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HT Polar Therm vs Frabill Pro Thermal vs Beaver Dam Original

Short answer: Frabill Pro Thermal and HT Polar Therm cover the hole to slow freezing; the Beaver Dam Original is a wooden tip-up with a 150 ft line capacity and freeze-proof tube.

Wooden tip-up with a green flag set over a hole in lake ice, more tip-ups in the distance — Photo: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Credits

Two round thermal tip-ups that cover the hole, and the old-school wooden Beaver Dam a lot of U.P. pike guys still swear by.

Spec comparison

	HT Polar Therm	Frabill Pro Thermal	Beaver Dam Original
Style	Round thermal	Round thermal	Wooden cross base
Hole coverage	6–10 in holes	10 in hole; Frabill says no freeze-up down to -25°	Doesn't cover hole
Trip	Freeze-proof, multiple settings	Light or heavy	Tapered or straight trip
Spool / line	200 ft or 500 ft	Removable spool shaft, Sub-Zero lube	150 ft line capacity
Storage	Hook holders, line guide	Folds; stacks in 5–6 gal pail	23" × 3-1/8" base, 17-1/2" flag

Sources: HT Enterprises product descriptions as published by dealers; frabill.com Pro Thermal Tip-up page; Beaver Dam Original specs as listed by FishUSA (Oct 2026).

Which one?

Bitter cold, hole freezing: a thermal. The Frabill and HT both cover the hole.
Big pike and deep sets: the Beaver Dam's wood frame and freeze-proof tube have been around for decades.

Rigging tips: Polar Therm vs Polar Therm Extreme.

Where to buy

Frabill Pro Thermal: Buy at Frabill →
Beaver Dam Original: Buy at FishUSA →

Related guides

Written by Cory Arnold, Iron County, Michigan. Specs checked October 2026.

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