Clam Bigfoot xl4000t

Just picked up this bad boy from Bass Pro. Very excited for the first lakes to start freezing up!
Does anyone have any experience with this model? Regarding heat retention, sturdiness in wind, etc.
I have never used a thermal portable hut before so I'm very curious to see the difference between it, a regular portable, and my old permanent hut.
Here is a pic of the beast. Its a bigfoot xl4000t

Got the model down from that o e lol i just resprayed it with waterproof spray from walmart. The metal centers shader when its super cold.

Looks nice I picked up a Eskimo quick fish 3i at the end of the season last year and I too am pumped to get out on the ice and use it for the first time... They go up so easy and come down easy as well...
One tip is that on windy days anchor one corner into the ice first to prevent it from getting away from you..

Good luck on your adventures!!

I'm also looking forward to the hard water season, I picked up the same model at bass pro yesterday, good luck.

I picked up a 4000t from online for a great price , its 1 season old and it looks amazing set up in the yard. Ive never been so happy to get safe ice i like the mesh pockets on the inside, they will come in handy. Gonna start to build a smitty next week and i suggest you do to

Heres a 2000 in 50k winds


https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQnP7b1wpoqCktg1A7l5Biw





[YOUTUBE]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=05DdGe2Iq-Q[/YOUTUBE]

Yup! Right after this picture was taken I did the exact same thing.
Even though its a thermal model with extra condensation control it definitely will help with how waterproof it is. If it rains or anything like that I'll be thankful I took the extra 5 minutes and spent the $10 on the spray.

Thanks!

Yea it didn't even take me the 60 seconds by myself that they say it takes. Super easy and fast.
One of the window velcro pieces is a tiny bit off and clam has been amazing since i emailed them about it. It is still usable and doesn't effect how the hut performs but they're still sending me some free shelter hooks and a free clam table for ice fishing and camping. They offered to exchange the hut but I didn't want to go through the hassle.

should it be sprayed prior to its first use ?

Dont have to be pre sprayed it just a extra waterproof. I just do it because i get pissy when im in a hut that lets you get a bit wet on the inside lol it only happens after the 1st year after that ya spray it lol

Probably does not need it but just as an extra bit of piece of mind for myself. It also will probably extend the life of the hut. I will probably give it a spray down once a year before the start of each season. The bottles of waterproof spray are only $10 at walmart or crappy tire.

WHAT IS THE SPRAY CALLED?

ANY PARTICULAR BRAND?

The one i used is called snowguard I think. Its for jackets, boots, etc. It works magic on good winter boots. I have a pair that are three years old and still look brand new. Moisture wicks right off and doesn't penetrate the sprays barrier.

I sprayed my old non insulated hut AND my new insulated. More to avoid snow building up on it as much.

In the non insulated, i would put some of the thin, rolled up silver insulation pieces in the roof and it made a huge huge difference. It only cost like $35 at Home Cheepo and saved my that many times over in gas alone.

I cut it into manageable pieces that fit between the hut and the poles. On really windy days I also put it on the wall facing the wind.
Seriously the difference is huge, and easy to transport and set up.

Ive had mine for 2 seasons and absolutely love it. I can set it up and take it down by myself without issues. I would recommend spraying it, i do. The first season i didnt, and ended up getting rained on. There wasnt any dripping, but the hut absorbed so much water that thing weighed like 300lbs by the end of the day, so because of that i spray. Its a great hut, i love it. No regrets. And yes i agree the mesh pockets are great. I usually have the heater setup underneath one of them so you can put your gloves etc in the mesh and have the heat from the heater warm them up/dry them out. I would also recommend that you grab a hanging light of some kind. I purchased a fan/light combo that works fantastic for circulating the heat and lighting up the entire hut when dark. Once you fish in your thermal, youl never want to go back. Youll never have condensation dripping on you ever again, you will still get it though as youl see at night time the onside of the walls will start to frost over, but nothing compared to a regular hut. Enjoy it my friend and treat it good, i plan to have mine for many years