My first ice fishing trip to Lake Erie years back was a real eye-opener. As masses of anglers converged on the shoreline west of Sandusky, Ohio, many looked more like a search-and-rescue team than fishermen. 

Equipped with survival suits, as in the kind you’re used to seeing the Coast Guard wear, those hard-water fanatics looked as if they were very prepared to go in the drink. As they set out in the morning hours on ATVs, snowmobiles and airboats, you could tell that for a good number of them, there was a clear concern and plan for thin ice, and the safety precautions that go with it.

Old Gives Way to New

Fast forward to today, as the old standard of brown work bibs worn out on the ice have given way to specific ice apparel designed with serious anglers in mind. Pockets are ergonomically located, large enough to hold small tackle-boxes, and vented to drain water in the event of a plunge through the ice. Knees and rear-end are all padded with neoprene to allow anglers who kneel and sit on the ice even more comfort. Fabric is reflective so that you may be seen on a dark night, and is extremely durable for years and years of use. Not to mention, several of today’s suits, like Striker Ice brands, have a floatation layer built in. 

Near-Death Experiences

Thinking back to some of my first ice forays, probably one of the most dangerous situations that I’ve been in was at Duluth Harbor on Lake Superior. Ice cutter boats roll through to keep the harbor open for shipping, which results in a continual ebb and flow of ice chunks, open water, and ultimately ice that is broken and refrozen on a daily basis. 

The most frightening of propositions is “trapdoor” ice, which is a large chunk that floats off of the ice sheet, then wanders back and partially locks up. If you step on the end of one, you’ll slip and drop down below the waterline, then the other end of the chunk rotates back over the top of you — quite literally sealing your fate to the deadly frigid water.

While heading out on the harbor in the predawn darkness, an unseasonable rain left the ice jet black and wet, thus hiding any treacherous ice spots. Everything looked exactly the same. 

Even with headlamps and ice chisels, one of our companions pushed ahead and literally walked right into open water; a 6-foot gap where ice sheets had separated. Grant was fortunate enough to kick a few times and pull himself up on the far sheet, only to have to jump back into the water to get back on the side we were on. As he pushed off the far ice sheet with his heels, Grant dove forward, plunging the picks we threw him deep into the ice on our side of the crack. 

Our day was done, as too much had already been risked, although if he’d had a floatation suit, I would’ve been much less concerned for our friend.   

Other Benefits

From experience I can tell you that manufacturer claims stand up to real-life lake and pool testing by many individuals — large and small. Thankfully, I’ve not been one of them, although I’ve worn suits from at least three of the floating suit companies on the market. The best part? I didn’t even notice that what I was wearing had floatation. The suit wore just the same as any ice fishing bibs and jacket that I’ve worn before, all for about the same price as other suits in their class. 

Another benefit that’s often overlooked is during midwinter, when ice conditions are usually the most safe. The floatation that’s used in the Striker Predator suit is exceptionally windproof, waterproof and warm. This is easily apparent when temperatures and wind chills are at their worst, or when riding to and from your destination on a snowmobile or ATV. 

With all of the choices available for today’s ice anglers, and the improvements, comfort and function built in to these suits, there’s no good reason to not look into purchasing one that also floats, if you’re in the market for something new.

One thing to be clear on, however, is that floating suits are not made for the idea of pushing the boundaries of safe ice fishing. Rest assured, if the ice breaks you’re covered, but these suits are for peace of mind, not careless or reckless abandonment of reason when it comes to staying on top of hard water. No ice is ever fully safe, and while the suit may keep you afloat, it can’t guarantee that you won’t hit your head or cut yourself on an auger blade as you go down. These are real concerns that should still cause you to use caution as the first line of defense against unsafe ice. The hidden floating safety layer is simply in the background to bail you out should the unthinkable happen.