I'm looking for something that can keep me alive if I fall through the ice. I saw something on here last year but the search didn't yield any results. How long, once in the water, do I have before hypothermia shuts me down?

I too am looking into this. I have heard the folks on this sight talk of a Mustang suit. I talked to my daughter about 2 hours ago and told her I would look into this on the net. I heard it floats unlike the outfit I currently wear. Sorry I do not have personal information.

I have been researching these over the past year or so. I had a local DNR officer come in and tell me he wears a Stearns. I have a cousin with the coast guard and he says they wear the Mustang. When in Winnepeg last summer, I went to an SIR store, kinda like a Cabela's but Canadian and they had a good display of Nautilus floatation suites. It was nice to actually touch and feel and try one of these suites on. Very impressive in construction but seems very bulky and somewhat stiff. Looks very durable and very affordable. But then again, if you go thru the ice and the suit says your life, it is priceless. I would simply do your homework. The problem I have is there is no place local to really try something like this on.

I have the Mustang 2 piece suit, bibs and coat. Haven't had to test them yet. the bibs are fairly comfortable but the coat has stiffer floation foam it and restricts your movement a little. a friend has a one piece suit but he bought his a little oversize and uses a belt to snug it up but if you have excess room inside the suit, that is more water you have to warm up when you fall in cold water. Its best if you find a place that has them in stock so you can try them on.

I used the red gumby suits when I was a volunteer water patrol deputy, but this was just for rescue and training, not something you would want ot use for fishing or other activity. But you could get them on in less than 1 minute or so, and they were warm and you truly could not go under the water in them. Perfect for rescue.

This year I got some Artic Armor suit, like the Ice Armor, but floats, and is very comfy and warm. Not sure how long you would last, but you would be floating so you could roll out of hole pretty easily (I would imagine from my trainng, but haven't tried...). They are about $300 and very very nice. They are pretty darn warm, and we have been -17 here lately, lots of -5 weather and I was just wearing a long t-shirt under it.

Worth a look.
-Box

up here in winnipeg you can find 3 makes
bouy o bouy, nautilus, and mustang....
alot of people wear them late fall on the red and pinefalls
great for early and late ice also
i prefer the 2 pce for movement but the 1 pce are warmer

manitoba .... a 100,000 lakes
how many walleyes ????
i will never have enough time....

The artic armor from I.D.I gear is a very thin, light, and warm suit that will also allow you to float. This is what I would buy.

http://www.idigear.com/arctic.html

I use a helly hansen 1 pc very warm and easy to move around in because it has soft cell very confartable but it is not cast graud approved. The nutales is also a good suit.

hope this helps

Frank

Is the IDI Arctic Armor Coast Guard approved? I looked at their web site and I didn't see it listed. If its not approved you would have to have a life vest if used in a boat.

Not sure if the IDI is CG approved or not, most likely not because it is not designed as a flotation suit, it's designed for warmth and just happens to have the ability to keep you afloat. I would think that you would want a life jacket in the boat even if you were wearing it.

It is not a certified (?) PFD, I asked them, so you still need a life jacket in the boat. But it does float, and that is one reason I got it, for early and late ice (just security, not that I will go and do dangerous fishing) and also I saw first hand what can happen in early May in MN - a PFD does you no good if you are not wearing it, especially if your boat is still running circles around you. We pulled him out of 52 degree water, and he was about a goner in a few more minutes, or so.

Anyway, it is warm and floats. I would like to see them make a nice duck hunting.wading vest out of it. My bro would have liked that a few years ago, and he won't be using a float tube anytime soon! ha!

-Box

Rick and I have the one piece Mustang suits. They are pretty stiff when you buy them, but they soften up, and are easier to move in, the more you use them. They are very warm.

Juls

Does anyone know if the Mustang suit is waterproof when considering it as moderate rain gear? Not heavy downpour rain but just a shower or two?

I’ve been on 3 different fire departments hear in MN all have used the mustang suits they are amazingly warm in the water. They fit big but when you go through all of the air will escape through the neck making it a tight fit. Make sure you are wearing ankle weights as well, they will let you stay vertical in the water otherwise you will be laying horizontal and run the risk of water filling up the suit.

My wife and I bought the Mustang 1-piece several years ago after a scare out on the ice. If you read the specs, the 1 piece are better hypothermia protection, but the 2 piece are nice also. As stated, the longer you have them, the better they feel, a little stiff at first. Great for early spring and fall fishing also. A spray of silicone like Camp-Dri once in a while will keep the water repellant properties intact. Couldn't be happier with ours. Good Luck

When I received my certification for ice rescue we wore the Mustang suits. Floated like a cork - simply crazy to feel perfectly warm in water that was surrounded by ice. He had to cut a hole in the ice for the training with a chainsaw - so the water WAS about 33 degrees... no worries, happy as a clam - it really was fun. I need to buy one with the temps I often find myself fishing in... One piecers for the training - worth every cent. Pretty cheap life insurance... Chuckles

I have a mustang survival suit (one piece) and love it. I use it more for fall and winter fishing out of a boat on erie. One problem I have that when ice fishing is when you work up a sweat either drilling holes or walking thru snow is that they don't breathe, and your chothes get damp. That's when nice to have a 4 wheeler or snowmobile to cart your butt around.

thanks to all. Sounds like a Mustang suit is in my future

I wear the Ice Rider suit by Mustang. Two piece, and very warm. I use it year round as conditions dictate. It is not good as a rain suit. I use a goretex suit over this suit and you can withstand a lot of nature.

http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/product.php?id=308

Doc,
Here is the one we use. It says in the description that it is waterproof.

Juls

Juls--am I right that this suit is $1500???

The Ice Rider suit is "weatherproof". It's fine in a light or intermittant drizzle. It retails at about $600Can for top and bottom.

Oops! My bad...this is the one we have...
http://www.mustangsurvival.com/products/product.php?id=287

They look the same, but are built different. Then again, I'm only pretty sure THIS is the correct one now, since they all look the same! We are out of town this weekend, so I can't go look in the closet to see what "model" number it is. ;)

I don't see "waterproof' as part of the description of this one.
I don't see prices either, so I can't confirm your find on that mrducks, but I'll take your word for it. That Coast Guard '3-layer' suit could very well run that much.

The ones we have were around 350.00 a piece (2 or 3 years ago) if I remember correctly.

Juls