A portable ice shelter keeps you warm even on cold, windy days.

Keep warm on the ice this winter with a portable ice fishing shelter! Here are some tips for setting up and using your portable shelter.

Drill your holes before setting up the ice shelter. Once you find where the fish are biting, you can drill a line of holes close together, within the width of your shelter. If you like to hop from hole to hole, use the shelter as your base camp and keep an eye on your tip-ups from the windows inside the shelter.

To set up your portable ice shelter, take it out of the bag, holding on to the poles with one hand. Let the poles drop to make four corners. With your foot holding down the tent skirt, pull up on the roof until it pops up. Then pop out the four sides of the shelter.

Move the shelter on top of your ice holes. We recommend positioning the side of the shelter with the door on the opposite side of the holes.

To keep the shelter in place and prevent drafts, scoop some fresh snow (not wet or slushy snow) around the edges of the tent skirt. On windy days, you’ll need to anchor the portable shelter in place with auger stakes. We recommend pre-drilling holes for the stakes to make it easier to screw them into the ice.

"I recommend this product for anyone wanting an affordable ice shack that does what it promises."

“This ice shelter is exactly what I was looking for. The price on this was lower than the competition; and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find it better than some others I have looked at. It is very easy to set up and take down, but I would recommend using the ice anchors (included) or some form of weight on a windy day. Otherwise, you will find your tent blowing down the lake. Ha! The same can be said for any of the portable shelters on the market.

Note: You will find that (as advertised) there are some pin holes where you can see daylight where the threads are. If this bothers you, then don’t buy it, but to be honest it truly is trivial.”

- NHSportsman

“The KillZone is a very roomy and purposeful ice tent. It will take some ‘getting used to’ when setting it up by yourself. But it pops up quickly and easy to take down too. I would recommend bringing a cordless drill or hand-drill to pre-sink the holes as you will need to anchor it down during windy days. All this prep and set-up does take more time than a traditional flip-style ice shanty.

PROS- What you trade-off in true portability, you gain in extra room; ability to stand up and spread out are the advantages. The lighting inside is minimized so you can really see the holes and not spook the fish with daylight. Heats up nicely and holds heat well during sub-zero outings. I like the built in air vents that provide oxygen when running a propane heater. Can easily hold 2-3 persons plus gear; 4 might be a little tight.

CONS- You can’t ‘run and gun’ a bunch of holes and keep moving every 15 minutes; it’s too hard to set up each time. But if you want to plant yourself for a couple of hours, this is just fine. When heating, the walls tend to sweat and freeze up when you put it away, holding in moisture. Be sure to air it out before storing for the season. I am not fond of the removable plastic windows. Too hard to align properly and get a snug fit. Drilling the anchor holes can be a pain if you have a lot of snow. Harder to repack into the duffel when it’s dark outside and you’re in a hurry.

Overall, I recommend this product for anyone wanting an affordable ice shack that does what it promises. We’ll see how it holds up over a couple of seasons.”

- Review by Love to Fish in Minnesota

“I ordered this on a Wednesday and accepted the normal 3-5 day shipping time. It arrived exactly 48 hours after I had ordered it. I opened it up and it popped up within a minute. I did an inspection and there are no holes, the zipper worked and the shelter is very well constructed.

It is very spacious. You can easily stand up in it. It probably is about 6’5″ tall in the center.

I can hardly wait for the ice to freeze. I really want to get on the St. Croix and get some nice Smalley’s and Wally’s.”

- Grant

Eskimo ice shelters now in stock!

Ice fishing season will be here before you know it! KillZone Hunting is stocking up with ice fishing shelters and sonar units to make sure your season is a success. New this year is the Eskimo QuickFish ice fishing shelter. These 2-man, 4-man, and 6-man shelters are portable, easy to set up, and super warm for comfortable ice fishing even on the coldest and windiest of days.

Also new this year are the Marcum and Vexilar fish finder sonars. Kiss guesswork goodbye with these fish locators, and say hello to “Fish ON!”

Watch for the brand new 2012 KillZone Igloo 2X available soon. This ice shelter is a double wide and holds up to 6 people for more fishing buddies under one roof.

Vexilar and Marcum sonars now available

The KillZone Igloo and Igloo XL ice fishing shelters are now on sale for one week only! These popular Igloo ice shelters keep you warm and out of the wind with heavy duty 600D poly walls. The lightweight hub system makes for a quick setup and take down process. Auger stakes are included to anchor down the shelter in windy conditions.

The Igloo model, now only $99, fits two fishermen with gear. The Igloo XL model, now only $139, fits three to four fishermen. Free shipping on orders to the lower 48 United States!

"Very comfortable with plenty of room for gear." - D. Roach

See below for reviews on the Igloo and Igloo XL ice fishing shelters!

“My son-in-law had this up the first time in 3 minutes, down in less than 2 minutes. He was thrilled with the size. It repacked into the bag quickly. The window coverings detach, but the shade part is attached to the clear vinyl piece, making it easy to manage the parts. I feel like we got a real bargain. Oh, and it is so light that I (a little older lady) can carry it.”
- C. L. Banfield

“Quick setup. Durable when set up, even in windy conditions. Keeps the cold out. Keeps the heat in nicely. The blackouts for the windows give you good options of lighting conditions inside the shelter. Overall I would recommend this shelter to anybody wanting to get out on the ice. COULD hold four people…but I wouldn’t want more than three inside…two people VERY comfortable with PLENTY of room for gear.”
- D. Roach

“I have used it in very cold temps to -20 F and in windy conditions (to 30 mph) and the tent has performed well.”
- L. Gruchow

“After reading the instructions on setting up the ice shelter, I proceeded to do a dry run in my living room. Setup was real simple and take-down just the same. Looks like quality construction. Can’t wait to deploy it on the ice.”
- Steven A

“This was a Christmas present for my son. I was hesitant to order it online without being able to see it. I went into the local Sporting Good Stores and did some comparison shopping. I ended up ordering this ice fishing shelter from KillZone. The price was excellent, it arrived promptly, and the quality looked great. According to my son, it was quick & easy to set up and worked quite well.”
- Ann Marie

“This just happened to be delivered when my husband was home, so early Christmas for him. He had it up in the driveway in no time and can’t wait for the ice!”
- Barb R.

“This company is awesome. They got my tent to me immediately. Really happy with the service. Haven’t used it yet, but put it up in the living room and it was great. Taking it out tomorrow. My husband was so happy!”
- Deidre M.

Pile snow on top of the wind flap to keep out the draft and hold your shelter in place.

Here are a few tricks to making your portable ice fishing shelter warmer, more comfortable, and more secure.

Setup Tips

Find a good fishing and spot and drill your ice fishing holes before setting up the shelter. Make sure the holes are close enough together to fit inside the width of the shelter. Use a shovel to clear snow from the area around the holes where the shelter will be set up.

After you take the ice shelter out of the bag, set it up like this:

1. Let the poles drop to make four corners.
2. Find the roof (the square with no doors or windows).
3. Pin down the tent skirt with your foot.
4. Pull up on the roof until it pops out.
5. Pop out all four sides of the shelter.

Scoop a thin layer of fresh snow around the outside of the portable shelter on top of the wind flap to keep out the draft. Don’t use wet snow (or the snow around the holes that you drilled), or it will freeze to the shelter.

The snow helps to keep the shelter in place when the day is fairly calm. If the wind kicks up, you’ll need to anchor the shelter using the tie downs and stakes provided.

Ventilation

Keep the ventilation holes open and unblocked if you are using a heater inside the ice shelter. Open the window to let in some fresh air every so often, to make sure there is plenty of fresh air circulating inside the shelter.

Taking Down the Shelter

To take down the shelter, push in all four sides and let the roof collapse. Then pick up the corners and bring them together to fold the tent. Shake the snow off the tent. You can use a bungee cord to keep the tent together until you get the tent home and dry it out. When you get home, set up the tent in the garage or a sheltered area to let it dry. Then fold up the tent and place it in the bag for storage.

Ice fishing in the KillZone Igloo XL

It’s prime ice fishing season, and KillZone customers are getting some good use out of their Igloo ice fishing tents. See below for what these customers have to say about the Igloo shelter, as posted on the forums at IceShanty.com and BigFishTackle.com.

“I bought a KillZone the end of last year. I used it a couple of times before the ice broke. It worked fine; I think it is comparable to the Quick Fish tents. The last time I took it out to Strawberry there was a good wind and it took the wind just fine!”

“I’ve been fishing with a KillZone 2 person for 2 years now. I have nothing bad to say about it. For the price and weight it’s great. The bad part is always staking it down. Customer service there is great if you have a problem. I did break a rod for the hub but they replaced it for free. Holds heat well and the 2 man you can actually fish 3 in comfortably. If you want a hub style shanty, then the KillZone for the price is by far the best one you’re going to get.”

“I have had mine for one season. I used it around 10 times. It worked great on calm days; on windy days…I had to chase it once across the ice—it was my fault, not the shelter’s. So now if it is windy I take my cordless drill and some lag bolts and anchor the windward side and secure the skirt. It takes a little time but it is better than chasing it around the lake. I haven’t had any problems with seams or zippers. Hope this helps.”

“My buddy just got the little KillZone. It is a nice shack. The only thing I didn’t like was the lack of adjustable straps off the hubs. The holes in the skirt seemed to work fine for him to anchor with. The KillZone has more windows than the Cube. Big +.”

We think the KillZone Igloo ice fishing shelters are pretty spectacular. But you don’t have to take our word for it! Here’s what a few hardcore Minnesota ice fishermen had to say about the Igloo-XL, as posted on the HotSpotOutdoors.com forum.

The KillZone Igloo-XL is dubbed "the best bang for your buck" by several Minnesota ice fishermen.

“Well thought I would chime in. Bought a new KillZone Igloo-XL 4 man shelter and I love it. Can’t imagine having just the 2 man as I love the room of the 4 man (which might be a little tight with 3 people).

What steered me towards the KillZone was the 4 larger windows (which I put on inside my home when I set it up when I first received it and have not had any problems with) on all sides so you can see your tipups. It does only have 1 door (I would recommend putting the door away from the wind…), but thats fine for me. And it is made of 600 D Poly much like the Clams.

The way I found best to set it up (and have done so in 25+mph winds by myself) is to point one corner into the wind (so that two sides will be into the wind, not just one) and then I use a old hand drill with a 1/4″ drill bit and pre-drill that first windward corner. Once pre-drilled I install that anchor and then proceed to follow the same procedure on the two common corners with those two sides. I have yet to bother to put all for corners in. After I install all three corners, I then put two anchors in to secure the windward hubs to. With the lines attached to the hubs on the windward sides, I then pop the roof up, followed by the two leeward sides, and then the windward sides which I promptly secure to the anchors. Then its fishing time. One spot where I fish, I can pull in the parking lot, walk out about 1300-1500 feet, setup the shelter and be fishing all within 20 minutes.

Two things I found to help with the anchors is to pre-drill with a long 1/4″ bit, or you will be there all day trying to start those by hand. Even with an old-school hand drill it only takes a matter of seconds to drill the hole and you don’t have to worry about a dead battery. The other thing being that I put 1.5-2″ of 1/4″ marine fuel line (had it around and its thick) onto the shaft of the anchors so that you don’t have to screw the anchors all the way in till the handle, which is kind of awkward, and this allows you to tighten the skirt right to the ice.

I think the biggest thing with any hub style shanty in common sense… they are big, and they are light (which is exactly why I bought it), so it NEEDS to be properly anchored (windward hubs need to be anchored). I still believe they are the best bang for your buck. You do need to realize that if your fishing style is hopping from hole to hole, you are not going to want to set this thing up and down a million times.”

In response, another ice fisherman offered his opinion of the Igloo XL shelter:

“I bought the 4 man Killzone just after Xmas and I love mine as well. Not to sound like a advertisement but the first time out it was -23 and we were just fine in the shelter with just a Big Buddy Heater going for 2 of us. The room it has is great for 2 guys (not fished with 3 yet) and allows room for all your fishing tools and you can stand up and stretch if needed with plenty of headroom. I too am very happy with it. I have not had to anchor it down yet, but it is very easy to hole hop and move around and set it up again quickly.

My 2 girls ( 5 & 8 ) love it to. The first night I set it up in the basement and they ‘camped’ in it all night.”

An ice fisherman from Winona, MN then chimed in:

“I too have one of these and love it!! Its my first shack, but IMO its the best bang for the buck out there. It’s a little tricky the first couple of times getting it into the bag, but after you figure it out, I can set it up/take it down in about 10 min.”

For more customer reviews and product features, see the KillZone Igloo ice shelter product pages on our site.

Portable ice fishing shelters keep you comfortable on the ice. They keep you mobile, provide a warming house for fishing large areas, and are affordable enough for even the occasional ice fisherman. Here are a few tips on what to look for when shopping for a portable ice fishing shelter.

A portable ice fishing shelter keeps you warm and comfortable on the ice.

Type

There are plenty of portable shelter designs for any type of ice fisherman. The three most common types of portable ice fishing shelters are cabin-style, flip-over, and hub tent shelters. The shelters vary in weight, size, ease of setup, portability, and flooring.

Material

The material used to make portable ice shelters varies by how thick and durable it is, how easily it allows moisture to evaporate, and how water resistant and fire resistant the material is.

The thicker the material is, the warmer it will be and the longer it will last. Thicker material resists punctures and provides a much-needed buffer from subzero temperatures and icy winds.

If possible, look for a dark-colored shelter. Dark material absorbs heat from the sun, which keeps your shelter even warmer.

Weight/Portability

You’ll want to consider how you will get the shelter out onto the ice. It should be light enough to carry or tow behind you on a sled. The lightest types of shelters are hub-style tents, which can be carried over your shoulder. Flip-over shelters are usually attached to a sled for easier transport. Cabins usually fold into a suitcase-like carrier and can be transported like a sled. Shelters that have floors are slightly heavier.

Size

If you fish with a lot of people or you just like your space, look for a bigger shelter that can hold at least four people. Keep in mind that the larger the shelter is, the heavier it will be.

Setup

Tent-style and flip-up ice fishing shelters are the easiest to set up. Flip-up shelters simply flip over the top of you and you’re ready to fish. Tent-style hub shelters set up in less than a minute. Simply pop the top and four sides. In windy conditions, you’ll need to anchor the windward side of the tent to secure it in place. Cabin-style shelters take a little longer to set up, but the process is still fairly quick and easy.

Flooring

Some ice fishing shelters have floors, and others don’t. Flooring keeps your feet off the ice and keeps you warmer. No flooring means you can drill as many holes as you want, wherever you want. It also means less weight and greater portability.

Interior size, center height, and fabric thickness are just a few of the features that set each portable ice shelter apart from the pack. Below is a comparison of portable ice shelters from some of the most respected brands on the market: KillZone Igloo XL©, Clam Base Camp, Eskimo Quickfish 4, Frabill Outpost, and Shapell Ice House 6000.