. However, on the fortunate side, there are many mid-priced and creative ways to custom design your own flooring to keep your feet off the ice while in your shelter.
One of the most rugged and creative ideas is to use reflective foam insulation attached to plywood with holes drilled in them that can pack right up and stack with the rest of your sled and tow gear.
Upgrading to marine grade plywood is a little extra up-front cost, but will save you money in the long run, as it will last a VERY long time.
Another highly effective and less labor intensive method is to purchase some interlocking foam mats. These are extremely lightweight and take up a little less space than the plywood/foam board method.
Rubber anti-slip mats are another idea along these lines, but a bit heavier and would have to be rolled up.
I’ve even seen some guys use extra thick, high density, all-purpose, and anti-tear gymnastics mats. This can get pricey, but if you took the time to visit some schools or gyms in your area you may be surprised to find extremely cheap, or even free, throw-away mats.
Most of these gym mats are made of closed-cell foam, puncture resistant and non-absorbent vinyl. Surface ice melt is inevitable once you get your heat source rolling and moisture resistant technology is important to reduce breakdown and mold over time.
With a little creativity and some work, you can fabricate just about any of these methods to ensure your floor won’t slide around on you.
A few companies do offer thermal flooring that is custom-made for the rig. However, there are mixed reviews about these and you would probably save some money and be just as well off, if not better off, by fabricating your own.
No matter which of these methods you decide on for creating solid and waterproof/water resistant flooring, make sure you are considering portability and ease-of-use in your design.
So, with all of these questions answered and some considerations in mind, let’s go ahead and hull up all cozy-like inside of The Best Ice Fishing Tents of 2022!
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The Best Ice Fishing Tents of 2022
Eskimo QuickFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter
As the innovator of the first pop-up portable ice fishing shelter, Eskimo knows a thing or two about building the world’s best on-the-go portables.
Don’t be fooled by imitation shelters with flimsy hubs, weak poles and cheap fabric. The Eskimo QuickFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter series is the original and still the best.
Constructed with sturdy hubs, strong poles, ample storage pockets, reinforced bottoms, YKK zippers, self-tapping ice anchors and removable windows, the Eskimo QuickFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter is built to last season after season.
The Eskimo QuickFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter comes fully assembled and pop-up in under a minute. Simply pull out each side and roof hub, and you're ready to fish!
Eskimo uses only YKK zippers to secure our doors. These premium zippers won't break or snag in the cold like competitor shelters.
The flexible vinyl windows give clear views outside and can be opened or fully removed for additional venting. QuickFish pop-ups incorporate high-quality and durable metal hubs and solid fiberglass poles to ensure years of dependable use.
The QuickFish series also comes in non-insulated styles and has up to a 3 person capacity option.
FEATURES & SPECS:
MESH STORAGE POCKETS - Keep your essential fishing gear handy & out of the bottom of the sled.
REMOVABLE WINDOW PANELS - Adjust your shelter’s ventilation with detachable hook and loop windows.
REINFORCED CORNER JOINTS - Heavy-duty material is sewn over corner joints for reinforcement.
EXTRA-LONG SKIRT MATERIAL - Helps eliminate drafts and keep the elements out.
YKK ZIPPERS - Quality, durable, industry-preferred zippers—standard on all Eskimo ice shelters.
60-SECOND SET UP - Hub design makes set-up and take-down quick and easy.
CAPACITY - Shelter fits 2 people with a set-up size of 5ft L x 5ft W x 5.6ft H, with extra elbow room measuring 6.3ft x 6.3ft
FULLY-INSULATED - IQ Insulated Fabric is 35% warmer than a comparable non-insulated shelter
PORTABILITY - Everything fits into a cinch carrying bag that can easily be carried on your back
SELF-TAPPING ICE ANCHORS - Easier to grip, and won’t bend under pressure
IN-SKIRT ICE ANCHOR GROMMETS - Easily place your ice anchors through grommets located directly in the skirt material—eliminating the hassle of finding and holding a separate grommet tab
When it comes to some things, having a wide-bottom isn’t necessarily better, but when it comes to an ice fishing shelter the opposite is true.
The original wide-bottom design of the Eskimo FatFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter series ensures you have plenty of room to bring everything you need to make your trip a success. Don’t compromise with cheap, flimsy knockoffs, choose the original wide bottom design and pick up a Eskimo FatFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter today.
This goes back into what we were advising earlier. Ice fishing shelters are not something to skimp on.
FatFish shelters expand the fishable area of a typical pop-up by flaring out at the bottom. This gives you more space to fish, store your gear and move around comfortably inside the shelter.
IceTight fabric uses a tightly-woven high thread count to keep warm air inside and the elements out. The insulated quilted IQ fabric bundles two layers of IceTight with a layer of insulation in between.
The FatFish series uses all-metal hubs and durable fiberglass poles to easily pop open and set up in seconds. This quickly creates a spacious area for comfortable fishing.
Everything folds down, rolls up and slides into an oversized duffle carry bag that makes transporting your Eskimo FatFish Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter quick and easy.
The FatFish series also comes in a 3-4 person shelter as well.
FEATURES & SPECS:
ICETIGHT FABRIC - Rugged and durable, tightly-woven, and featuring a high thread count; IceTight fabric delivers the wind and watertight performance that Eskimo shelters are known for.
DELUXE TIE-DOWNS AND IN-SKIRT GROMMETS - Deluxe, cam strap tie-downs are included for rugged, solid anchoring in windy conditions. Ice anchor grommets are now included directly in the shelter skirt for convenience.
REINFORCED CORNER JOINTS - Heavy-duty material is sewn over corner joints for reinforcement.
YKK ZIPPERS - Quality, durable, industry-preferred zippers—standard on all Eskimo ice shelters.
MORE FISHABLE AREA: Flared, wide-bottom design provides significantly more fishable area than other shelters on the market at 61 ft²
600 DENIER FULLY-INSULATED: IQ Insulated Quilted fabric is 35% warmer than a comparable non-insulated shelter
STRONGER HUB DESIGN: The FatFish 949 features an all-metal ball-and-socket design as well as larger fiberglass poles
PORTABILITY: Everything fits into an oversized cinch duffle bag that can easily be carried on your back
MESH STORAGE POCKETS: Keep your essential fishing gear handy & out of the bottom of the sled
REMOVABLE WINDOW PANELS: Adjust your shelter's ventilation with detachable hook and loop window panels.
SELF-TAPPING ICE ANCHORS: Easier to grip, and won't bend under pressure.
CAPACITY - 3-4 Person
SET-UP SIZE - 94" x 94"
FABRIC - IceTight
HEIGHT - 80"
WEIGHT - 30 lb
COLLAPSED SIZE - 65" x 7.5" x 7.5"
BAG STYLE - Zipper Backpack
ICE ANCHORS - 6
GROMMETS - In-Skirt
TIE DOWNS - 2 Deluxe
WINDOWS - 6
DOORS - 2
GEAR NETS - 2
MESH POCKETS - 2
WARRANTY - 1 Year Limited
The Nordic Legend Aurora Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter is a solid option for camping out on the ice.
Coming in at 85'' x 85'' x 83" tall, it is roomy enough for 3 cots, or 2 cots and large fishing area.
One of the most attractive features of the Nordic Legend Aurora Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter is the built in chimney port for a wood stove, which not only keeps you warm, but dry!
Like the rest of the Aurora series, this shelter has been designed for the ice and thoroughly tested in the hard winters of the North Country.
Insulated and designed with a special silver reflective liner, the Nordic Legend Aurora Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter will keep you warm and out of the wind whether you are out on the ice or up in the mountains.
The Nordic Legend Aurora Pop-Up Portable Ice Fishing Shelter boasts a spacious interior with up to 129 sq ft of fishing area.
The Aurora Series also offers 3-4 person and 6-8 person insulated shelters.
FEATURES & SPECS:
Dimensions: 85"l x 85"w
Center Height: 83"
Hub-to-Hub Dimensions: 143"
Aurora Silver coating reflects light and 80% of your body heat.
Stitchless manufacturing process eliminates thread holes to reduce heat loss.
300D textured insulation fabric. New thermal insulation lighter than others on the market.
Wide-bottom design provides significantly more fishable area than other shelters on the market.
2 Exclusive Diamond Doors for easy entry
2 Air Vents
2 Interior Wide Bottom Storage Pockets and Exterior Tie-Down Strap Pockets
4 Interior Rod/Tool Holders
Overhead Cargo Storage Net
Reinforced Corners
6 Removable TPU Windows with Insulated Covers
Extreme Duty Solid 11 MM Poles
Quick Pack Strap with High Compression Quick Release Buckle
12- Exclusive Easy-Pull skirt handles
12pcs ice Anchor with Tie-Down Kit
Removable License Holder
600D Denier Oversized Carry Bag
1 chimney port accessory
129 SQ FT Fishing area
4pcs interior fishing rod/Tool Holders
As a true flip-and-go fish trap, the Clam Kenai Pro Thermal Flip Over Ice Shelter is perfect for ice anglers who are hole hopping and enjoy the comfort of having shelter from the elements.
This lightweight ice fishing tent is a favorite for many fishermen because of the deeper tub for more storage and for sitting up higher.
The Clam Kenai Pro Thermal Flip Over Ice Shelter includes a light bar, battery bracket, and a travel cover.
The full thermal skin helps to retain heat and reduce condensation. The shelter features super-tough 900 denier fabric delivering 90 grams of insulation per square meter.
The Clam Kenai Pro Thermal Flip Over Ice Shelter includes a hammock for gear storage and an adjustable folding seat that slides from front-to-back.
A front access door includes a 14”X 30” overhead mesh storage compartment.
FEATURES & SPECS:
Super-tough 900 total denier fabric
Full thermal skin retains heat and reduces condensation
90 grams of insulation per square meter
Includes hammock for gear storage
Adjustable folding seat that slides front-to-back
Front access door
Includes 14” X 30” overhead mesh storage
Tub and poles made in USA
Light bar, battery bracket, and travel cover included
Lightweight one-person shelter
Perfect for the ice angler on the move
Deeper tub for more gear
True flip-and-go pole system (no extending poles)
Kenai shelter is best selling one man shelter on the market!
Set up size: L 91” x W 37” x H 64”
Center height: 64”
Pack size with seats: L 48” x W 37” x H 25”
Weight: 50 pounds
Fishing Area: L 42” x W 36”
Fishable Square Footage: 11 square feet
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.”
— Bill Schieken
There are quite a number of brands to choose from out there in the ice fishing tent industry. However, again, when choosing The Best Ice Fishing Shelter one should not skimp by with anything but the best.
Ice fishing is indeed a Rugged hobby and is not for everybody. When you are dealing with the common conditions that are present in places where a large body of water is frozen over solid enough to be safe enough to walk or even drive on, it goes without saying these conditions are going to be brutal.
We hope we’ve been able to help you understand some important considerations when making your decision on The Best Ice Fishing Tent for you and yours.
After reading this article, if you are still interested in pursuing this hobby, you indeed have some Rugged blood running through your veins.
So, get out there and make it happen!
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