ICE FISHING SUIT, WHATS THE BEST IN THE COLD?

[CHICKENFOOT]

AFTER BUYING THE ICE ARMOR BLUE SUIT I WAS VERY DISAPOINTED.!! I FOUND THE BIBS TO BE WARM, BUT THE JACKET WAS VERY COLD AND I HAD ON LAYERS OF LONG UNDERWARE.I HAVE SINCE RETURNED TO MY REFRIGI-WARE SUIT AND HAVE BEEN WARM BUT LOOKING FOR SOMETHING LIGHTER. I.D.I. OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THANKS

[bladebait]

I use a hypothermia suit. Either Stearns or Mustang. I have the Stearns I580 Worksuit. Never been cold and it floats should I ever go in the drink. I know several people who have them and nobody is dissappointed.

[dawg]

 I have the IDI and love it. Wore it 2 nights ago snow blowing driveway with a set of goggles. Was very comfortable for the 2 hours it took.

[IceBalls]

I have the Mustang 2175 work suit w/flotation.  Warm??  sometimes TOO warm!!  have to get used to wearing LESS clothes under the suit!
If you're ever unlucky enough to go thru the ice (like I did after 44 years), you'll thank G*d you bought it!!!

[Badgermilk27]

I have the Blue Suit as well, and I love it!!!  It is the best waste of money ever.  I put on long underwear, a long sleeve long underwear shirt, a short sleeve t-shirt and a hooded sweat shirt, and I fish in -5 with a -28 degree windchill without a shanty for a full day without getting cold...I stand by it completely!!  Tight Lines

[IrishIce99]

Can't go wrong with Carrharttttttttttttttt t!!!

[eye tat]

 :)What are some prices on these suits?.

[cagetrapper]

I just Love the Blue Ice Armor Suit I have. There are more pockets in both the bibs, and coat..and Extreamly Warm.

I really THINK that the person who is complaining about this Suit, was either getting sick or was getting a cold cause he was C-C-C-OLD..

 

I put on Extream Undergarments, made by the Eskimo Group, Antartica, and a light shirt. That's it.


Stan

This suit costed me around $450.00

[jeffG]

Personally after having been station in Minot North Dakota in the air force, I dont think you can beat any of the REAL DOD issue artic gear.  When I need cold weather stuff I hit EBAY or the surplus store and buy up all that stuff   The artic bunny pants and parka are AWESOME   stay away from micky mouse boots tho

[icemickey]

no one mentioned the ice armour gray got one its warm almost to warm sometimes but not cheap my girlfriend got it for me for x mas

[CHICKENFOOT]

I have the IDI and love it. Wore it 2 nights ago snow blowing driveway with a set of goggles. Was very comfortable for the 2 hours it took. THANKS I THINK I WILL GO WITH THAT SUIT IDI.EVEN THE ICE ARMOUR GLOVES GET WET AND COLD

[CHICKENFOOT]

I just Love the Blue Ice Armor Suit I have. There are more pockets in both the bibs, and coat..and Extreamly Warm.

I really THINK that the person who is complaining about this Suit, was either getting sick or was getting a cold cause he was C-C-C-OLD.. NO VERY HEALTHY I NOTICED THE INSIDE OF THE BLUE JACKET HAD A ZIPPER FOR A INSERT MAYBE I SOULD HAVE BOUGHT THAT BUT EVEN THE GLOVES {ICE ARMOUR WATERPROOF] ARE GETTING WET AND THANS FOR THE FEEDBACK ..CHICKEN FOOT FROM NJ

 

I put on Extream Undergarments, made by the Eskimo Group, Antartica, and a light shirt. That's it.


Stan

This suit costed me around $450.00

[lotwfisher]

I got a Buoy-o-Boy suit and I like it but it gets really stiff when its cold and I accidently ripped it once and once it gets ripped it should be sent back to the company to get fixed so it is still a legal floatation device. I got the new Ice Armour Xtreme suit this winter and love....I know its not a floater suit but I is really warm and comfortable. I use it for snowmobiling even. The pants arent any thicker than the blue suit you do have to wear long underwear. For the coat I just wear a long sleeve Under Armour cold weather shirt and it is lots warm enough. 

[fishinfiend]

i got a brown duck dickies suit, only cost 40$ and no complaints

[rabidsponge]

i just got the new arctic armour extreme suit(grey one) this year and could not be more happy with it. i've always had a hard time staying warm in past years but with this suit i'm not even wearing sweat shirts underneath it. the extra padding int he knees and the ass is a big bonus too

[Thriller]

To an extent, it depends on where you are fishing, what temperatures, and the manner in which you fish.  Personally, I have a Nautilus flotation suit and love it.  I use it on the ice and in the boat spring and fall when weather / water temps are cooler.

Another option could be Work King work wear - they make lined duck canvas work wear in a couple of colours.  They are made here in Winnipeg...I don't know about their distribution.  They are considerably less expensive than Carharts, but if you are only using them now and again for ice fishing, they'll likely last you a while.

If cold is really an issue, you can't go wrong with the Canada Goose line of jackets...used for Antarctica.

To an extent, you get what you pay for.  The old standby of layering is good as well.  It depends on how mobile you want to be (i.e. bigger and bulkier gets a bit harder to use), whether or not you use heat in a shanty, etc.

Armed forces surplus is also a good bet.

[pikeking]

I use my Gore-tex hunting clothes, they are fine for me. waterproof wind proof and warm.(((((FLAG)))))

[hollis]

I was going to buy one of the real expensive suits but I have a pretty good top (with air resistant arm cuffs and bottom edge) it is windproof. and if I wear a fairly snug polypro long underwear, a pull over fleece and a slightly larger zip up one over that and use the aforementioned top I don't get cold even in very cold windy weather , if its not windy I often lose the big coat. (of course we are only talking about core upper body) I do similar for lower body. I use a "head sok "in very cold weather and if windy,perhaps a pair of good ski goggles. I once tested my clothes by sitting one dark.very cold windy night out in by backyard in a lawn chair listing to a book on tape,...for a while I feel asleep and felt like I was in my living room. Opps I forgot,..on that night I also had a good pair of boots and some good flip over mittens AND a mask that warmed the air breathing out so that the air breathing in wasn't so cold,..lots O stuff but I felt like I coulda spent the night comfortably (and I'm a guy that likes to keep warm)

[esox13]

I bought the Vexilar suit ($179 delivered)- basically the same as the Clam suit, only with the jacket being fleece lined. I absolutely love it. He in WI the temps have been hanging around 0 with the wind chills -20+ and I have yet to get cold. 

[SizeMatters]

Whitewater brand waterproof coveralls w/hood-(not Gore-tex but similar) bought em at Gander for $129 on clearance two years ago and have never been cold or wet since. 

[rgfixit]

Cold is a problem you can throw money at.

Check out Cabela's Trans Alaska suits. They are an unbelievable value.

RG

[stickyfingerdpuppeter]

A friend of mine just bought a new float suit im not sure of the name but he paid $165 dollars for it,i will own one by next season.He said its warm,bright redish orange color,visable,and it floats.For the $ why buy somthing that wont help save your life if you ever fall in.If you havnt watched the survival video,search for it and watch it now,it helped save my life.peace and good fishn to all.

[rgfixit]

I also own a Mustang Survival suit for early and late ice as well as boat fishing. I wouldn't be without it. It's warm but quite a bit heavier than the Trans Alaska. It will save your life.

RG

[killitandgrillit]

I have the Vexilar "Cold Snap" parka and bibs. bibs are very warm, nice padded knees and butt, jacket is super warm and lots of pockets for gear.

[John_BZ]

i use hydro fleece browning bibs and a hydro fleece browning parka. both are very warm and keep me dry when i kneel on wet ice. cost about 500 total for both back when they were purchased.

[Lonzo]

I just got my IDI suit from fish 307  two weeks ago.  To me its a big change from the  carharts I've always worn.  My carhart suit is warm,its the artic extreme one.  But this new IDI is water proof and very light and warm.  And it floats!  I can't imagine how heavy my carharts would be once they got wet and the weight of my Lacross ice monsters.  I considered the claim suit last year and didn't get it.  This morning I went out it was 9 degrees, and it was suppose to get up in the twenty's today.  So all I put on was the IDI suit over my regular jeans and sweat shirt didn't bother with long johns.  That IDI really surprised me, it was perfect.  If you want to keep warm, and may have to float one day you might consider looking at the stats for the IDI suit before you buy.

Best of luck out there

Lonzo

[rex]

I've read all the other replys and have experienced all. This is my first year with the ice armor suit and I am impressed with it. I love Refrigerwear because which is the warmest (sorry guys but ice armur  doesn't put a pimple on the ass refrigerwear for overall warmth) but the ice armor is waterproof which makes a huge differance if your a tip up fisherman. Padded knees and waterproof makes kneeling MUCH more comfortable throughout the day. I fished many years with frozen knees and wet legs pike fishing. No more with ice armor. Refrigerwear is more wind proof but I like the dryness and lightness of the ice armor. If your strictly a jig fisherman.....I would stick with Refrigerwear but if your on your knees with water or slush...ice armor is great. I still have my heavy carhart suit (black) but doesn't compare to either. To me dryness is warmth!!!

[Lonzo]

I've read all the other replys and have experienced all. This is my first year with the ice armor suit and I am impressed with it. I love Refrigerwear because which is the warmest (sorry guys but ice armur  doesn't put a pimple on the ass refrigerwear for overall warmth) but the ice armor is waterproof which makes a huge differance if your a tip up fisherman. Padded knees and waterproof makes kneeling MUCH more comfortable throughout the day. I fished many years with frozen knees and wet legs pike fishing. No more with ice armor. Refrigerwear is more wind proof but I like the dryness and lightness of the ice armor. If your strictly a jig fisherman.....I would stick with Refrigerwear but if your on your knees with water or slush...ice armor is great. I still have my heavy carhart suit (black) but doesn't compare to either. To me dryness is warmth!!!

What is refrigerwear?

[Lonzo]

Some good info

http://www.walleyedan.com/gear.html

[rex]

refridgewear is the dark forest green suits with the little symbol of a dog on the top of the chest. all the dec officers ive seen on the ice wear it.