By 
During the holidays I bought myself a portable ice shelter. I chose the Gorilla Ice Cube, shelter for 4 people. I did my research and looked at a few different ice shelters and chose the Ice Cube. So this is my personal review after trying ice fishing in a river.
First of all, the price was right! It was on sale for $ 100 off the regular price, so that was a bonus! After trying the Ice Cube, I think paying the normal price would not have been a problem for me. It is a good size, I can stand up without problem and it can accommodate 4 people. I tested it with 2 people first and had plenty of room to move around and have some gear inside. The second time I used it it was with 2 adults and 1 child and there was still enough space. For a center height of 91 “x91” x80 “, you have plenty of room, because you wouldn’t think about it when you look at it.
The Ice Cube comes in a nice carrying bag, with straps for carrying behind your back. It’s hard to believe this haven is this bag! So after reaching my spot on the river, I unpacked the shelter and started the easy 1-2-3 setup. I initially tried installing it in my garage so I knew what I was getting into and was glad I did. Setting it up is easy, but you have to get used to it at first. The instructions are simple, but it took me a bit to get used to. You think you’re going to break this thing by setting it up, but the posts are very strong and it can take a long time when you install it.
First is to unfold it with the top piece on top, pull hard on the eye, then go to each side and “pull out” all sides. Oh, you need to anchor one corner with the screw into the ice anchor first to make sure it doesn’t slip away. This is done in windy conditions, but I didn’t need to do this as I just stepped on a corner and stopped, then I go side to side, pull the sides out, because there was no wind at the time.
After the ice cube is lifted, place it where you want it. Once done, put it on and now fix it to the ice on all 4 sides with the adjustable straps and ice anchors. Just screw the ice anchors into the ice and loop the strap around the anchor. Maintains the shelter very well. Now you can go ice fishing!
Once the ice cube is lifted and anchored, you can now open the 2 windows to let in some light. Now I drill my holes, clean the slush, prepare my gear and chair, and start fishing. It was -20 degrees outside so I turned on my portable heater, which made it quite comfortable after about 20 minutes. There is an air vent in the roof to make sure there is enough air in with the propane heater on. Also, the black color attracts the sun and gives you more heat which I liked.
Now I fished about 4 hours and it was great! My wife and I the first time and then our granddaughter and us the next time. There was plenty of room for all of us and the Ice Cube weathered the Manitoba winter. I am impressed with the Ice Cube and should have bought one a long time ago as it allows you to move to where the fishing is hot too!
Disassembly was very easy and on the first try I managed to get the shelter into the storage bag. After a few more times, setting it up and removing it is easy. All in all, I couldn’t have gone wrong buying the Ice Cube. It is a very good product and it stands up to Canadian winters!