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Low temperatures and strong winds are two things that come with ice fishing. Many use ice fishing suits to cope with these conditions. Others go for ice fishing tents.
If you are one of those thinking about getting one, you might be wondering. Do ice fishing tents have floors? Most models don’t. But don’t worry. Anglers have come up with all sorts of ideas to cover the ground. EVA foam tiles, Patio deck Tiles, and rubber interlock tiles are among the best floor ideas for ice fishing tents.
There are two extra ideas on our sleeve. So make sure to stick with us a little longer to discover them.
Do All Fishing Tents Have Floors?
There are some tents, such as Lizada Pop Up, which come with a floor. However, the entire construction offers little insulation compared with other models.
Besides, since ice fishing involves making a hole in the ice, ice fishing tents with floors should come with a hole as well. Otherwise, you will need to fish with the door open, which exposes you to the elements. Something that happens with this model
On the other hand, ice fishing shelters without floors have thicker walls, which insulate the inside better. But you will need to think out of the box to protect the ground as well. Naturally, you will leave some space for the hole.
Ice Fishing Tent Floor Ideas
The ideas we are going to discuss here are all DIY. But know that you can also get aftermarket floors such as CLAM Removable Ice Fishing Floor. The only disadvantage is that these options are only compatible with some ice fishing shelters. Yours might not be compatible, leaving you with only these options:
EVA Foam Tiles
EVA Foam is very popular today. We find it in handles, seats, and floor tiles. These are the same tiles people use to build playgrounds for toddlers. They are soft and offer quite a good grip. Although they are not 100% waterproof, they are resistant enough to handle the humidity of melted ice.
These EVA foam tiles come with interlocking edges. You can combine them to the desired shape and size of your tent. Needless to say, these work better with rectangular floors. But you can always cut them to the desired shape.
There are many colors, designs, thicknesses, and sizes available. Here we leave you some suggestions:
Rubber Interlock Tiles
Pretty much like EVA Foam tiles, rubber interlock tiles have the same shape and binding mechanism. They are heavier and often more expensive. But they offer more protection against cold, with the added advantage of being waterproof too.
Most rubber interlock tiles are not solely made with rubber but a combination of rubber and EVA Foam. To give you an idea, these are the same ones you find in gyms to protect the floor of the weight-lifting areas.
Rubber tiles come in several thicknesses and sizes. However, most of the options available are either black or gray Not that this is a problem, really. Some suggestions for rubber interlock tiles are:
Patio Deck Tiles
Although this is not the most common of options, it still gets the job done. Sure, it does not offer as much protection against cold as the other two. But it is sturdy, durable, and water-resistant.
These patio tiles are made out of plastic, which makes them light enough for transport. There are several designs to choose from. But one common thing is that all offer great grip even when wet.
Sadly, you don’t have as many options in terms of thickness and size. Plus, since they are plastic, you won’t be able to cut them. Therefore, we only recommend using patio tiles with rectangular ice fishing tents.
There are also some wood options if you want. But beware. They are heavy.
Here you have some of the best options:
Carpet Square Flooring
There might not be the first option that comes to mind. But it is still a good flooring idea for ice fishing tents. Bear in mind that, since this is a carpet, they will get wet. On the bright side, it is quite good at keeping cold at bay.
Carpet flooring is more malleable than any of the other options we show before. Consequently, this might be your only option if you don’t have a rectangular ice fishing shelter.
Carpet flooring is available in several different sizes. But most of them are of the same thickness. You can also choose to go for a spool of carpet and cut the pieces as you want.
Since there is no interlocking mechanism, the flooring will not hold in place as it does with the other options.
Drainage Tiles
The last option you got is to go for one of these. These plastic tiles are not solid. They have tiny holes to drain water. Therefore, they are not the best option if you want insulation. However, they are strong and stable. Plus, they are quite cheap.
Another advantage of these tiles is that they are light, making them an ideal solution for small ice-fishing shelters.
The tile has an interlocking mechanism and usually comes in a single length and thickness. Here you have some options:
Conclusion
Most ice fishing tents, at least the good ones, come with no floor. Sure, you can get some removable floors. But they are only compatible with certain shelters. Therefore, you might not be able to get one.
Luckily for you, we have discussed five solutions to your problem. EVA foam, Rubber, and Patio deck tiles. You can also use carpet flooring or drainage tiles. In our option, EVA foam interlocking mats are your best bet. They are widely available, and water-resistant, and you can shape them as needed. But rubber tiles are a good second option if EVA foam mats are not available.
All and all, all five options here are suitable flooring ideas for your ice fishing tent. So tell us, which one is your favorite?
