New ice suit - Fraibil I-4 - fail

[wax_worm]

Frabil has come out with a new ice fishing suit this winter, however they forgot the part about making it a floatable suit.     The cost is higher than both AA and Striker and it does not float.  They toot their horn about the safety features of the suit like reflectors, free ice picks, and quick draining material, but it won't drain until you are out of the water!  They also brag about a label in the jacket or bibs that tells you how to get out if you fall in.  I am sure that will be useful when you fall in wearing it, the weight of the suit is dragging you down because it doesn't float and you are grasping for your free set of 8 dollar ice picks to try to get out.  Here is a link if interesting in reading about all the 'features' of the I-4.

http://www.outdoorhub.com/pr/2014/09/23/new-frabill-4-fish-snowpocalypse-style/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September+24+2014+Daily+Newswire+%281%29&utm_content&spMailingID=47044354&spUserID=NDQxNTMxMzc5MTgS1&spJobID=523078358&spReportId=NTIzMDc4MzU4S0

[diesel2012]

Yeah for the price they want for that thing it should have a jet pack or something on it. I thought the price for their Snosuits was pretty ridiculous but they really blew my mind with this one.

[Rebelss]

$300 bucks each?! They're outta their mind. Must be nice to have that kinda money to toss around.

[diesel2012]

300 bucks is a steal compared to what they have them listed for on their site. I think they were 450 bucks for bibs and another 450 for the coat when I last looked...

[Hoosier]

I think we all as Hoosiers need to consider the "float" factor of anything suit we buy. I have to bring up the point that this suit is not intended for the thin ice weather that we get. The "Snowpocalypse" as they put it is defiantly a season that we rarely even reach, let alone live for more than a week or 2. This is intended for the mid winter well below freezing temps. I will be the first to say no ice is safe and you should always wear so sort of floatation device or at minimum have one at the ready. I will also say it seems Frabill is apparently looking for the "slice or the pie" market with this. You will either need this suit for those drastically bitter cold days or you will most likely (as I`m sure they are hoping), already have last years floating suit. This is just my opinion, but I see nothing but a big company that is looking to expand there market share. Never know, next year you might just see capri`s for the ladies and Bermuda`s for the dudes.

[wax_worm]

I think we all as Hoosiers need to consider the "float" factor of anything suit we buy. I have to bring up the point that this suit is not intended for the thin ice weather that we get. The "Snowpocalypse" as they put it is defiantly a season that we rarely even reach, let alone live for more than a week or 2. This is intended for the mid winter well below freezing temps. I will be the first to say no ice is safe and you should always wear so sort of floatation device or at minimum have one at the ready. I will also say it seems Frabill is apparently looking for the "slice or the pie" market with this. You will either need this suit for those drastically bitter cold days or you will most likely (as I`m sure they are hoping), already have last years floating suit. This is just my opinion, but I see nothing but a big company that is looking to expand there market share. Never know, next year you might just see capri`s for the ladies and Bermuda`s for the dudes.

While what you say is true, there are not many 'normal' winters in Minn or ND that are alot worse than what we had here last winter temp wise.  We had many days here where lows were in the negative teens.  I was never once cold in my AA.  That is the point.  You can make a warm suit that floats.  The technology is there for a floating suit and yet they chose to make one without that feature and want to charge 33% more than those suits that do float.  Frabil is a big company and I have several of their products, but outerwear is just a part of what they sell, so maybe it is not an 'important' to them vs the companies that only sell outer wear.  I am all for competion as that drives prices down for you and I, but I just thought it was comical the 'safety' features they tout in the article, when they left out the most important one for walking on ice.

[walley250]

I agree..big fail.  I just got my striker ice predator suit sent to me and I can't imagine having something warmer.  I've had ice armor for years and this suit is by far warmer, and I can't recall many times feeling cold in that.

[Hoosier]

Ya know I absolutely have to agree with you, the "safety tag" will defiantly rank in the top ten this year of the funniest or non essential pieces of equipment that we will never need. I am aslo sure you will see the humor with this statement. As often as it happens with big box stores.. "what are you trying to say," You can`t afford to have a second suit ?" 

[brink]

I have the black Frabill Ice Suit and absolutely love it.  I'm sure this new suit from Frabill is awesome as well even though it's not a floater.  I wouldn't spend $800-$900 on this new, however.  I think the next suit I buy (5 years or so) will be a floater but I'm happy to wear the Ice Suit with my BPS automatic PFD on shady ice.  You can't even tell the PFD is on after a few minutes. 

[hardwater diehard]

Frabill does make some good products ...my buddy got the gray suit last year and loves it ...but with the I series suits those are some tough price points to swallow ...the I5 would have to be a furnace . As to why they haven't made the I series a floatation  suit ..my theory is those "floating"  materials may be proprietary to AA and Striker Ice ...similar to Thinsulate and Gor tex ...some companies may have those locked down exclusively.. think of the biggest concern of the AA suit it doesn't breathe but AA hasn't changed/fixed that concern ...This year I did get the Striker Ice Climate suit for piece of mind and added warmth...my Clam blue suit has served me well for 5 years ..I know that any suit will be a game changer ...when your not worried about the cold or getting wet/soaked through or stiffen up (ie Carhart) your fishing experience will be enhanced ..which will make you stay longer ..fish harder and smarter.. swap lures etc.

[Stinkybaits]

Frabill does make some good products ...my buddy got the gray suit last year and loves it ...but with the I series suits those are some tough price points to swallow ...the I5 would have to be a furnace . As to why they haven't made the I series a floatation  suit ..my theory is those "floating"  materials may be proprietary to AA and Striker Ice ...similar to Thinsulate and Gor tex ...some companies may have those locked down exclusively.. think of the biggest concern of the AA suit it doesn't breathe but AA hasn't changed/fixed that concern ...This year I did get the Striker Ice Climate suit for piece of mind and added warmth...my Clam blue suit has served me well for 5 years ..I know that any suit will be a game changer ...when your not worried about the cold or getting wet/soaked through or stiffen up (ie Carhart) your fishing experience will be enhanced ..which will make you stay longer ..fish harder and smarter.. swap lures etc.

I know one thing for sure EVERYTHING beats what we had 40 years ago. Great memories of frost bit fingers hand feeding line down 35 foot for perch. Bad day to forget the minnow net! My experience was greatly enhanced though from frost bit fingers lol. Frabil suit pricey but you could be right about the patents or whatever the reason may be. I also switched from AA to Striker Climate last year and picked up a Hardwater Suit this year. Couple days last year I got a but chilly in the Climate plus the liner in the bibs wicked up the water in the slop. I am glad that the industry keeps researching for better suits.

[Hoosier]

I went from the Carharts to the clam smurf and holy game changer Batman. That had to be one of the greatest moves I ever made. 5 times as warm in a suit 5 times as thin. Not to forget I could walk a mile and not be wore out by the thickness of the suit, sweatshirt, t-shirt and long johns you had to wear if you thought you were going to make it in the middle of a lake with no shelter or heat. Now I have the AA and love it, but ya never know I might just have to give Jim a call at PTO and check out that striker suit.

[bgriffis17]

JT how old is your AA suit. when I got mine out of the box I thought to my self its to thin no way it can be warm, WRONG almost to hot, but now its 4 years old not so much the zippers/buckles and snaps have failed. Ill be looking to when jim gets his stock out on the floor so I can try it on.

[Hoosier]

Got mine 2 years ago. I also wasn't so sure about how warm it would be, but oh yah it keeps the heat in all day.