Flotation suits

Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:12 am

Hi, Im thinking of getting a 2 piece flotation suit for when its cold - this is for shore fishing. So I figured Id do a bit of research beforehand.

Basically Im fed up with having to wear multiple layers to keep warm plus a coat to keep dry. Im presuming that even a 2 piece suit should keep me warm and hopefully dry.

From what I can gather Mustard, Sundridge, Imax, Titan and probably a few others do them... does anyone have any advice about which one to get or which one to avoid?

Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:09 am

I got the shakespear tidewater floatie in feb. Reckon its the best bit of kit I ever bought - no more cold and wet :D

Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:36 am

I used to have an IMAX and it ripped to shreds in about 4-5 trips, I've brought it back but now I have a sundridge crossflow, it's a lot tougher and it's not as unbelievably hot as the IMAX.

Fri Aug 17, 2007 12:23 pm

Got a Mullion one piece floatie, not cheap but a super piece of kit. Although, these days, I'm more inclined to reach for a padded waterproof smock and a pair of Bib and Brace as I found floatie suits a bit cumbersome.

Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:20 pm

have a fladen 3 years old still spot on couldnt falt the suit at all its the dogs :shock:

Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:35 pm

I have a 2 piece Shakespeare and cant fault it.

Sat Aug 18, 2007 5:01 pm

Thanks for the recommendations lads

Sat Aug 18, 2007 6:57 pm

i have the sundridge 2 piece suit. best investment for fishing yet. i still use it most days when it p***ing down like most days this so called summer.
u can pick the sundridge 2 piece up for £40 quid now :)

Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:29 pm

iv got the mustad viking 2 piece floatie! its the warmest+ dryest piece of clothing i have ever bought! im very glad i got it as iv never been cold or wet in it! you can get them in gerrys for 50 euro now!!!

Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:44 am

I bought a Shakespeare uglystik 1 piece a couple of years ago, a fantastic bit of gear for keeping out the elements.My only regret is not going fot the two piece as I find the one piece a bit restrictive when trying to bend down to bait up or climing over rough ground.

Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:46 pm

lads you say you can get a 2 piece floatie for 40 or 50 euro thats pretty good but where?? as I'm sick of 3 hr drives home with wet underwear :oops: :oops: :oops:

Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:50 pm

lads you say you can get a 2 piece floatie for 40 or 50 euro thats pretty good but where?? as I'm sick of 3 hr drives home with wet underwear :oops: :oops: :oops:

Wed Aug 29, 2007 11:01 pm

dunno about payin little for a floatie.. i paid 155euro for my fladen850.. best investment i've ever made.. keeps me dry when its wet, keeps me cool when its warm and keeps me warm when its cold.. even had a moro in the pocket for 8 hours on a boat trip during temperatures to 25celcius, it didnt even get warm enough to melt it inside the pocket :shock:
plus it has the added bonus of 85newtons buoyancy..

for the extra money its worth getting a good one.. it just might end up saving your life 8)

Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:20 am

gerrys of morecambe and glasgow angling centre are doing a special on flotation suits. £50 for the two piece mustad viking flotation suit. seems like good value, a saving of 70 squids.

dave

Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:05 pm

Hi Lads,

Using the Mustad as an example,
http://www.fishingmegastore.com/acatalo ... Suits.html

How good are these floation suits at saving someone who goes into the water?

Do they satisfy the SAC requirements for a PFD when boat fishing?

Any advise appreciated, thanks, James.

Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:22 pm

Isn't there a ruling about a minimum level of buoyancy required from a PFD during IFSA comps? I seem to remember hearing this somewhere. Most floatie suits are a good additional safety aid along with a proper self righting lifejacket.

Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:41 pm

Just beware that not all 2 piece suits have the bottoms as flotation i.e only the jacket will be "floaty"

Just something to bear in mind.

BTW - I have an IMAX 2 -piece - absolutely melting hot in the jacket alone - have never worn the bottoms as I reckon I'd pass out if I did.

Havent had any trouble with it at all - no leaks /rips/tears or otherwise.

One of the best if not the best thing I have ever bought for fishing



John.

Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:10 pm

Thanks for the replies, so it looks like I'd need a lifejacket anyway if I wanted to fish any of the boat comps.

Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:35 am

You will still need a life jacket if you boat fish as a floatation suit will not keep your head above water incase of being knocked out.

I have the Imax suit and the trousers leak everywhere and are ripped to shreads. Jacket is still perfect.

Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:43 am

scara wrote:You will still need a life jacket if you boat fish as a floatation suit will not keep your head above water incase of being knocked out.


Thanks for that, I had thought that they might hence my question on whether they qualify as a PFD. Not keeping your head above water is not good so its a lifejacket I need and the floatation suit is optional (rather than the other way round).