Jacket/bibs for ice fishing?

[fsnrod]

Is snow suit still being made ? I don't see it in the stores anymore.

[NoWiser]

Mainbutter,

I would strongly discourage you from going the route of AA. I read all the hype on here a few years ago and got a suit for my dad for Christmas, with intentions on getting one for myself down the road. It was not warm, not waterproof, and did not breathe. Straps were ripping off of it the first time it was worn. Needless to say, I didn't get one for myself.

I finally ordered a Mustang jacket for myself this fall and then saw the Striker Suit. Canceled my order and picked up the Regular Striker floating jacket and bibs. They seem very, very nice, and as warm as anything I've seen, but I haven't really had a chance to give them a true test yet. I'm going to Canada Wednesday to fish for 4 days. We don't bring portables, so I was hoping for some good -20 or -30 weather to really test the suit out, but it looks like the best we'll get is around 0 or a little below.

When I get back, I'll give an HONEST review of the suit. If there is one thing I dislike about this site, it is that it is hard to do that with a sponsors product if your honest review isn't also a positive review. But, if you want to wait, I'll give it my best shot. I'm not afraid to admit that something I own might not be the best out there...

As someone who has done some late night swimming in a frozen lake without a floating suit on, I would strongly encourage that you find the extra dollars to get one. It is worth it.

[jcpmn82]

Men's Guide Gear Ice Parka and Bibs.

[frostbite]

how does the padded knees on the striker bibs compaired to the padded knees on ice armor blue bibs are they as thick ??

[DTro]

From -10 and above I've never been cold with the AA suit.

@NoWiser, I don't care if a company is a sponsor or not, I'm not going to deceive when I make a recommendation. I'm sorry your experience with the AA suit was not a positive one. I wore my camo suit 10 months out of the year and never had a strap break or a seam rip, if you take a look at the thread above that was linked, I make mention to some of the negatives I ran across with the AA camo suit (faded color and waterproofness, etc). But this was also after about 4 years of wearing it hard.

I rarely fish when it's colder than -10 so who knows I may never get the chance to give any suit a real extensive run through it's paces, but I can assure you that if I come across anything negative with this Striker Ice Suit I will be sure to make mention of it. I can tell you this right now, I don't really like the Red and White Bobber patch, but that's just me.

I can tell you this for certain though. It is a much warmer suit than the AA, it has a LOT more flexibility for adjusting the bibs, and heck of lot more velcro, magnets, zippers, snaps, and pockets. A lot of thought went into this Striker suit.

Matter of fact, if I get some free time today, I'll try to snap a few pics of the suit and run down all the options.

[NoWiser]

No worries, Dtro, I didn't intend to single you out in my post at all. Just in general, on this site, if you said straps were ripping off, you were told to contact AA. Well, they wouldn't respond. When you said you could feel the cold come through the material, you were told to cinch up some straps (as if you hadn't already tried it), and when you said the rain leaked through, you were politely informed that you need to learn to layer, because it had to be sweat. Like I said though, I'm not pointing my finger at you. I have no idea if you even responded to any of my posts, I'm just talking the site in general. I actually really respect your posts. You take the time to write well, and seem like you are well informed on any topic you post on.

Either way, that is all behind us now. Both my dad and I own a Striker suit, and are really excited to see if they are as good as we expect them to be! The only thing I've seen so far on the suit that I would change would be the red bobber (I think a choice of fish species embroidered would be sweet), and the big front pockets. I think the big front pockets should have some drain holes in them so that if you go through, the water can drain out and not get hung up on the ice. That was the biggest problem with my Cabelas duck hunting parka I was wearing when I went through. The pockets filled with water and made it nearly impossible to get back onto the ice.

A friend of mine (Superbee from this site) that I trout fish with has a Sno Suit and loves it. Maybe on a cold day we'll have to switch jackets for a period of time and compare them to see which is warmer. Unfortunately, we may have to wait until February to get cold enough weather to try it.

[harvey lee]

I totally agree with what DTro stated about the Striker suit. It is a very nice suit.

My AA has never had one iussue in approx 5 years and I wear it archery hunting, spring and fall ib the boat and ice fishing the majority of the time.

I did find a small part of the seam that let loose after 5 yeears of wear and tear this morning. My wife stitched it up in 10 minutes.

Thats the total of my issues with this AA suit and I have put it through about every test there is from in the boat to the ice to climbing trees archery hunting.

In regards to the waterproof, Once I was hunting in the rain for approx 2-3 hours about 3 years ago. It was raining pretty hard and the suit was wet and a bit heavier than when I went out dry but I never got any moisture on my skin.

Is the AA suit a perfect suit for every condition, no but I highly doubt there is one out there.

In regards to it not breathing, this has been gone over many times in many threadfs and all one had to do is unzip the coat a few inches and it will let the moisture out that way. If I am well dressed and walking out anywhre and it is warmer out, then yes, I leave the zipper down a bit.

As DTro stated, I will not say a suit is good or bad simply because they are an advertiser on this HSOforum.

[LMITOUT]

ITS A BOBBER BECAUSE IT FLOATS!!!

[leech~~]

Oh Geez. Are we going to have to have a Jacket/bibs Shoot-out too!

[no bait nate]

I just purchased the Frabill Suit but haven't got out to try it yet. It is the light weight suit, as I like to layer a lot and move around. I also don't usually sit outside my shack for long if it's cold enough to freeze the holes fast or put ice on my rod tips every time I land a fish. I can't wait to use it and hope it works as well as I hope, I know it will be more waterproof than my Carhartts I've been wearing for the last 8 years.... I also got this suit for use in the boat early spring and fall without being to warm. Seems like it will be a great purchase for the price

[DTro]

Click here for more info

[UncleKes]

[Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank You}

Personally, I would look at some of their military surplus stuff. Governments spend millions of dollars each year to outfit people to survive in etreme conditions and being out in the ice and snow is one of them. Buy a good set of boots, I wear a set of Rubberized "Bunny Boots" from the Korean War era I bought shorlty after I got back from Vietnam. I wear an N3B Parka and a pair of oversized German military mittons for easy on-easy off. A pair of ECW underwear (military) some wool socks, a used Army Green commando sweater and I am warm all day.

Granted you look like refugee from a russian concentration camp, but believe me, you are the warmest refugee on the ice! And after all, it is only ice fishing not a fashion show!!

Remember the most important thing you can wear out on the ice is a good pair of rubberized insulated boots, a pair of cotton socks under a pair of wool socks. A good set of medium weight long underwear. Wear the long underwear over a set of cotton underwear.

Be sure to buy boots that have a vent in them like my Bunny Boots other wise your feet will sweat and you will begin to freeze your toes. You need the ventilation dry the moisture.

Most of the newer suits the other have mentioned are great, if you can afford them. If you can't or don't see the need to spend the money remember, lots of people have enjoyed ice fishing for lots of years and never had "Arctic Armor" or a "Striker Suit."

Don't get me wrong, Both of them and many more I could mention are excellent products they really do keep you warm and dry. But if you can't afford them remember that their are other products available out there.