Best Ice Fishing Suits 2021 – Reviews And Top Picks

Before you make your buying decision, please take note of the following aspects that you should be familiar with. An ice fishing jacket not only serves as attire to keep you warm but could potentially save your life. Here’s what you should know:

Waterproofing

Normal jackets will usually have fabric on the exterior that keeps water from penetrating through the material. However, those reviewed (and any that are the similar) will feature additional measures to help keep out water in the event that a user becomes submerged. These can include small portholes that are zippered, making it harder for liquid to pass through. Others are simply more layers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane that are embedded in between the the fabric. Cuffs may also be form fitting and built in such as way that enables water to stay in and out.

Insulation

As you come across different jackets for ice fishing, you’ll notice that many brands market their clothing with features that include brand names. This usually describes a combination of materials that are used for insulation. As stated, PU is oftentimes the most popular choice for keeping the body warm. PU stands for (thermoplastic) polyurethane coating that is also used in diving suits. This kind of material is highly rated for its lightness, breathability, and durability, leave alone waterproofness. PU often comes in-mixed with polyester. At the same time, fleece and neoprene are also heavily utilized. The latter is a synthetic rubber that’s often stitched around the cuffs and neck. Ice fishing jackets may have them on the collar in the chest as well.

Mobility

Simply put, ice fishing apparel is be almost useless if it hinders your ability to work on the ice as normal. If you’ve never worn one, keep in mind that they are slightly heavier than most normal jackets. This is due to the thick fabrics woven into the inside. Others may include PFD material and ice picks that also add excessive weight. If you feel that such additions will become bulky after wearing a jacket that has them for a couple of hours, stick to the lighter varieties.

Material properties

Clothing that’s worn during ice fishing obviously needs to be built to withstand ice, water, and snow. While the weather may contribute to the wear and tear of your attire (such as by corroding its zippers), the most crucial challenge for clothes durability is the frequency of use. High wind and snow protection will not always mean toughness at the seals. It’s true, multi-layered fabrics with patches of fleece, for example, tend to live longer; however, you should care to check whether they are double-stitched or weld sealed in the first place. Another thing affecting the long-lasting performance of your bib/jacket is abrasion resistance. Normally, the knee and seat area of your costume will come reinforced and made of tougher materials. Furthermore, seam sealed clothes grant you the ability to counteract the colder air outside with your body’s natural heat, thus decreasing the heat exchange.

Adjustability

What good is a jacket if you can’t make quick adjustments as needed? Most types will include a hood whose size can be altered, and with some, you will be able to unbutton and/or unzip the hood completely. Even more easy adjustments are added with the bib’s waist straps. You can tighten these to get the attire fit more snugly and vice versa. Most won’t let you change the height of the tail but could possess straps or string there to tighten the lower portion. When doing so, the tail will conform to the user’s waist size as it stops at the bib. Another thing that jackets may offer is storm cuff. Made of neoprene or similar waterproof fabric, this type of cuffs locks out the rain/wet snow with a velcroed adjustable strap.

Extra features

As noted, some of these jackets include safety features that incorporate floatation devices and small ice picks. When it comes to PFDs, they may possess some sort of certification, most notably from the US Coast Guard. Those that don’t shouldn’t be entirely ruled out, however. Some companies simply have not had their product certified. If you already have a PFD to wear around your waist, this could be avoided for jackets that don’t feature such. Yet those without should definitely consider them as an important safety tool to keep around if the ice breaks.

Ice Picks

With a quality bib&jacket set, you get yourself a bunch of self-rescue means including ice safety internal label, ice picks in holsters, and drainage mesh.

You may purchase your attire with ice picks already attached or find them as a separate item wherever else. The idea behind these spiky lifesavers is that you should actually wear them, rather than just tuck away in a pocket rendering the picks inaccessible in the time of need. As a rule, the handheld, retractable spikes are worn connected to about 70 inches of stretchable cord. It slides through your parka/jacket’s arms, across the back, and then out the cuff. Being kept in holders on the chest, the picks stay within your easy reach with their spikes safely sheathed. The spikes will only activate when you grab the picks and press them to a solid surface, such as ice.

Personal Flotation Device

PFDs are a smart way to prevent drowning and cold shock. In case of snow and fishing suits, U.S. Coast Guard maintains a set of strict requirements according to which an attire you buy may be considered a float suit. The minimal level of flotation characteristics include 1) flotation itself resulting from waterproof materials, 2) foam padded sections in the knee/shin area. In cold water, your self-rescue capabilities depend not as much on your buoyancy as on the ability to escape the ice pool ASAP. As you kick your feet in the water, the knee paddings help your body to assume a horizontal position, so that you can pull yourself onto the ice. The next thing you’ll be doing is rolling away from the ice hole toward a more stable ground.

Your attire’s buoyancy is directly derived from its featherweight and water-resistant (e.g. neoprene) construction. Cheaper sets of fishing clothes, even though lacking approval by U.S.C.G. as a PFD, still guarantee you pounds and pounds of positive buoyancy.

What Makes Good Ice Fishing Clothing?

The jacket is only half of the gear you’ll need to wear for ice fishing. An ideal setup would be bibs that have sealable seams at the bottom and good padding in front of the knees, zippers on them that has zippers located in the right places (in case you need to go to the bathroom), and the jacket itself. Those with safety accessories are also a plus. When put on, a proper wardrobe will keep your body insulated to the point where it feels as if you’ve never stepped outside in the first place!

How to Dress with the Proper Ice Angling Apparel?

Since you’re going to be out in the cold weather for hours at a time, you’ll want to use the tried-and-true methods of dressing in layers. This means that you should have some sort of attire on underneath your jacket and bib. The bib’s straps should go underneath the jacket and be adjusted so that the slacks don’t hang too low at the bottom. You won’t want to take anything off to make readjustments, so know what length is comfortable for you when tightening shoulder straps. And don’t forget about the seams on your cuffs. They should make contact with your gloves or mittens without leaving wrists exposed.

FAQ

Which is most important – an ice fishing bib or jacket?

Honestly, it’s better to have both. Technically, if you are fishing in relatively warm weather and it’s enough to wear a sweater – a bib would suffice. It keeps your feet dry, the lower body warm, and protected from wet weather conditions, which is essential to ice fishing.

Yet, if you are off to fish in very harsh environments (minus 5-10 F) – it’s always better to have a warm jacket. There is literally nothing better, out there, that will keep you safe and warm in a winter storm on the open lake.

What Are the Crucial Features of Ice Fishing Clothing?

There are several things you need to look out for in fishing clothing, except for the obvious thermal properties. The three crucial features of fishing apparel are waterproofing, insulation, and mobility.

When it comes to ice fishing, water-resistance is as crucial as oxygen for humans. You are most likely to sit for hours out in the snow, and there is a 100% chance you’ll get wet. So, your main goal here is to choose a piece of clothing that will stay wet on the outside, but not a single drop will reach your socks, shirts, or anything underneath. Proper insulation ensures that the wind and cold air won’t wriggle their way underneath your apparel. This increases the thermal properties, keeps you from warm head to foot, and prevents hypothermia. Lastly, fishing apparel should be flexible, not too baggy, and allow sufficient mobility.

To start with, it’s simply more comfortable. As you are fishing on frozen lakes, in the worst-case scenario, there is always a chance the ice will crack. So, your clothing must not hinder your movements so that you are able to move as swiftly or slowly as you want.

As we’re already talking about cracks in the ice, one premium feature you can buy is a flotation device (in case your worst fear is of drowning). Floating jackets and bibs will help you to stay afloat if you ever fall through the ice.

What Are Additional Accessories for Ice Fishing?

You, of course, will need a bunch of fishing equipment. But apart from fishing rods, ice picks, ice auger, and other essentials, you need to stock up on apparel accessories as well. The most obvious ones being boots (preferably with extra insulation and water resistance), a couple pairs of heavy-duty socks, ice fishing gloves (with additional thermal insulation), a pair of reflecting sunglasses, and, of course, a hat.

Do I Need a Full Suit?

Not necessarily. If you are going on a short trip and not planning to stay out for too long, you can go without a proper fishing bib or with a non-professional jacket. Yet, if you are an avid angler, facing harsh conditions or plan to go ice fishing more than once – you absolutely need a full suit. Underestimating weather conditions is the worst mistake that you can make. Complete ice fishing equipment will protect you from freezing, hypothermia, or soaking. Most importantly, it will keep you safe.

What Are the Benefits of Having an Ice Fishing Bib?

An ice fishing bib might not be the most comfortable thing at first glance. Yet, the best thing about a fishing bib is that as a whole piece of clothing, it’s excellent at insulation and has impressive thermal properties. It is capable of keeping you dry and warm for longer and in the hardest conditions.

What Do I Need to Know Before I Use Ice Fishing Bibs?

First of all, decide if you actually want to sit in front of an ice hole for hours. You do? Good!

So, when that’s out of the way, you must determine what kind of weather you plan to use if for. Not all fishing bibs are designed to withstand snow or ice, so do check that before proceeding to actually using one. If it’s not made for below zero temperatures and has no water-resistance, hardly any other piece of closing will save you from frostbite or hypothermia. Make sure your ice fishing bib fits you well, and you can move freely and remember, the key feature of the ice fishing bib is to keep you warm, dry, and repel moisture. If your fishing bib does that, you are good to go!

Conclusion

In the end, the most durable and insulated jacket combination on the list goes to the top two. This also includes their respective bibs on numbers six and seven. What sets the Stormr Strykr and Ice Predator brands apart from the rest is having no faulty inseams, good breathability, and windproof/water resistant fabric. This isn’t to say that the others reviewed shouldn’t be ignored. There enough additional attributes to warrant a purchase of any on the list, according to your individual needs. Regardless of what you end up with, your best ice fishing suits will remain warm and toasty until the event is finished!