Ice Suits

[Cecil]

What kind of suit does everyone wear and why do you like it??

[RawHog]

I've worn snowboard pants for the last two years and I hate them. This summer I bought columbias firestorm bib with the omni heat as my rain gear and and I am hoping with some extra insulation and good, tall boots that they will hold up on the ice.

[TruthWalleyes]

Striker Ice- LITE

Things i like:

1) Zippers in the arm pits of the coat. Really helps cool you down when your pulling a sled or just need the ventilation.

2) Wind proof. Been in 50mph winds on a few occasions where air temp (Not wind chill) between -10 and 30. Don't feel a breeze. Allows you to hole hop, but your minnow heads freeze before you can put them on the hook.

3) Can sit through a downpour and stay dry. Done it many times.

4) I'm real tall and the bibs are nice and lengthy.

5) It floats, which gives you a little added security. Hope i don't need it.

6) I like the jacket hood as well. Cinches up nicely and it keeps you neck and head warm when running WOT up and down the rainy river in the spring.

7) I'm warm blooded, and active. This coat is great for me. For those not as active, i'd suggest the Regular suit. I think i'd just sweat too often in the regular.

Things i dislike or would improve:

1) Durability of the LITE version, can be easily cut. Regular version has a much tougher exterior.]

2) Suspenders on the bibs need something to keep them from sliding off your shoulders (Easily fixed)

3) Jacket is a little short for me and the sleeves aren't long enough IMO.

4) I like the cuffs on the jacket sleeves, but they aren't durable.

5) Crotch ripped out on day 2. SInce they have redesigned the stiching.

I have been known to spend up to 5 days on the ice wearing this suit, sleeping in a hub house.

I wore it on July 27th this summer when I was sleeping overnight on the Mississippi (40 degrees + N wind)

Would i buy it again?....I might replace the bibs this year, but the coat is still in great shape and even though it is a little short for me it works great. When the coat does go, i'll look for one with longer sleeves if they haven't improved it by then.

[BartmanMN]

I wear the original SnowSuit bibs because they are very warm and durable. If I had to replace them with something comparable on the market now, I would probably look at the Ice Armour Ultra series.

[CaptainMusky]

I have the striker ice climate suit. Like your run of the mill columbia jacket, the climate model you can remove the inner liners of the jacket, and even the bibs. The jacket liner is a very nice piece and could be worn by itself. I do in Spring and Fall.

They are warmer and more windproof than any of the snowmobile suits I have ever had.

The floatation is a major plus, but hopefully I never have to find out if it works.

It has adjustable legth legs, so that is a plus as well.

I have all of my vents open and even sitting outside in subzero temps I never felt cold. Ever.

I would kneel down in slush and wouldnt get wet either.

Unlike some of the other suits out there, these things do breathe and you do not get mold formation on the inside like those do.

Very impressed. Lots of pockets and "D" rings to clip things on as well.

[tgruenke]

Frabill...It works well and is comfortable for the times I do use it.

[Wanderer]

There's a good selection of great suits out there but I'm 100% sticking with a floatation suit.

I have the original version of the Striker Lite and have been very happy with it for the reasons mentioned above. They improve these suits each year based on feed back from their staff and customers. Their goal is to make the perfect suit.

The Climate just might be it.

[JSK76]

I have had the blue ice armor, grey x2 ice armor, camo AA, original striker ice floating and the striker ice climate.

The Climate and the x2 grey ice armor are the only 2 I still own. I like the look and fit of x2 the but it doesn't float. The Climate fits good, looks good and I wear the jacket every day in the winter and wore the liner all spring. I do however like the way the bibs on the x2 fit better then the climate. The climate legs are a bit bulky. X2 suit is loud when you walk around or bend your arms no big deal just something I've noticed. The x2 only gets worn when I'm off the ice snowmobiling, snowblowing ect. it's just not worth not wearing a floating suit when out fishing to me.

[rockman]

I currently have a set of Arctic Armor bibs & jacket, a set of Striker Ice Hardwater bibs & jacket, and a Mustang Survival suit. The Striker Ice wear gets used the most. The Mustang suit is for when the pucker factor gets a bit high early in the ice season, or when ice conditions are questionable, or unknown. The Striker Ice wear has the most features I like,comfortable, waterproof, buoyant, and warm- really warm. And did I mention Striker Ice Hardwater wear is warm?

[mainbutter]

I've got the regular striker floating.

Why do I like it? It keeps me warm when I'm sitting still, and I get cold easily. I'm no norskie with a great internal furnace and blood circulation. That, and I don't have to care about layering clothing, just toss the suit on and go (maybe have long underwear).

[BoxMN]

I have had my Arctic Armor (red) since about the year after they came out. Had some stitching start to fail on the leg gaitors, but it just stopped pulling out, so go figure - I am stepping on them all the time and they still work. Burned a couple holes through jacket front with auger exhaust.

But I use it at least 3 days a week all winter long, ice fishing, snowmobiling and normal usage. I use it as raingear in spring and fall and it works great at that as well. I even used it in July this year on a cold saturday It has held up much better than I thought it would, as it really isn't that thick at all. I usually wear long johns or wader pants under bibs, and a wicking mock t (UA knockoff) and light fleece or dickies hoodie under jacket and that covers me from 40 to minus 15.

I love it, but will say that it doesn't breath great so I take jacket off before drilling holes or exerting much. If I was to walk everwhere instead of atv/sled I would probably find something else.

I also tested the floatation aspect and it works. Did that in the summer

Hope that helps some. Have a Blue Ice Armor set as well, and it is good as a shell, but would not get it again. If it is that warm I would just wear my wader pants and dickies hoodie Though it does eliminate the wind. The AA pants are way more comfy, with more padding in knees and but. Good luck.

[fishing tech]

I have the ice amour extreme. It is very warm. The only thing I don't like about it is the leg zippers do not come up far enough on the leg to be able to put the bibs on without taking your boots off.

[Eric_Kruger]

Striker climate here, I'm biased as I'm staff for them but it truly is a great suit. It floats, adjustable inseam, cross venting, and its super warm. My only gripe, it's almost too warm even with the zip outs, it can be a bit much when pulling a shack by hand. This year I will be running the guardian which is a lighter weight suit, so I should be god to go. Take a look at the line up, and if you get to Blaine or St. Paul for the shows hunt me down I will walk you through the different models.

[pushbutton]

Have the Climate as well. Biggest "negative" is that it is too hot and have only used the inserts one time essentially making it a "lite" ?, granted I am not roughing it that often. Biggest positive is the flotation. Did the polar plunge 3 years ago and simply don't care about brand, stitchings, pockets, zippers, adjustable, sizings, venting, meshes, deniers, ect, ect, ect........

[Brad B]

I personally have the first year striker floating regular suit and totally love it. almost to warm at times. the big plus for me is the floating ability of the striker suits(they do offer non floating versions too but for the little bit extra it costs I recommend the floating suits just because of the added safety factor). I would consider the ice armor line of suits if they offered a floating model but currently they do not.

[harvey lee]

For bow hunting, rainy weather fishing and most outings ice fishing, I wear my AA suit. Pretty warm but as stated above, does not breathe the best.

I have 3 of these AA suits and the camo suit is on year 5 and it gets worn all the time.

I have a Striker suit and I guess I wear my camo more as I believe the AA is more comfy. I would rate this suit close to the AA as far as warmnth. Seems to hold together fairly well and set up and designed very well.

Now, lets talk very cold temps, nothing beats the Sno Suit. This suit I have ice fishing in -30 temps for 4 days straight and stayed warm even on the sled ride to the spots we fished.

The suit is a tad bulky but the ultimate in warmth. Very well designed and a bit more pricey than all the others. This suit will not float one if they fall through the ice.

I have had a couple Ice Armour suits and they were also pretty good suits but will not float one if needed. I have the 3 part suit, 2 jackets that zip together. This suit may be wamrer than any other besides my Sno Suit but I do not believe they make the 2 jacket system any longer.

My best suit overall. My Artic Armour camo suit. So comfy, nicely padded knees and after 5 seasons of very heavy use on ice, in the boat and crawling up trees bow hunting, I do not know if it can be beat for an overall outdoor suit. My jacket has a few snags and I may purchase a new jacket before the cooler weather for archery hunting.

As you can see in my avatar with the pike, I will this suit in the open water alot in the cool mornings in the spring and fall.

[pushbutton]

I would consider the ice armor line of suits if they offered a floating model but currently they do not.

Yep, they already lost one of the best....figure it out.

[Brad B]

Yep, they already lost one of the best....figure it out.

I know you would think that would be reason enough for them to get in the floating suit market.

[HardwaterHero]

Striker Climate. My brother purchased the Arctic Armor and loves it but i like the look striker has and the vents. These suits WILL get warm and having these vents is a huge plus. Most of my fishing last year was just the bibs and the inner coat. I rarely had to have the full suit on. I also like the inner coat is removable which doubles as a nice everyday coat. The AA bibs do have more padding in the knee than most. What kind of fishing are you doing? Running and gunning? i would recommend a lighter suit. Stationary? then the sno suit or the climate would be up your alley.

[ice_medic]

I got the aa red suit. I love it. It is very warm and does a good job about blocking the wind too. It is nice and light and not to bulky. My hands getting getting cold to the point where i can not move them is what gets me off of the ice now not being cold all over like i used to be with wearing fleece. It does a great job at keeping my dry from the outside water. Now it does not do a good job at ventilating. I will be soaked by sweating by the time i get to my fish house or if i am out hole hopping. I sweat thinking about sweating and the suit is no help there at all. Also the bibs are nice but if you have thick legs they are not so nice. The bibs to me when i first put them on almost felt like skinny jeans. They were a little tight but after wearing them i must say that i really cant complain to much about it. I say get out and try some suits on and see what works the best for you. I chose floating because it brings peace of mind to me and family. I also get a little to aventurous sometimes for my own good plus it makes recovery alot easier by hooking my cold floating corpse out of the water instead of sending divers in. Just my sick sense of humor there.

[DLD24]

If your on a budget look on sportsmanguide they have suits that look just like the ice armor and such for $140 for the whole suit...I got mine for christmas three or four years ago and I ice fish A LOT and they are still holding up awesome...very warm, once you get bibs with padded knees, you will never go back to carharts or any bibs like that...Only bad thing is it doesn't float...

[DTro]

Another great place to find deals on closeout suits is Korky's.

With a floating option, to me its a no brainer, like mentioned above, a few good men might still be with us today had they been wearing a floatation assisted suit.

[Matt C]

Love my IA gray/black. On 0 degrees days, I am in a tee-shirt and long jons, then the suit, and I am more than warm.

[Brad B]

well it looks like Clam has stepped up to the plate and are now offering a float assist type ice suit. it is called the Lift Suit. I just seen it in the 2013-2014 product catalog from them. hope it will be a big seller for them.

http://catalog.clamoutdoors.com/index.php?level=picture&id=166

[Jim Uran]

Striker Suits are awesome! Warm, keep you dry, they have some buoyancy... Come in a quite a bit of varieties that will suit your needs!