Author Topic: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?  (Read 17075 times)

Offline Burtess

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #30 on: Nov 20, 2013, 05:29 PM »
Normally only wear the one piece cheapo Bouy-O-Boy suit on early or late ice, just because it is brutally uncomfortable and heavy.

Today though I bought a Mustang Integrity coat that is in excellent condition off of Kijiji...... I will wear this all the other times now as it is comfortable and wears like a normal jacket.

Burt :)

Offline bean counter

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #31 on: Nov 27, 2013, 08:37 AM »
used to wear one, a bulky boat vest - now i have a Striker float suit.  comfortable, warm, and it floats well (i've tested it).   

Offline bart

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #32 on: Nov 27, 2013, 08:40 AM »
Arctic Armor
"Many fish their entire lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."-Henry David Thoreau
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Offline J_Edwards

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #33 on: Nov 29, 2013, 10:26 AM »
are all of those floating suits bulky? I bought a pr of ice armor bibs end of last season and I felt like I was wearing a life jacket


Arctic Armor is really light and not at all bulky.  The areas if fails in are quality, the suits are total junk, buttons break, zippers break, seams come un wound and the company is just terrible, they will not stand behind their products at all.  AVOID.  Also they don't breath in the least bit, work up a sweat and you are going to be damp awhile.

Do yourself a favor and get a quality suit like a Stiker if you want to purchase a high dollar ice suit.

Offline Champlain Islander

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #34 on: Dec 22, 2013, 12:41 PM »
This is my 4th year with Arctic Armor and I haven't had any problem with it. I  fish almost every day for pan fish all winter. Lite weight, warm, wind proof and has plenty of pockets. It does get rather warm on the last few days of ice in the spring when the temps get up. During those times I just wear a t-shirt and underwear rather than any layers. It is very smilar in appearance and weight to all the other ice suits except for the fact that it floats. Makes sense to me to own a floating suit.  The chance of falling in for an experienced fisherman is slim but having that suit gives me some insurance. I always wear the ice pics too and have a throw rope on the sled in addition to carrying a cell phone.
Taught ice fishing for pan fish by one of the best...Art Rye may he RIP

Offline Mr. Freeze Miser

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #35 on: Jan 20, 2015, 10:21 PM »

Offline pacrags

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #36 on: Dec 24, 2016, 09:50 PM »
I say this every year, but here's goes again BECAUSE it's IMPORTANT to REALIZE

For those who wear only a lifejacket or floating jacket, but not floating bibs
It's better than NO flotation at all, BUT think of this

when an ice angler breaks through the ice, they usually hang at the edge of the hole with their elbows up on the ice

now think of hanging with your elbows on the deck of a swimming pool and trying to get out
you can get your head, arms, and much of your chest on the deck
but getting your hips, knees and feet up is a challenge

The flotation from the bottom of your ribcage to your shoulders doesn't help much in this effort
you need the flotation to be from your bellybutton to your knees so your hips will float and you can roll onto the ice

I tell any customer who wants to buy just one piece to buy the bibs first

Sure a lifejacket will keep ya from drowning; but if you can't get your hips out, hypothermia will get ya before too long

as someone trying ice fishing for the first time I thought i'd get a life jacket I can use in the kayak I hope to buy and wear my ski bibs .... after reading this I think i'll bite the bullet and buy the float bibs to go with the life jacket
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Offline paramedicjake

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #37 on: Dec 27, 2016, 09:58 PM »
When I teach my next Ice Rescue class I will take a Mustang Co2 powered PFD out , keep it on the ice all day as we teach the class . At the end of the day , when the Co2 has been in the same conditions as a all day fishing trip . I will attempt to inflate . We have our GoPro cameras running all the time so I will post it on YouTube for everyone to see the outcome . I do know the outcome , but I will post . FYI I wear a Guide Gear Ice suit , Ice picks , and early and late ice , I walk with an ice staff .

Offline beeverfishing

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #38 on: Dec 27, 2016, 10:21 PM »
I don't normally wear one, But this year we had early ice and the one lake I was planning to fish didn't have any good ice reports on here, But I was hoping to find good ice.  I chose to wear my open water life vest as a precaution.  Under my jacket I found it wasn't all that bulky, hardly noticed it.  I also had my spud bar and picks.   Not the best, But I figured it could help if needed and it's what I had.   
  

Offline Old Goat

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Re: What Kind of Life Jacket do you wear on the ice?
« Reply #39 on: Dec 27, 2016, 10:33 PM »

 



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