HOT STUFF!

Every once in a while, a innovative new product comes along that makes things a little easier for the outdoorsman. Just before Christmas I got a phone call from Darin Hubscher who lives in Swan River. Darin owns and operates Quadivator, a business that builds accessories for all-terrain vehicles and garden tractors. In fact, his unique inventions have won some pretty impressive awards, including a best of product from ATV Magazine. It just so happens that Darin also loves to ice fish and was tired of being outside and freezing his butt, if you know what I mean. So in short order, he whipped up a little invention designed not only to keep you warm in the cold weather, but that would also allow you to eat a hot meal out on the ice. Have I got your attention?

Darin designed and manufactured what he calls The Sportsman's Multi-Heater. It consists of a metal pail with vents on the bottom. Inside there is a metal receptacle for a fuel cartridge, which has a wick and is secured with a rubber band. Once lit you grab the handle of fuel cartridge holder and place it back in the pail then put on the padded lid.

In the top of this comfortable seat is a hole the size 2 inch in which a rubber tube is inserted. As the pail heats up from the fuel cartridge, it funnels up to the tube which can then be placed under your coat. For best results, Darin says it helps to use a loose jacket and pull it away from your body a bit so the heat can escape up through your collar. The first time I tried it, I was out on a miserably cold day on the Red River with the wind blowing from the north.

Quickly setting up my portable Eskimo ice tent, I placed the pail inside and the tube up my jacket. Sure enough while my friend was freezing outside, I was toasty warm inside even though the windchill was close to minus 28 Celsius. On my next trip out the weather was a lot nicer but handling a bunch of fish without gloves is awful hard on the hands. It was nice just to sit on the pail without the tube and tuck my hands over the hole. In no time they would warm up and allow me get my touch back with my jigging rod.

Darin also assured me that with the amount of heat given off by this canister, you could easily warm up some perogies or sausage and have a hot meal on the ice. So on that same trip I packed along some deer sausage wrapped in foil and left it inside the pail for a couple of hours while I fished. Sure enough, when I opened up the package, the sausage was steaming hot through and through. Man, did that ever hit the spot after a cold day on the ice.

Darin says the multi-heater is not just for ice fishing but works great in a stand waiting for big game or at a sporting event. Darin says you have to exercise some caution around children because the inside of the pail does get warm and the metal surfaces heat up. To extinguish the flame on the fuel canister all you have to do is blow out the wick or put the lid back on.

It is a real slick unit and has made my ice fishing a lot more enjoyable last year. They are not the cheapest unit on the market because of their makeup but believe me, it is money well spent if you like to ice fish. For information on were to get your Sportsman Multi-Heater call Quadivator toll free at 1-866-770-2169 or visit their website at www.quadivator.com