8 Best Ice Fishing Jackets for 2023: Tried & Tested

Do you want to buy the best ice fishing jacket that comes within your budget?

Let’s take a look and see various top-rated jackets that are actually being used by hundreds of ice-fishing people.

My Personal Recommendations

Personally, I prefer StrikerICE more than Eskimo and Frabill. But, yes, it also depends on personal preference.

So, if you need a jacket for extremely cold temperatures, then you should buy StrikerICE Apex Jacket. It is the warmest ice fishing jacket on the market that have Space-Grade insulation. A NASA-developed aerogel material is used in this jacket that keeps you warm without adding bulk, and yes, it keeps you afloat for up to 2 hours.

Check Prices of StrikerICE Apex Jacket – Amazon.com, Scheels

If you don’t need that much insulation and want a little affordable solution, then you can go with StrikerICE Climate Jacket. It’s not as warm as Apex Jacket, but still, it’ll keep you warm on your ice fishing journey.

For women, we have StrikerICE Prism Jacket. It is as warm as a Climate jacket. And, both jackets keep you afloat for up to 2 hours.

Check Prices of StrikerICE Climate Jacket – Amazon.com, Scheels

Check Prices of StrikerICE Prism Jacket – Amazon.com

If you want a budget-friendly option, then the Eskimo Roughneck Jacket and Clam Rise Float Parka are the best options you have. Both jackets provide assistance with flotation in icy water in case of ice breakage,

Check Price of Eskimo Roughneck Jacket – Amazon.com

Check Prices of Clam Rise Float Parka – Amazon.com, Scheels

Best Ice Fishing Jackets in 2022 

Striker Ice Men’s Waterproof HardWater Jacket

150 grams of thermadex insulation for keeping you warm at temperatures that are resilient to lower your core body temperature. A jacket that is rated 9/10 for its warmth.

It is available in 2 color combinations black and gray and gray and red. The latter one gives a beast feeling when worn. And the former one gives out a classy look.

The neck is a portion that many brands miss out on, but not the Striker.

This brand provides a soft inner lining so that you don’t strain your neck while sitting upright for long hours while trying to catch your bait.

Endura is one of the best there is in the waterproofing market. Striker, with their help, makes these jackets one of the sought-after options for me. Along with these, a PU seamed taped means almost 100% guaranteed waterproofing.

Pair them with your favorite Baffin boots, and you are ready for your expedition!

Frabill Ice Fishing Safety Gear

The jacket caught my attention just like my soon-to-be fiancé did when we first met! The fabric is made of Taslan material, known for wind resistance and waterproofing.

Insulation is provided by none other than 3M.

First, Taslan is a modern fabric technology that is nylon but more or less feels like cotton. This also makes it highly breathable to wear, extending a lot of comfort.

Frabill’s jacket equips 150 g insulation and a 230 T taffeta lining, all provided by 3M THINSULATE technology.

Not knowing 3M would be a crime, a mega-giant providing worker safety, US health care, consumer products, and many more.

Honestly, when I heard about 3M in Frabill, I just added the product to my cart on Amazon, and paid the bill, eyes closed! Get yours from Amazon today for 71$ to 215$, depending on the size.

Generally, a 3000 mm hydrostatic resistance is considered suitable for protection against water. But with a 10,000 mm (14 PSI), Frabill makes other jackets cry in front of it.

StrikerICE Climate Jacket

The brand uses its patented Surefloat Flotation technology in these jackets. This helps an individual to be afloat for up to 2 hours.

Ice Climate jacket is made for professional and experienced anglers. It sets itself apart from other jackets of StrikerICE and is the warmest ice fishing jacket in the market in 2021-22

A unique feature not found in any others is the removable G2 softshell liner. This makes it possible for you to remove the liner and wear it on its own throughout the year.

You could probably even wear it for your ice skating date!

Furnished with another Striker’s patented technology, the Hydrapore Waterproof technology provides a 5000 m breathability and waterproof rating.

This makes this waterproof ice fishing jacket a go-to choice for me that can withstand the worst weather conditions.

Due to its lightweight and durability, the jacket is not limited to just ice fishing, as it can be easily used for other adventure sports activities.

This makes it an excellent choice as an ice fishing jacket for men and women both.

Striker Men’s Strikerice Predator Jacket

This list is roughly similar to other Striker jackets, with a few noticeable differences. One of them being a low price than the others.

These come with a 320D Nylon Tussor shell for extending warmth. At the same time, Hydrapore fabric material provides waterproofing.

It only provides 100 g of Thermadex insulation compared to 150 g extended by other striker jackets. But the 5000 m rating for waterproofing and breathability remains the same.

Hence, the lower insulation should not be a matter of concern unless you expect to face harsh winters.

The jacket has a removable hood, cross-flow ventilation system, and magnetic storm flap closure for extra protection against extreme climate conditions.

Arctix Men’s Performance Tundra Jacket

A premium ice fishing jacket for the extremely price-conscious person residing inside you. It’s the most economical ice fishing suit you will find, which will not disappoint you.

Available at a price range of between 57$ to 84$ on Amazon.

The jacket comes with 120 grams thermatech insulation for keeping you warm. It works best between -20° to +35° temperature range.

Critical seams ensure that adequate waterproofing is provided. And what do critically seamed jackets mean?

Well, the manufacturer identifies the most suspectable places from where water could penetrate, then these areas are sealed for protection.

The jacket is available in 4 different color ranges and can also be used for other outdoor activities due to its lightweight.

How to Choose an Ice Fishing Jacket

There are many different styles of ice fishing jackets, so how do you select which one will suit you the best?

Well, the below-mentioned parameters will help you shortlist the best ice fishing apparel without too much hassle.

Weather Conditions

Before I even begin with your budget, you must understand the kind of climate you will be fishing in.

Would you be ice fishing at night? How cold does it get in your chosen area of ice fishing? All these questions are important!

If you don’t expect it to become too grizzly, buying a jacket that doesn’t cost you a lifetime of savings would be well advised.

Amount of Insulation

This depends on how fast you get cold and the temperature you are expecting to be fishing in.

If you have an underlying problem maintaining your body core temperature, it can cause some severe problems. In that case, I would advise nothing less than a 100 g thermadex insulation.

Suggested jackets: Striker’s Predator Jacket or Frabill’s Ice Fishing safety jacket.

If you are looking for the best quality ice fishing jackets, then the amount of insulation it provides is a very important factor to consider.

Fabric Quality – preferably Taslan/Hydrapore

You can not go wrong in buying a jacket equipped with either of these two fabric materials. Both provide apex waterproofing, at the same time, maintain extreme breathability.

Adequate Waterproofing and Breathability

Many brands miss out on making their jackets breathable as they focus solely on waterproofing, trying to make it the “best ice fishing coat.”

That need not be a downside because situations that demand a more waterproof jacket than a breathable one might arise.

Premium-priced jackets provide a waterproof and breathability rating. This will help you take into consideration both these aspects while making your decision.

Buying a waterproof ice fishing jacket is of utmost importance and can’t be neglected.

Proper Ventilation System

You need not have a high-tech ventilation system in your best quality ice fishing jacket. Even zippers beneath the underarm regions would suffice.

It’s essential to have these small pockets that can help with the airflow. Otherwise, you will end up sweating profusely if the temperature increases.

Flotation Assistance

You may not need it, but there’s no harm in taking a few precautionary measures before wearing a jacket for ice fishing!

Only limited brands provide floating assistants, and one of them is Strikers.

Strikers, which has some of the best quality ice fishing jackets, have a patented technology called the Surefloat flotation assistance, which is said to help you stay afloat for up to 2 hours. W

ell, if not 2 hours, in emergencies, even 10 minutes of floating assistance could save your life.

Multipurpose Jackets

Many premium ice fishing jackets can also be used for other outdoor activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, etc. But a lot of them don’t provide this feature.

If you are planning on using it for other activities as well, it would be advisable to cross-check its usability beforehand.

Moreover, If the jacket weighs a ton, it might cause problems in a sport such as snowmobiling, where lightweight is the key.

Other Features: Number of Pockets, Removable Hood, etc.

Do you want pockets both inside and outside your jackets? How many pockets do you want?

Many of these minor questions and features depend a lot on your choice. As a thumb rule, you should preferably go for waterproof zipper pockets due to their convenience.

Final words

At the end of the day, there is nothing like the ‘best ice fishing apparel’ because it’s the small details where the separation lies.

These nitty-gritty aspects are what separates one jacket from another and give each their respective price range.

I have covered the best jacket from each of these price ranges, starting from 50$ going up to 350$.

But don’t forget to gear up with other essentials like your ice fishing heater and snug pair of ice fishing cleats before you hit that cold weather for your fishing expedition!

It was a pleasure bringing these details to you, and I can only hope it helped you find the product you were looking for.