For more than a decade, Life Below Zero has captivated audiences by showcasing the rugged lives of Alaskans who rely on their survival skills to endure extreme conditions. Among the most beloved families on the show was the Hailstones, led by Chip Hailstone and his wife, Agnes. Fans admired their resilience, traditional hunting techniques, and deep-rooted connection to nature.
However, in a recent candid discussion, Chip revealed shocking details about the financial realities of being on the show. Despite their immense popularity, the Hailstones were the lowest-paid family among the cast members. Not only that, but the production process itself led to financial and material losses for them, sometimes leaving them in worse shape than before.
The Payment Structure: Why the Hailstones Earned the Least
Chip explained that each location featured on Life Below Zero was given a set payment per episode. Unlike other cast members who lived in smaller households, the Hailstones had to divide their earnings among a much larger family.
“Honestly, each location is paid a set ‘fee’ and we divide ours by whoever/how many we have in any one episode. 7 kids, + their honeys, and lots of grandys. Divide by 15 sometimes, actually 16 when Uncle Sam has his hands in our pockets. Usually, it was 3-5 of us, or split 4-6 on an episode.”
This meant that even though the Hailstones were fan favorites, the money they received had to be shared among many people. Unlike other cast members who could keep their entire earnings for themselves or their small families, Chip’s earnings were spread thin among multiple family members.
A shocked fan on Reddit responded:
“Time the frick out, how on earth is the undisputed most popular family the least paid?! Literally any cast member from any spin-off can post and people will go ‘I LOVE THE HAILSTONES!’ They should have been paying each of y’all triple. JEEZ.”
Chip’s response reinforced the unfairness of the situation, revealing that he sometimes worked for free or even came out losing money.
“I sometimes worked for nothing and a couple times came out behind when all was settled. 200+ episodes and it evens out, but at the time, this led to a lot of friction and loss to us.”
Production Interference Cost Them Valuable Resources
One of the biggest challenges the Hailstones faced while filming Life Below Zero was the interference of camera crews in their daily survival efforts. Their livelihood depended on successful hunting trips, yet film crews often disrupted these efforts, sometimes causing them to lose an entire season’s worth of food.
“Say we hypothetically go out for Fall Caribou 10-25 Bulls or go out for Spring Oogruk hunting, and the camera men, despite strict instructions, decide to ruin the hunt ‘to get a better shot’ while filming and yet get nothing because they scare the animals by not listening or participating properly.”
This was a devastating consequence. Losing just one Oogruk hunt meant losing 1,600 pounds of meat, oil, and skins—resources that were essential for survival.
“What’s beef going for? Say $10 a pound, so to make it up, we need to spend $16,000… see what I mean?”
The loss wasn’t just financial. It affected the family’s social standing as well. Hunting is a significant part of their identity, and failing to bring home food impacted how they were viewed by their community.
“The biggest screw was not doing a Fall Caribou hunt, where we ‘made meat’ in a perfect way, brain shot and clean the animals right there beside the river’s edge. Besides not getting the meat, the social status of our family as hunters was diminished.”
Eventually, the Hailstones decided to ignore the film crews and hunt anyway, ensuring they had enough food for the winter. This led to production teams staying away from their fall hunting trips—a compromise that ultimately benefited the Hailstones more than the show.
Unforeseen Expenses and Financial Losses
Beyond lost hunting opportunities, the Hailstones often had to cover expenses they never anticipated. Some of these expenses stemmed from the renting of equipment.
“Then we rent stuff, such as vehicles, and those fees bought the ‘stuff’ or in this case a snowmachine, or other stuff we used in an episode to build or repair with. That way, the rides paid for themselves, and we owned them when the crew left.”
While this arrangement helped them secure necessary gear, the initial financial burden was on them, and production only provided partial reimbursement.
One of the few major positives was that the production company covered the fuel costs.
“The production company bought all the fuel, so that was huge to us. They also bent over backwards to get things ‘Right’ and deliver the things we actually needed to get things done.”
However, when the show first started, the production team made serious errors when it came to equipment choices. In the Arctic, having the wrong equipment can mean life or death.
“We had some HUGE problems when we got started… Boats and snowmachine/sled set ups were a nightmare of wrong equipment, inexperienced snowgo mechanics, lack of tools and spare parts days away… but they mastered it! We really did work with some top-notch guys, no doubt, and it was never easy for them, at least physically.”
Perks of Being on the Show
Despite the many financial setbacks, there were some small perks that came with being on Life Below Zero. The production team provided occasional supplies that were otherwise unavailable in their remote village.
“One great benefit, to us and the film company, was at the start of each ‘Leg’ (a shoot of 3-4 episodes), was a goody tote of fresh veggies/fruit and a few staples we could not get in our village store to go with fish and meats.”
Additionally, the crew sometimes brought treats like fresh pizzas, birthday cakes, and sandwiches when they arrived from larger villages. For the children, this was a rare and exciting treat.
“Sometimes the crew would fly directly in, such as an episode made near/in a large village or airstrip, and they would bring, say, a birthday cake if we needed one or a footlong Subway sandwich for each person, once a couple pizzas from Kotzebue’s Pizza place, and only a couple hours old… and other weird things like that.”
Final Thoughts: No Regrets, But an Unfair System
Despite all the financial losses, filming challenges, and unfair pay, Chip Hailstone does not regret being part of Life Below Zero.
“Be assured, we enjoyed 99% of what we were doing as we went along doing what we do best. We would have done it anyway, I think, without cameras for 12 years, as on the show and off, we are ourselves doing what we do.”
But, as he acknowledges, everything comes to an end.
“I have no regrets, it was a lot of fun, but everything comes to an end, and here we are.”
While the Hailstones were undoubtedly underpaid and faced numerous losses, their time on Life Below Zero gave them a platform to share their way of life with the world. However, as the show seemingly comes to an end, Chip is focusing on financial security and personal projects, ensuring that his future remains stable, even without the cameras rolling.