If there’s one thing you take to the ice, it’s an ice fishing shelter. No matter what your preference is in terms of fishing, an ice fishing shelter will make your time on the ice more comfortable and convenient. Whether you’re fishing for panfish or walleye, most ice fishing shelters have room for more than one person, so you can take the entire family out on the ice.
Read on for more information on our favorite ice fishing shelters.
Our Editor’s Best Ice Fishing Shelters Reviews
- OVERSIZED, TRIP-PROOF DOOR: The Outbreak 850XD features an oversized, trip proof door that fully zips down to the ice. This means no more catching your foot on the door framework and stumbling with your gear.
- MORE FISHABLE AREA: Flared, wide-bottom design provides significantly more fishable area than other shelters on the market.
- STORMSHIELD INSULATED FABRIC: Three-layer, abrasion-resistant, bonded fabric with 80 grams of high-loft insulation, providing maximum warmth and a robust barrier against light/wind penetration.
- GRAY INTERIOR: Brightens the shelter interior, making it easier to see and fish.
- STRONGER HUB DESIGN: The Outbreak 850XD features an all-metal ball-and-socket design as well as larger fiberglass poles.
- Ice Fishing Tent from Eskimo: Inflatable Tents for camping that are designed with a fast and easy deployment; Equipped with with a 60 second secure ice fishing hut setup procedure, giving you more time to focus on your fishing gear and equipment
- Ice Tent Fabric: Made of 300 Denier Ice tight fabric that features a 59% higher thread count against wind and 19% lighter weight than other ice house tents; Ideal ice fishing equipment storage for long lasting use
- Deployment Bag for Ice Fishing Shelter: Easily pack this ice fishing shanty out onto the lake with the cinching carry backpack bag; Portable bag made to store the indoor pop up tent for various uses on the go
- Durable Ice Shanty Design: Equipped with heavy-duty corner reinforcements with YKK zippers as well as strong ice anchors; Features removable ice fishing sled window panels for proper ventilation
- Maximum 3 Person Tent Capacity: Features a 3 person capacity ice fishing shelter so you and your ice fishing crew will have plenty of space and storage mesh pockets to keep your ice fishing gear near
- Incredibly spacious inside 138" x 70" and hub to hub "Elbow room" of 160" x 90"
- Six hook and loop mounted vinyl windows, and two ceiling vents
- 300 denier polyester "Blackout" fabric keeps the wind AND the light outside
- Extra heavy duty fiberglass poles, zippers, and an extra wide skirt
- Includes 12 heavy duty ice anchors and reinforced tie downs to hold secure on windy days
- 60-SECOND SET UP - Hub design makes set-up and take-down quick and easy. 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
- Protect yourself from the elements as you fish with this 2-person, pop-up ice shelter
- Sets up and tears down in only 60 seconds and folds down into a backpack-style carry bag
- Has 25 square feet of fishable area in the tent and expands to have 76 by 76 inches of elbow room for you and your fishing buddy
- Made of 300 denier IceTight fabric with a high thread count, tight weave, and an extra-long skirt to keep wind, water, and the elements out while keeping your heat in
- Includes 4 removable window panels, in-skirt grommets, 6 self-tapping ice anchors, standard tie downs, 1 carry bag, 1 mesh pocket, and 1 zipper-access door
- All-Inclusive Ice Fishing: Experience the perfect ice fishing adventure with our comprehensive package, including a complimentary ice auger.
- Spacious & Durable Tent: Our 8-person ice fishing tent is spacious, crafted from 300D thermal Oxford fabric for waterproof, windproof, and cold-resistant performance down to -22°F (-30°C). The ice auger comes with rubber handles for comfort and safety.
- Effortless Setup & Portability: With a user-friendly pop-up design and sturdy steel self-tapping ice anchors, setting up and moving your ice shanty is a breeze. It conveniently packs into the included 4.2 x 0.8 x 0.8 feet carrying bag for easy transport.
- Multi-Functional Insulated Shelter: Our ice fishing shelter includes 2-layer windows, ventilation, reflective strips for night fishing, 8 mesh handles, storage pockets, and high-quality SBS zippers for user-friendliness.
- Complimentary Ice Auger Tool: Elevate your ice fishing experience with our lightweight and durable nylon ice auger, featuring sharp steel blades and a blade guard for safety. It comes with a universal adapter and an extra extension rod for Φ8" hole drilling.
- 60-SECOND SET-UP: Hub design makes set-up and take-down quick and easy. Shelter fits 3 people with a set-up size of 5.8ft L x 5.8ft W x 6.7ft H, with extra elbow room measuring 7.5ft x 7.5ft
- 600 DENIER FULLY-INSULATED: IQ Insulated Quilted fabric is 35% warmer than a comparable non-insulated shelter
- PORTABILITY: Everything fits into a cinch duffle 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
- 🔴 【3-4 PERSON POP-UP ICE FISHING SHELTER】 - How to find your winter home on the ice？Your Choice ice shelter will protect you from the wind, snow, rain and the sun. It can be set up in 60 seconds and will gives you 33 square feet of fishable space and plenty of room to move around while still collapsing down to a portable, compact package for transport and storage.
- ☀️ 【FULLY INSULATED ICE FISHING SHELTER TO WINDPROOF AND STAY WARM - With three-layer, abrasion-resistant, bonded fabric with 120 grams of high-loft insulation, providing maximum warmth and a robust barrier against wind penetration. INSULATED double-layer sewing skirts design , which can increase the heat preservation performance by 40% in cold weather.
- 🔴 【NEW UPGRADED DURABLE ZIPPER】 - The quality of the zipper has been upgraded, which is more durable than the zipper of ordinary ice fishing shelter. Comparing with normal ice fishing shelter, our ice fishing shelter is constructed of tightly-woven Oxford fabric that can withstand the wind and elements.
- 🔴 【FUNCTION UPGRADES】 - 2-Layer Detachable Window, one layer is oxford, and one is transparent PVC. Velcro Air Vents design allow you to control heat and humidity. 2 Zipper Door design that let you easy to enter or exit the shelter without walking right through another angler’s fishing area. With Inside Pocket which is convenient to carry the necessary fishing gear. Equipped with 4 ice spikes and 4 ropes, it is more stable on windy days. Night Reflective Strip for safe fish in the night.
- 🔴 【SIZE INFORMATION】 - Overall Dimensions: 5.7ft L x 5.7ft W x 6.5ft H / Door Size: 4.5ft W x 1.8ft H / Folded Size: 4.25ft L x 0.8ft W x 0.8ft H / Weight: 23lbs. There are 33 feet of fishable space, plenty for one or two holes, and offers space for your gear. Portable ice shelters are very compact, light, easy to transport and store. Your able to pack up and move in minutes!
- HUGE! More than 100 square feet of fishable area! Six sides 77 inches each, 130 inches hub to hub, 79 inches tall!
- FAST! One person can easily set up your Nordic Legend in about 2 minute!
- WARM! 301D thermal fabric keeps the heat in, and resists frost build up even on the coldest weather!
- DEPENDABLE! Heavy duty SOLID fiberglass poles, die cast hubs, and removable TPU windows are built to give YEARS of service!
- SECURE! Extra heavy duty zippers on both doors, and 10 heavy duty ice anchors to secure the shelter to the ice!
- 【Easy Setup & Take Down】This ice-fishing shelter is designed to be lightweight and can be easily set up or taken down by just one person. Spend less time struggling with your gear and more time enjoying the fishing experience!
- 【High-Quality & Durable Construction】Made from premium materials, this ice fishing shanty is built to last and withstand harsh winter conditions. You can fish with confidence knowing your shelter will stand strong through multiple seasons of use.
- 【Spacious & Comfortable Interior】Designed with ample space to accommodate multiple anglers, this ice fishing hut ensures a comfortable setting for you and your friends or family. Plus, its excellent insulation keeps you warm even in the coldest weather.
- 【Cozy & Inviting Atmosphere】Specifically designed for two people and their gear, this Cabin-Style Ice fishing Shelter features soft, warm wool lining, creating a cozy environment for those long days on the ice. Relax and enjoy your time fishing without feeling chilly!
- 【Durable & Convenient Design】This ice-fishing tent features sturdy stitching for long-lasting durability, making it perfect for all your fishing adventures. It’s also easy to move, allowing you to switch locations effortlessly for the best fishing spots.
Best Ice Fishing Shelters Buying Guide
Before choosing the best ice fishing shelter you should consider following options:
1. Size and Weight: All ice shelters are not created equal. If you plan to fish in a location where powerboats are available, such as a lake or pond, you might want to go with a larger tent style shelter. This gives you more room to stand and move around.
If instead you plan to fish in a location that requires a long hike to get to, such as on a frozen river or stream, you’ll probably want to choose a shelter that is lighter and easier to carry.
2. Durability: You will notice that some ice fishing shelters are advertised as being built with stronger materials and stronger poles.
That’s because the materials used to make an ice fishing shelter, such as nylon and aluminum, are often weaker than those used to make a similar type of shelter for camping.
A good ice fishing shelter will be built with materials that are of good quality and strong enough to hold up during the storms common to northern climates.
3. Ease of Setup: If your plan is to fish in a location where you can easily drive to and park your car, then you probably don’t have to worry too much about ease of setup.
However, if you plan to fish on a frozen river where you will have to hike a long distance to get to the fishing location, you will want to make sure the shelter you choose is easy to set up.
Even if you plan to fish from your car, you may want to consider a shelter that is easy to set up so you can do it quickly if the weather takes a bad turn.
4. Protection from the Elements: All ice shelters will protect you from wind and rain, but some will also protect you from the cold.
If you plan to fish in a location where it is very cold, you will want to make sure your ice shelter has some sort of heat source built into it.
Heat sources can include electric heaters and built-in propane burners. The latter is the best option, as it will keep the area around you warm, but won’t heat up the ice underneath you.
5. Ease of Use: Finally, you will want to make sure your ice shelter is easy to use.
Some shelters have complicated systems that require a degree in engineering to figure out. You will want to make sure your shelter can be set up and taken down with ease.
You will also want to check to see if there are any special tools you need to use the shelter, such as a wrench to tighten the poles.
You don’t want to head out on the ice with your shelter only to find that you don’t have the proper tools to use it.
6. Cost: Last but not least, you will want to factor in the cost of the ice shelter before you buy it.
As you probably guessed, some ice shelters are much more expensive than others. Higher quality shelters made with sturdier materials will cost more.
On the other end of the spectrum, you will find ice shelters that are basically just a tarp you throw over the ice. Obviously these are the least expensive options.
You can even make a DIY version of an ice shelter by using a tarp or tent and some rope.
However, these types of shelters won’t provide much protection from the elements or last very long.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you narrow down the best ice fishing shelter for your needs.
What else you should know about ice fishing shelters
1. What is the best ice fishing shelter for the money?
There is no one “best” ice fishing shelter for the money. However, many experienced ice fishermen recommend Clam Corporation’s “The Hub” series of ice fishing shelters. These shelters are easy to set up and take down, and they provide good protection from the elements.
2. What is the best portable ice fishing shelter?
The best portable ice fishing shelter is the Eskimo Quickfish 3 Pop-Up Portable Ice Shelter.
3. What is the best ice fishing shelter for windy conditions?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the best ice fishing shelter for windy conditions depends on a number of factors, including the type of ice fishing you plan to do, the size of your group, and your budget. However, some of the best ice fishing shelters for windy conditions include the Eskimo Quickfish 3i Pop-Up Portable Ice Shelter, the Frabill Aegis 2110 Top Insulated Flip-Over Front-Entry Ice Shelter, and the Clam X-200 Pro Thermal 2-Angler Ice Fishing Shelter.
4. What is the best ice fishing shelter for cold weather?
There is no definitive answer to this question as everyone’s needs will differ. Some factors to consider when choosing an ice fishing shelter include: the size of the shelter, the type of insulation, the ventilation, the type of flooring, and the ease of set-up and take-down.
5. What is the best ice fishing shelter for large groups?
There is no definitive answer to this question as the best ice fishing shelter for large groups will vary depending on factors such as the size of the group, the location, and the weather conditions. Some popular options for large groups include the Eskimo Fatfish 949i, the Clam Nanook XL, and the Frabill Aegis 2110.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best ice fishing shelters. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best ice fishing shelters will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.