I am wondering if anyone has run into this problem.

As most of you know here in Missouri we got hit hard this winter with tremendous amounts of snow and ice.

I got caught not being ready for what was to come in relation to my DB blind.

I haven't been able to get over to the farm for quite a while now but got a call from my buddy that my blind had been.. how to say it best...lol squashed!

He brought it back to his shop using his tractor with a carryall.

I still haven't seen it but he tells me there's more than one of the rods broken.

God bless,Mudd

PS: I hope the company is as good about replacing them as with it's original owners.

I had a double bull that had a broken rod fron high winds not as sturdy as I had hoped,I feel your pain mudd.

All you do is pay the shipping, they are easy to replace. Shipping is around $20

I havent had to replace one in a while, but the first time I had to replace one they sent them to me free of charge.  Then Primos took over and they started charging you the shipping.  The last time it cost me like 24 bucks to get 5 or 6 of the rods for the blind.  Not sure if that is still the policy.

Mudd, I've broken ends on the rods over the years and they are pretty easy to repair.(I have the carbon rods on mine) On your blind is it the rod itself that's broken or the end that goes into the hub?
If you have problems let me know what model you have, I live about 15 minutes from one of the previous owners of Double Bull and I'm sure he can get the parts if need be.

Primos is really good about sending out the replacement rods and all you have to pay is shipping.  I usually order 3 or 4 of them at a time so that I have some spares since they always seem to break during hunting season.  The only thing you have to be aware of is that they may come longer than your existing rods and you will have to cut them to the proper length.

Primos sends me 8 rods at a whack but I pay for the shipping.  In the old days the DB guys would send you what you need FREE with no shipping charges.

When the rods are subjected to extreme temps or put under a load, such as ice or snow, rods tends to snap off where they meet the hubs, approx. 1-2" from the "ball joint".  Unfortunately this is a fair common problem.

I set deer blinds for my son each fall, leaving them out from Sept. through January so they are really put to the test.  I'm always very careful when I take them down, making certain that the rods aren't in a bind whenever I collapse the blind.  FYI: I have 3 blinds that have been setting up ths way (all season) for 5-6 years now and they're still going.

Any time I leave mine out for an extended period, I use a length of 1/2" PVC to prop the top hub up. Keeps the roof from collapsing. Two pieces with a coupling and you can break it down to fit in the DB storage bag.

'Course, being in the south, I have no experience on exactly how much snow it would take to break the 1/2" pipe.

The DB fabric is tops and tuff,  but the extra weight of the fabric especially when wet seems to be real hard on rods. I had the DB recurve model for two years. I took it down after most hunts for fear of it being stolen, I broke my share of rods. After spending alot of time fixing broken rods, like said above almost always broke about an inch or two from the hub, I fixed it one last time and sold it. I bought a larger, lighter, and cheaper blind,( Yukon tracks Enforcer elite). So far I love it, I don't know how it will hold up over the long hall with the fabric it's made of being visibly inferior to the DB, but the hub and rods have made year one without any problem. I was very disappointed with how easily the DB rods broke, but they were good about sending new ones.

The rods wear from contacting the hub when folding or unfolding, it's the nature of the beast and is repaired cheap and easy. It is what it is.

I have broken hubs before.  They sew a couple extra ones into each carry bag.  (at least they use to)  I found that out last year when I called.  If its a rod they will replace them easily.

Joey that sounds like a great idea. If the center doesn't come down the rest will do their job just fine.

Thank you!

Hopefully I'll be able to get over to the farm soon and see for myself how much damage has been done.

God bless, Mudd

I phoned Primos and they sent me 8 new rods. Apparently they come in packs of 4. They shipped them air mail, prepaid to my door. Never cost me a penny.

There is and exterior eye on the top of the blind. I just thread some nylon rope through there and tie it off to a branch over head. I use small nylon rope that duck hunters use for thier decoys.

I had the same thing ahppen to my Ameristep Penthouse this winter.

Haven't reached out to them yet.  hope it's not too much to replace them.

Mike that's a good idea too, if I'm set up under or near enough to a tree.

Unfortunately I was set up near a blow down this time without a nearby standing tree.

God bless,Mudd

The only bad thing is too is that the new rods are a light gray instead of black.  I just paint mine before I put them in.  


Good luck,

David

My Hidden Hunter blind has steel rods and because of the dome shape I've never had a problem with snow load. I've got a couple of them that have been set out for two years.

 

Update.....! Kenny brought the blind back and....

Good grief! I was appalled!

I was thinking maybe a rod or two but this was absolutely crushed under the weight of all the snow and ice.

Eight(8) broken rods!

I guess in for a penny, in for a pound...lol

God bless,Mudd

Yikes, good thing you weren't in that thing.LOL