Revolutionizing the Portable Shelter? Yep..
Aug 31st, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Aug 31st, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Plano, IL (August 31, 2016) – The term “revolutionary” is categorically abused to hype new fishing products. Going from 9 to 11 ball-bearings is progress, even noteworthy, but clearly not revolutionary. Adding yet another cyborg strand of rarified fiber to a superline might very well advance performance, but is not revolutionary. And we are the first to admit that installing a bonus seat and maybe an extra ply of shelter fabric isn’t revolutionary, either.
Frabill is committed to using “revolutionary” only when it’s deserved. Like, well, quite frankly, now…
For 2015-16, the bold leader in ice fishing has radically revolutionized the portable shelter.
Standing behind the Superstructure
Like the skeleton lays the framework for the human form, a portable shelter’s pole-system defines shape, dependability and performance. So imagine if your bones were suddenly 30% stronger, while at the same time 30% lighter? Alert the media – an elite Olympian athlete has been discovered.
Progressive as engineering gets in ice fishing, Frabill has gone out and sourced a new “super-alloy.”
Brand manager Ryan Olander explains: “We’ve taken an alloy previously proven in other demanding products, in other categories, and incorporated the technology into Frabill portable ice fishing shelters.” Expertly, Frabill has achieved this bump in strength and weight reduction into the traditional geometries of shelter framework.
Employing Every Square Inch
Wasted space is unacceptable. They call them fish “houses,” not fish “barns”. You can get away with some loosey-goosey design erecting a pole barn, but not for a thoughtfully architected home.
Frabill treats your portable shelter like they were moving in.
It starts with optimizing fishable space. “We deeply considered layout during every step of the design process,” said Olander. “We think about space for heaters and electronics, tackle bags, buckets, as well as the all-important hookset.”
Frabill revolutionized (justifiable usage) portable shelter design with SideStep™. The innovative door configuration sets the table for optimizing fishable space. Rather than cutting in a door on the front of the shelter – creating an obstacle course entering and exiting – Frabill intuitively places faultless zippered doors on the sides, one each port and starboard.
As a calculated bonus, the savvy SideStep feature let Frabill’s design team establish a vertical front, unlike the angular nose on conventional shelters. The net result is a massive increase in fishable, hook-setting space.
There’s also a safety component to SideStep. Most shelter calamities – especially the dreaded fire – start with a heater getting kicked over. With SideStep, there’s never a reason to tiptoe around equipment. No more bumbling into the heater, sending heat and flames where they shouldn’t be.
Vastly Improved Storage and Seating
If nothing else, ice anglers are true innovators. The concoctions of plywood, 2 X 4’s, and scratch nuts and bolts are marvels to say the least. Problem is, that even the most deftly designed storage modification adds mega weight. A 50-pound shack can tip the scales at 100-pounds in a hurry.
Studying these mods, Frabill has engineered storage and organization solutions that emulate the performance of custom jobs, but without adding bulk. “For one, we’ve found better ways to utilize space under the angler’s seat,” said Olander. “Coming up with design options really let us marry Plano’s proficiency in gear storage with Frabill’s expertise in ice fishing. The result is shelter storage that’s lighter weight, durable and efficient.”
Seating options that consider both comfort and organized-storage abound. The new Combo-Case Bench is a shining example. The generously padded two-angler seat opens to reveal a robust rod case with egg-carton foam padding.
Room with a View(s)
In new home construction – particularly the Parade of Homes types – window placement is a serious matter. It’s all about maximizing the view. Frabill took similar consideration locating the windows on the 2015-16 shelter lineup.
“We sat in numbers of prototypes looking out the windows at tip-ups,” said Olander. “We marked the walls to find the perfect compromise location for anglers of varying heights.
“And beyond customizing window locations, we ended up moving away from the classic square shape, finding that shapes like parallelograms and trapezoids better accommodate lines of sight, like seeing down and away at a tip-up.”
Style Points
You raise your hand in class when you have the answer. Frabill calls attention to having the all-the-right-answers in an ice fishing shelter by giving it standout looks. ALL of the new models are strikingly handsome and have that extra flair that’ll turn heads on the lake.
Maintaining the classic black and yellow color scheme – extolling Frabill’s “Trusted Gear” mantra – the new shelters flash durability and workmanship with iconic diamond-plate-pattern exterior accents. This, while technical geometric fabric color and pattern transitions symbolize the progressive thinking that goes into engineering Frabill shelters.
Summary
Revolutionary? Yes. Frabill thinks you’ll agree.
ABOUT FRABILL
Frabill, Inc. is in its 76th year of engineering premium, trusted fishing equipment. Fishing products include landing nets, portable aeration, bait containers, bait care and management, bait traps and seines, accessories, and premium raingear, including the new F Series Storm Gear. Frabill’s ice fishing product lineup consists of portable ice fishing shelters, rod and reel combos, tip-ups, bait containers, portable aeration, and premium ice fishing apparel, including the new I Series. Visit www.frabill.com.