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December 15, 2011

KillZone Ice Fishing Shelter Reviews

Ice fishing tent

"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

February 22, 2011

Sale! KillZone Igloo Ice Fishing Shelter

Ice fishing sale

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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!

January 24, 2011

KillZone Igloo Ice Fishing Shelter Reviews

Ice fishing in the KillZone Igloo XL

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 +.”

January 12, 2011

KillZone Igloo Ice Shelter Reviews Posted on HubSpotOutdoors.com Forum

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.

KillZone Igloo-XL ice fishing shelter

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.

December 13, 2010

Portable Ice Shelter Comparison: KillZone, Clam, Eskimo, Frabill, Shapell

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.

Brand KillZone Clam Eskimo Frabill Shapell
Model Igloo XL© Base Camp Quickfish 4 Outpost Ice House 6000
Center Height 83 inches 84 inches 92 inches 80 inches 84 inches
Floor Space 72″ x 72″ 72″ x 72″ 90″ x 78″ 70″ x 70″ 72″ x 72″
Interior Hub to Hub 92″ x 92″ 90″ x 90″ 110″ x 100″ N/A 92″ x 92″
Floor Type Open Open Open Open Open
Frame type Hub style Hub style Hub style Hub style Hub style
Shell 600D poly 600D poly 300D poly 300D poly 600D poly
Interior Blackout Blackout Blackout/gray Blackout Blackout
Windows 4 Removable clear windows with shades 4 Replaceable windows 8 Windows 4 Removable clear windows 4 Removable clear windows with shades
Vents Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Stakes 8 Ice anchors 4 Ice anchors 8 Ice anchors Includes anchor kit 4 Ice anchors
Tie Downs Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Carry Bag Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Folded Dimensions 52″ x 8″ x 8″ 54″ x 11″ x 11″ 61.5″ x 9.5″ x 9.5″ 50″ x 8″ x 8″ 50″ x 9″ x 9″
Weight 26 lbs. 27 lbs. 30 lbs. 24 lbs. 26 lbs.
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January 5, 2010

KillZone Ice Fishing Pictures

No matter how cold it is outside, it’s always good ice fishing with the KillZone Ice Shelter. Below are pics from KillZone Hunting fans fishing from the Igloo XL.

KillZone ice fishing in the snow

KillZone ice fishing shelter

Ice fishing in the KillZone shelter

The catch

Got any ice fishing photos with the KillZone Igloo?
Send them our way at media@killzonehunting.com! We’ll even post them on the blog.