SM suit - deal worth it?

[bikeoutback]

I've got a line on a full Strikemaster suit for $175, think this would be worth it? I was leaning toward saving my pennies for a year or two and getting an AA suit but that's when I was looking at SM for $290 and AA for $320 seemed reasonable to go $30 more for AA. However now with the SM at $175 I'm not sure i can pass up the deal, I'm even considering getting the wife a set also at that price. What would you do?

[wishing for walleyes]

I have the AA already and like the fact that it floats you if fall through.Could be a lifesaver.I would buy the AA and skip getting the wife one until you have the extra pennies.

[paceman]

Sounds like a really good price. Buy it. If you don't like it you could sell it and prob. not loose any money....

[jnorm1984]

Ive got the AA suit as well, really like it a lot, but It comes down to your preference, try em both on see what you like. The AA is much lighter and warmer and does float, but im not planning on ever using that feature

[bikeoutback]

Anyone know where SM sells suits in the twin cities to try them on? I know there is a store in Waconia for the AA suits but haven't seen SM suits out anywhere.

And the other dilemma is the wife fishes with me as much as I fish so difficult to justify myself having a suit and not her. Be different if she occasionally went but she's out there every weekend with us also.

[St_Croix_Banks]

For me, I'm just interested in bibs that are warm, waterproof and have pads in the knees. I've got plenty of warm winter jackets. But for jumping from hole to hole, its nice to have a good pair of bibs. I think Ice Armor has them for about $120.

[harvey lee]

You can opurchase the AA suits online right here on Fishing Minneosta in the Outdoor Pro Store. If you have questions on sizing, we can hamdle those also. Just e-mail me and we can get the correct size worked out.

[Fred_Bear]

For that price I would definitely get the SM suits for you and your wife. Tough to pass up a deal like that.

[bikeoutback]

It's a hard choice as the knock off carharts and colombia coat work for the time being but she is in need of new bibs as her's tore last year. I'll have to see what I can talk her into tonight. I'm thinking AA may have to be down the road and I have no experience with SM suits or bad experiences at all with SM themselves in fact the opposite so I may give it a go. Any designed ice fishing suit has to be better than no suit I'm thinking.

I can hear the flak now in my head I'm going to get from buddies if I end up with a dedicated ice fishing suit.

[woodpat63]

I believe fleet farm has them to try on. I just got my wife a set at that price can't go wrong

[Scott K]

That sounds like a great deal, and I am sure the SM suit is nice, but it isnt an AA suit. If you get the SM suit, you wont get the safeness of floating if you fall in, the AA suit is a lot less bulky, and is light as well. But like you said, 2 suits for the cost of one, is a great deal!

[Johnsonator]

I contacted strikemaster a couple weeks ago about this deal and they told me that the only place you can see the SM suits is at strikemaster in Big Lake or Reeds in Walker. Also this deal is available through the SM HSOforum or at thier store from what they told me.

[Brad B]

The $175.00 price is a strikemaster online special. I just bought the suit tuesday when the special started and used it wednesday. it is a very warm suit. as far as a arctic armor suit they are nice to and I am planning on buying one of them also next year before the season starts. My plan would be to use the arctic armor for early and late ice and use the strikemaster suit when the ice is drivable, but for this year I will just use the strikemaster suit. as for trying them on for size you could go right to strikemaster in big lake and try them on if your close enough to the area. I don't believe that there are any retailers that carry strikemaster suits. I think you can only get them from strikemaster directly. I may be wrong so forgive me if I am. also when I bought mine they told me the special goes to december 29th.

[bikeoutback]

Brad, and anybody else owning a SM suit, size wise do they run big or small? I'm going to get out the tape measure tonight and measure up per the charts SM has and order from there.

[Brad B]

for me I went with a XL parka and a L bibs. I 5' 7" 205Lbs.

the parka will be extra long in back because of the extra length they give you, but that is nice because it won't come up exposing your back if you bend over like some coats and parkas do. I probably could of went with a Med Bib based on the chart but I wanted a little extra room. The guy at strike master told me to go one size bigger than normal to allow for jeans and heavy sweatshirts. the only difference between a med and large bib is the waist size. they both had a 31" inseam and XL and above had 32" which made it to long for me since I have a 30" inseam on jeans. One option if you feel like driving and could make it up during the week would be to drive to big lake right to strikemaster and just try them on there. they will give you that price in-house It takes about 1 hour and 20 minute from apple valley to big lake. I lived down in faribault for 7 years and now back in monticello which is across the mississippi river from big lake. so even with gas money to drive up you would still be saving money.

[Gotem]

Do you have to call in to get the $175 price? I only see the regular prices in their online store.

[Johnsonator]

Click on thier "email newsletter" link on the side of the page and view the latest newsletter to see the special price.

[bikeoutback]

Fished Waconia yesterday morning but bite was slow so we left earlier than expected. Being on vacation and enjoying the fact of not having anywhere to be or anything to do a buddy and me ran up to Big Lake after fishing and stopped in at SM. Picked up 2 suits, one for myself and one for her. Interesting to find out that the Vex suit vs. SM suit is bit of a mute point since the SM guy said they are made by the same company. They are different as each company adds/removes features as they want but the base suit is pretty much the same. Haven't wore it out fishing yet but it's awesome. I don't care what kind of flak I may get on having a fancy ice fishing suit, this thing is great, it's warm. My carhart knock offs served me very well over the years but they will now be for around the house, SM suit for ice fishing all the way.

[white80a]

thanks for the info you saved me $105

[herefish101]

every one is getting these suits for their wives, mine wont let me get one, go figure, that dumb @#$%&*(poor word usage)