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I have the QF-3 and I think out of all I've had, and the 2 I still have, I use it the most. Mostly because of ease of setup and it has the room I need.
Early on I found that like to have one-more person capacity than what I intend.
Once you start adding gear for added comfort (chairs, 2nd pole, fish finder, heater, etc.) , having the extra room makes things so much nicer. You don't have to worry as much about tromping on a rod or stepping down a hole.
I'm usually only fishing with 2 of us but often I will have 3 and I still feel we have plenty of room with the QF-3.
Out of everything, my only problem I've had with it (and with all of them actually) is the ease of take-down and getting them back in the bags. I feel I'm going to bust out a zipper or tear the bag trying to get them back in. The tents must grow a couple inches each way once they are setup because it always seems a lot tighter of a fit putting it away than when I got it out.
I think this is more user error than anything.
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For daytime fishing no shelter needed,Utah is not that cold and they make much better clothes today then 30 years ago.I can see if your wife or little kids come it might be helpful.4 wheelers and snowmobiles also a waste of time in my opinion.I guarantee I catch as many fish as anyone and never had them,free excersise and sunlight👍👍.I never even pulled a sled until last year when I bought my panoptix just a bucket to sit and my auger and 2 rods.I fish with a guy in his 80 s and he carry’s less than me.Each their own but I can sit inside at home.Eskimo quickflip 2 at 18 lbs is the way to go I have one but never used it.
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Thanks. That is very good feedback and echoes some of my thoughts. Not just you on the bag issue; it is mentioned in a lot of reviews. I might just find an old duffel or other bag to put it in. Might have room enough for some of my other stuff, too. I was surprised this was a problem because I was happily impressed with how easy (for two people) it was to get the big shelter back in.
Will your shelter heat up with just body heat? Is it easy to move while erected, like if you find a better spot a few feet away?
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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The sun is a must for getting it to heat up on it's own.
With two people it easily and quickly heats up on it's own when the temps are over 25. Mind it's still cold-ish that we still have sweatshirts on but it's not the super freezing temps outside the shelter. Especially if there's any breeze or wind.
Below those temps and/or without the sun, my indoor heater is definitely on.
Moving is cake when it's set up. Just slide it and move as needed. Caution here is that it can quickly become a parachute with the wind and take you sledding across the ice.
Mighty embarrassing I can tell you that. But it does make the other's around you  , usually because we've all been there, so that can add to day's enjoyment.
Once of the best little handy dandy gadgets in my sled is a drill anchor tool.
https://www.sportsmans.com/fishing-gear-.../p/1505744
These little bad boys make setting up and keeping the shelter in place a breeze, especially if there is one. Thirty seconds tops getting an anchor in or out.
I used to think I didn't need all this gear and wondered why others had these big sleds and so much "stuff". But getting older I've noticed how much faster I want to get in the shelter, out of the cold, and fishing. Ease of setup and speed are definitely bonus points.
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Shapell Rover 1.0 for me when I want to fish on my own and shut the world out.
Last week on RP two guys came out and set up next to a friend of mine.
He was on a bucket, and one of the two near my friend did not shut up for nearly two hours.
I was ‘safe’ from the conversation and thoroughly enjoying the morning in my little flip shanty.
I have room for rods, my sonar, and my little heater. And, I am not a tiny guy.
If I want to chat I open it up but at least it gives me an escape if desired.
Plus, I can write my name in yellow and not be added to the sexual predator list or whatever it is called now.
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https://www.sportsmans.com/fishing-gear-.../p/1532161
That was my choice this year. Thermal top.
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This is the type Ira and I have, different brand name but I love the flip over type:
https://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/lakes-n...0440|10442
Nothing to set up, just flip it over after you drill your holes and you pull it just like a shed, all gear goes inside.
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I, too, have Rover 1.0 and I enjoy it very much when I know that the weather will be a factor and I am fishing solo. They have a new model out, the FX100, which is much lighter than the one I have.
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I like the fx100, I will buy it when my Rover wears out.
I also have an Otter Lodge that is very nice to fish out of but at 80’ish pounds is difficult for me to load on my own.
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I have 4 tents. I have a single that hasn't been used for several years. I don't fish alone so that is the reason. We had a group of 4 of us that would fish together, and each of us had a solo tent. We found it was much more fun to fish together, so I purchased a flip tent. It was heavy, nearly 150 lbs. I dragged it a good distance a couple of times when I was much younger. It was way to much of a workout, but the comfort was really nice. I sold it and purchased an Eskimo 3 man popup. Much lighter and easier to pull on a sleigh. Finally got my wife interested in going with me so we purchased a large double pop up and snow mobile. Plenty of room and so the smaller tent never got used. I finally sold it to a friend who wanted to get into ice fishing with his son. The next tent we picked up was a large 6 sided Eskimo insulated tent. I am grateful we have a snow mobile to pull it and our gear. Once setup, we do not move. But with the fish finders, we have found that there are always fish around, you just have to be patient and keep tempting them until they bite. I turn on the 15,0000 btu heater and we stay very comfortable. Last Friday, we went to Strawberry and fished from sundown until 10:30 p.m. It was cold, but thanks to the tent and heater, we were comfortable. However, for the two of us, the tent is too big. Great when we take the grandkids. We had 5 of us in the tent a couple of weeks ago and had plenty of room. Today, we picked up a two man Eskimo Crossover. It is a combination between a popup and a flip over. This one will be just right for the two of us and should we want to move, we grab the rope and pull it to the new location. No where near as permanent. We will be taking it out on its maiden voyage next Friday night.
We always take a tent and heater with us, and when it is sunny, sometimes don't set it up. But... when the wife says she is cold, up goes the tent and heater and we stay and fish longer rather than call it quits and go home. Same is true with the grandkids. Comfort is everything with not so hardcore fishing partners.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Craig,[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]I used to have a hub shelter and found that putting it up/taking it down in the wind to be a 100%, royal PITA. Decided that it was 100% easier to pull a one person flip shelter. Three years ago I bought the then new Eskimo EVO1 - a hub/flip crossover. I use it for all my walk on trips and pull it on a smitty sled. I can sit out in the open when conditions warrant or put it up in about 2 to 3 minutes when the conditions are less than ideal. The skirt comes with anchor grommets for the really blustery days. Plenty of room inside when set up for fishing the allowed 2 poles. The swivel chair w/ back is a nice touch and comfortable.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]There is a learning curve to setup/takedown with the hub portion, but once mastered is actually easy to do.
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 81 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
"Free men do not ask permission to bear arms."
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Dubob,
the tent I just picked up is the EVO2 Crossover. I am really excited about it. I think it will be perfect for my wife and I. Next Friday night at the Berry will be it's maiden voyage for us.
On a sidenote, some day you and I should get-together. We both are using the Vex 28. Although I have had mine for 3 or more years, there are some features I don't use that I am thinking you may know about. Supposedly you can set it on a 4 color setting and it will sort out the big fish from the small ones on the screen. Can't remember where I read that bit of information and haven't taken the time to learn how to do it.
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[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]The EVO2 is a great shelter. You're both going to love it.
I'm retired and don't do chaos found on weekends. [  ]
I've had my 28 for 3 seasons now and am familiar enough with it that I know it has several color palate selections. I just use the basic 3 color pattern as it works very well for the pan fish I fish for 90% of the time.
We don't start going to Strawberry until sometime in March when the local Wasatch Front pond edges start to get real hard to get machines on and off without a dunking. There is good machine ice on the Barry until the end of March.
You can call/text me anytime at the number I'll PM to you.[/#][/font][/size]
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 81 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
"Free men do not ask permission to bear arms."
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I'm interested in one of the Shappell fx100s. Is there a local dealer that might have one to look at? Where did you get your Rover model? I'm in need of something mobile for hole hopping when I'm solo. Have a Clam hub that's nice for trips with others but not practical when on the move doing a perch search.
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We definitely have a di  vantage in Utah when it comes to looking at ice shelter options, our sporting good stores are only going to carry the bare minimum.
I bought mine used off of KSL, sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
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Here is the best price I found for a Shappell fx100:
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/...?a=1028396
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I ordered one from there this morning. Looking forward to trying it out.
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That's a great price, even if you aren't a sportsman's guide member. I think you will love the smaller flip overs like that one. When the wind isn't bad I never flip mine over and cover it but when there is a stiff wind, it's a game changer, even without a heater. It's pretty amazing how well they heat up with just your body heat.
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