Ice Armour VS> Strikemaster?

[bigstick56]

Just wondering if anyone has tried out that strikemaster harwater series outerware? I am looking to buy some good ice fishing gear and early spring late fall raingear and was doing some research. The blue ice armour suite looks great and i have yet to find a bad report on it,but it comes with a lil bit bigger price tag than the Strikemaster gear, and for that mater anyone got the Vexilar suit lol? I dont know if i could bring myself to buy a vex suite since im a h-bird fan but who knows, let me know what you guys think.

[Jim Almquist]

If you get a chance look into Arctic Armour. You get a couple of choices in color and a camo option but the best part is it floats and is very warm.

[Ed Carlson]

Just a heads up, Vex will have new apparel out this season well worth a look at too. I like my Vex suits and the new Vex on ice gear will greatly enhance the on ice game.

And then there is also SnoSuit, new gear coming out from them too. They are maybe a bit spendy, but high tech performance assured.

Good to have options, far more than there once was for sure.

[jigging-matt]

I have the Vex suit and think it is great. Bought it a few years ago on Black Friday at FF. Has held up great and have no issues with it. HAve a couple of friends that feel the same way also. I would like to have the Artic Armour someday, just to have the peace of mind that it floats. But the Vex suit is great.

[bikeoutback]

I picked up the SM suit last year right before Xmas for myself and the other half. I love the suit and picked it up cause the price was right on them and thus I could afford 2 (much less grief if I get her one also). I compared all 4 major players (Vex, SM, Ice Armour, Arctic armour) and price was my determining factor in the long run. I wouldn't have minded trying out an AA suit read great things about them. Ice Armour was nice but seemed same price for what SM and Vex had to offer. SM was simply cheaper. I was also told by someone that both the SM suit and Vex suit are made by the same manufacturer just to slightly different "options" on them. They appeared to be very very similar even in sizing.

Only downside to my SM so far: No interior pockets on the coat. Has plenty of pockets so don't get me wrong, just no inside pockets. Inside toasty warm is where I prefer to keep spare batteries and the camera along with any other electronics. Bib pockets worked for me, but be nice to have them on the coat on the inside. I called and suggested this so maybe they will make a change on that.

[ozzie]

the vex suit has pockets on the inside...or at least the model I purchased did....otherwise the vex and strikemaster are exactly alike other than color.

[zamboni]

Still shaking my head that I got a SM coat at the ice show 2 seasons ago for $50. That was a steal on a great coat

[jwmiller33]

arctic armor definitely has an upside that non of the other suits offer, and that is the safety factor of how it floats. i dont think anything out there can provide you with the level of safety that the arctic armor suit provides.

with that said, i received an ice armor suit as a xmas present last year, along with the ice armor gloves, mittens, and wind proof neck gator and wind proof hat. never have been cold once ice fishing since. the suit has plenty of pockets, both interior and exterior, which work great for keeping personal belongings in that you dont want falling down the hole. i'd say if price isnt really a factor, you cant go wrong with the ice armor suit

i will note that i have the grey ice armor suit, not the blue one. i think the grey one is a little heavier duty then the blue one.

[GSB Ice Man]

I purchased the Ice Armour bibs a while back and love em. I have so darn many jackets, so just needed the bibs. To me the fit was the determining factor. I really wanted AA but the fit sucks for a 6'3" skinny guy. Try them all on and make sure they fit the way you want.

[WTN4ICE]

I bought the SM suit at the end of last season so only got out with it twice. Both pieces fit well the jacket is a little bulkier than I am used to but warm and windproof with lots of outside pockets.The bibs are not as insulated as the jacket and when moving around alot punching holes seemed to get a little clammy.I wish the leg zippers went to the waist and I could get by with half as much velcro.Looking forward to a new season and really getting it broke in. Those padded,waterproof knees are the greatest thing ever invented !!!! Shop around for a deal and spend what your budget will allow, lots of good options.

[slurpie]

the AA suit is a glorifeid rainsuit. It is nice that it floats or supposed to never tried it yet. I have one and dont like it. If your after warmth i would really look into a sno suit suit. I'm hoping to find a deal on one before this ice season. The thicker the material and if it feels heavy it will be warm i tried layering and after you add the necessary layers to keeep warm, your right up to the same weight as a heavier suit to start.

[harvey lee]

I have owned and used all of the 3 above except the Strikemaster suit.

Ice Armor suits are very nice and may be as warm as a AA suit but the AA suit will float you if you fall in and may save your life.

Now, the SnoSuit. This is by far the warmestest suit on the market that I have found hands down. The quality is very good too.

I picked up a SnoSuit on thre big online store for my wife last winter for the price of $200.00. That is a great offer and beats about anything out ther.

[LOTWSvirgin]

I got Artic Shield and love it. Everything it says it is I also like the looks of it better then AA or IA

[zamboni]

Sno Suits the Frabill suit, right? Or were bought out by Frabill?

[Brad B]

Bigstick56,

if you are willing to wait till the st. paul ice fishing show. you can get a complete strikemaster suit for $160.00(2009 show price, may be a little more at this year show) or they will run a email news letter special on the suit for $175.00. I picked up my suit when they ran the news letter special. I really like this suit. and like was already said the vex and SM suit is the same just different product name on it. as for the inside pockets SM told me they discontinued that.

[BartmanMN]

Sno Suits the Frabill suit, right? Or were bought out by Frabill?

Yes, Snosuit was bought by Frabill and now marketed by them. I purchased a set of bibs prior to the move to Frabill from Snosuit and they are the best bibs ever.

[bigstick56]

Hey that sounds like a great deal, when do they start running that ad, i would be willing to buy one for that price...

[Brad B]

check the ice fishing show out. it is the first weekend in december of every year down at the excel center in st paul. they also run a special on their email news letter each year. go to their HSOforum and sign up for the news letter they run different specials each month during the ice season.

[harvey lee]

Yes, the SnoSuit is one awesome suit.

I was up on Rainy Lake last Jan. and the warmest day was approx -32 and the other days were worse. Never was I cold at all on our snowmobile ride out and their gloves I would say are second to none. I believe the mits are a bit warmer than the finger cloves.

[TravP]

I picked up a snosuit and mittens at a retailer in Blaine a few weeks ago for less then $275. They have all there winter clothing 50% off right now. This thing is gonna blow my blue ice armor suit away!

[Ed Carlson]

I have several suits and wear the Vexilar Cold Snap Suit the most, especially the bibs. Love the Vex bibs for sure. The Vexilar parka is warm and the hood with the double collar seals out the cold and hold in the heat very well. Good value, fair price. Vexilar also has a new line of Cold Snap Gloves out, a full gauntlet insulated and waterproof fingered glove, and a handy lightweight utility fishing glove.

The Frabill SnoSuit is a excellent winter/fall suit, very high tech, low weight, high heat retention...a very smart suit. I have the SnoSuit fingered gloves and found them very warm last winter even when I managed to get them wet. The SnoSuits lightweight and quick drying insulation impressed me greatly, in both the SnoSuit and the gloves.

Frabill also has the new FXE Stormsuit on the way. I think it will also see a lot of use early and late on the ice. For the guys that prefer a layering option combined with high a performance waterproof shell, this will be a hit. I look forward to getting my FXE Stormsuit out in the cold & wet this fall. I'll report back on what they perform like once I know more first hand.

[harvey lee]

I picked one up for my wife Travis on the big online auction store for $230.00.

How can one beat this suit and for such a reasonable price?

[TravP]

I picked one up for my wife Travis on the big online auction store for $230.00.

How can one beat this suit and for such a reasonable price?

You cant beat this suit! The quality is just awesome, Ykk zippers too, that go all the way up the sides. No more pita trying to get my boots through the legs! I also like how the coat doesnt hang so low, I was never a fan of that on my ice armor suit.