Blogger John McArdle reviews winter wear

Part of being a blogger for Wisconsinoutdoorfun.com means that I take providing product information very seriously. Blog readers want quick information that’s reliable from people who actually use a certain brand or style in the woods or on the water. Just like a carpenter, everything that I use in the field are tools of the trade and the ones that perform flawlessly are the ones I‘m most passionate about. As an avid outdoorsman, anything I can do to help you enjoy your time in the field is where I get my rewards.

This brings me to today's review of Ice Armor Extreme.

I was recently in the field and asked to photograph an ice fishing event. I was required to travel from shack to shack and take pictures of the fish caught. Bitter temperatures and thirty-plus mph winds gnawed at the group all day, but having my Ice Armor Extreme suit made the elements a non–factor. One of the many attributes of this suit is the ventilation system. While active, drilling holes or chasing tips ups, you perspire and the excess moisture needs a place to go. A good base layer will wick the majority of the moisture away from your body but the ventilation in the suit seems to regulate your body temp so you don’t overheat. Time after time I see people go through the motions of wearing a base layer but trapping all the moisture in a coat that doesn’t breathe and they end up soaking wet and eventually cold. The suit is so warm it allows me to eliminate that extra layer I would have normally worn when outside for the duration of the day. With padded knees, seat and wind and waterproof qualities, this suit wins best of class, hands down.

Many ice fishermen spend hundreds of dollars on locators, shacks and ice fishing gear. Combine that with thousands of dollars spent on a quad or snow machine and a four-wheel-drive truck to get to the lake. Then, with all their infinite wisdom stored in their pocketbook, they sit on a white bucket and shiver. All the other equipment has zero value if you can’t use it because you’re too cold or uncomfortable to fish. Take the cost of your suit and divide it by the number of days you use it. Factor into your equation that these suits are made of the high quality materials and the latest in technology. All things considered, the dollar number you get after doing your math will make a good suit the least expensive piece of equipment you own.

For more information on any Ice Armor Gear please visit http://clamoutdoors.com/ice_armor/ today.

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