We love the outdoors year round, but we've always felt most at home on the ice.

Since originating the portable ice fishing shelter in 1980, Clam Outdoors has continued to push innovation forward in a way that not only defines our brand—but helps shape the entire industry. What started on the ice has grown into a complete outdoor ecosystem, built for those who work hard, explore often, and expect gear to keep up.

While the ice will always be where we feel most at home, today Clam offers a little bit of everything for everyone. Across Clam and our family of outdoor brands, we make it easier to take on any task or adventure—no matter the season, environment, or conditions.

For anglers, that means more than just getting on the ice. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran spending the ice fishing season in a shelter or a first-timer introducing your family to the experience, we deliver everything needed for a comfortable, successful day—from shelters and IceArmor by Clam apparel to rods, reels, tackle, and accessories designed to perform when it matters most.

But our passion for the outdoors doesn’t stop when the ice melts.

With our line up of screen tents and AYR shelters , we’ve redefined comfort beyond winter—creating fast, reliable shelter solutions that let you enjoy camping trips, backyard gatherings, overland adventures, and everything in between without the nuisance of bugs or unpredictable weather. Built for simplicity and durability, they bring the same innovation and ease-of-use Clam is known for into every season.

And when the job calls for hauling, transporting, or getting more projects done outdoors, Polar Trailers and Utility Carts step in. Designed with rugged durability and smart, user-friendly features, Polar products help take the hard work out of tough tasks—from yard work and property maintenance to hunting and beyond.

At Clam, we don’t just specialize in one category—we specialize in creating a complete lineup of quality products that support every part of your outdoor experience. From frozen lakes to summer campsites, from hauling gear to relaxing under a shelter, our mission remains the same: to make time outside easier, more comfortable, and more rewarding.

And with so many options available, our team is always ready to share our passion and expertise—helping you choose the right gear and get the most out of every adventure.

History of Clam

If you’ve used any piece of ice fishing equipment over the last few decades, there’s a good chance it was at least partially inspired by a Clam Outdoors product. We have long served as the industry’s leading innovators, and it all started with the FishTrap in 1980.

1979

Dave Genz hosts his first Trap Attack ice fishing tournament on Pelican Lake in Orr, Minnesota

1980

After the Trap Attack tournament, Dave Genz built the first FishTrap in his garage in Minnesota. His wife, Patsy, sewed the canvas pieces together on her home sewing machine.

1983

The first FishTrap is sold by Dave Genz. Genz would travel around the ice belt selling FishTrap shelters and hosting the Trap Attack ice fishing tournaments.

1992

Dave Genz partnered his FishTrap shelter with a portable shelter brand known as Clam —named for the way its shelters opened like a clam. Bringing these two concepts together united sled-style mobility with flip-over functionality, marking the beginning of the Clam brand.

1993

Clam quickly became the largest manufacturer of portable ice shelters in North America.

1997

Ice Team is formed, with founding partners including Clam Outdoors and Vexilar. It quickly grew into the world’s largest ice fishing organization, uniting leading brands and promotional staff to work together in advancing, educating, and promoting the sport of ice fishing.

2003

Dave Osborne purchases Clam Corporation from USL Products and it becomes a privately held company. At the time of the company purchase, Clam had 8 product SKUs.

2004

IceArmor by Clam introduced. The product line was launched with the iconic “Blue Suit" which was known as a portable ice fishing shelter for your body.

2005

Clam Corp. trademarks their distinctive color of blue on FishTrap and The Clam.

Clam Corp. purchases Polar Sports, which consists of ATV utility trailers and accessories.

Clam Corp. manufacturing and offices merge into a 100,000 sq. ft. facility in Medina, Minnesota.

2006

The X-Series line of FishTrap ice shelters debut as "The best ice fishing shelters ever built."

2007

Clam engineers become the first to use Thermal Trap insulation in portable ice fishing shelters and also used this technology on IceArmor by Clam suits.

2012

Clam introduces the Six Pack 1660 screen shelter modeled after our hub ice fishing shelters. The first of it's kind as a portable screen tent to be ready to use out of the box with no assembly required and can be set up in 60 seconds or less.

2013

Clam builds and moves into 150,000 square foot building in Rogers, MN for their company headquarters.

Clam releases a complete line of Clam Pro Tackle for ice fishing with a full assortment of Tungsten jigs.

2014

Clam expands to over 1,000 SKUs and continues to grow.

Polar Trailers by Clam introduces the LG series of trailers with the LG7 and LG10 models.

Clam introduces its hard sided ice fishing shelter, the Clam 612V with different features than other portable drop down ice shelters on the market.

2015

Clam introduces the Quick-Set by Clam lineup of screen shelters.

2016

Clam releases Stealth Series line up of ice shelters that feature Tri-Bond Thermal Technology (Patent 9,777,507) that creates complete darkness in the shelter which is perfect for sight fishing and spearing.

2017

Clam releases cutting edge MotionFloat Technology for their IceArmor by Clam suits. This technology assists in floatation in the event of an ice breakthrough, while also providing the mobility necessary to move easily.

Clam Outdoors and Ice Team celebrates the 20th anniversary of Ice Team by coming out with two exclusive 20th anniversary ice shelters.

2018

Clam Outdoors releases a new brand and product line called Blackfish that consists of high-quality performance outdoor apparel that includes UPF, soft-shell outwear, and rain gear.

2019

Clam Outdoors releases Side Symmetry Door technology in the new FishTraps. These new doors combined front and side access doors and allowed anglers to easily enter and exit their shelter.

Clam acquires All-Terrain Tackle which specializes in a wide variety of bass fishing jigs.

2020

Clam Outdoors releases a line of open water fishing nets and expanded to the open water fishing market.

Clam Outdoors celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first FishTrap created by Dave and Patsy Genz by releasing three special edition FishTrap models that are similar to the first FishTraps they created and sold.

2021

Clam Outdoors releases over 80 new ice fishing products for the 2021–2022 season—marking the largest product launch in the company’s history.

2022

Clam Outdoors releases a full new line up of FishTrap shelters with side doors that made for more interior space and easy entry.

2024

Clam Outdoors introduces a lineup of portable propane heaters designed for ice fishing and versatile enough for multiple outdoor uses, along with Clam Live electronics accessories built to pair seamlessly with modern ice fishing electronics.

2026

Stay tuned! We have many new exciting items coming soon that we can't wait to share with other ice anglers and outdoor enthusiasts!