Best Thermal Fishing Suits

Avid's Arctic-Series Winter Suit is a thermally lined jacket and salopettes with a 20,000mm hydrostatic head, so it's made for long, wet winter sessions rather than the odd autumn shower. The fabric is breathable as well as waterproof.

The salopettes have reinforced knee and seat sections, which is where carp suits usually wear first, and the jacket has a drop hem at the rear to keep draughts off your lower back. Fleece-lined handwarmer pockets, zipped internal pockets and Velcro cuffs complete it, in sizes S to 4XL.

It's the best carp suit in this line-up, built for anglers who kneel on mats and sit behind the rods for days. Next to the Trakker CR 3 Piece Winter Suit Camo, it adds a 20,000mm head and tougher knees and seat, while the Trakker answers with a zip-in fleece.

To be fair, it costs a bit more than most two-piece suits. For winter carp anglers who are hard on their knees, though, I think it's the one to buy.

A fully removable zip-in fleece turns the Trakker CR 3 Piece Winter Suit Camo's heavyweight insulated jacket and bib and brace into a three-piece system. The fleece goes in on frosty nights and comes out on milder days, so one suit covers most of the winter.

The outer has a 5,000mm hydrostatic head, fully taped seams and a Teflon coating to shed rain. Reinforced knee panels, fleece-lined zipped handwarmer pockets and an adjustable hood and hem round it off, in sizes Small to XXXL.

It's built for carp anglers who fish from autumn into deep winter and like to layer up. Next to the Avid Arctic-Series Winter Suit it's less waterproof but far more adaptable, and unlike the two-piece Fox Khaki Camo Wintersuit, it gives you a separate fleece as well.

To be fair, the 5,000mm outer is happiest under a brolly once the rain sets in. For anglers who fish from a bivvy and want one suit for the whole season, though, I think it's a really versatile pick.

The Fox Khaki Camo Wintersuit is a thermally insulated jacket and salopettes with a PU-coated outer, a 5,000mm hydrostatic head and 3,000 grams per square metre of breathability every 24 hours. It's built for the coldest months of the year.

Most of its strengths are in the salopettes, which have padded pleated knees, boot zips, ankle straps with rubber pull tabs and micro fleece from below the knee upwards. Both main zips are two-way with baffles, and the peaked hood has bungee adjusters, in sizes Small to 4XL.

It suits bivvy-based carp anglers who like camo. Next to the Trakker CR 3 Piece Winter Suit Camo, it has the same 5,000mm head in a two-piece, with lots of fittings on the salopettes instead of a zip-in fleece, while the Trakker CR 2 Piece Winter Suit Camo below it is simpler still.

To be fair, its 5,000mm outer suits drizzle and passing showers, not long, wet nights in the open. For winter carp anglers fishing from a bivvy, though, I think it's a well-made camo suit.

The Trakker CR 2 Piece Winter Suit Camo is a fully insulated jacket and trousers in Trakker green with a custom camo print, and it's the best value pick in this line-up for anglers who want real winter warmth.

Its heavyweight 100% polyester outer has a 5,000mm hydrostatic head, fully taped seams and a Teflon coating, and the knees have reinforced detailing. Sizes run from Small to XXX-Large, covering chests from 38 to 55 inches, and the hood and hem both adjust.

First-time winter carp anglers and anyone on a tight budget should look at it first. Next to the Fox Khaki Camo Wintersuit, it's simpler, with trousers instead of salopettes, while the Preston Innovations Celcius Suit is the match angler's option, with a three-quarter jacket and a reinforced seat pad.

To be fair, the trousers don't cover your lower back like a bib, and 5,000mm fabric is built for showers. For a warm first winter suit that won't stretch the bank balance, though, I think it's a cracking buy.

Daiwa's Two Piece Quilted Suit is a quilted jacket and high-waist bib and brace made from two-layer waterproof fabric with a 20,000mm hydrostatic head. That's a figure made for prolonged heavy rain and kneeling on soaking wet ground.

Breathability is 10,000 grams per square metre over 24 hours, so you shouldn't arrive at your swim sweaty and then get cold. Every zip is water-resistant, the zipped pockets are fleece-lined, the lined hood has a drawcord and the bib's two deep side pockets close with magnets.

Among the coarse and match suits, this is the best in the line-up, because it doesn't trade waterproofing for warmth. Next to the Preston Innovations Celcius Suit, it brings a quoted 20,000mm head and quilted insulation, while the Preston answers with a reinforced seat pad and a three-quarter jacket for the box.

To be fair, sizes start at Medium, which leaves smaller anglers looking elsewhere. For coarse and match anglers who sit out long, wet winter days, though, I think it's the suit to buy.

The Preston Innovations Celcius Suit is a three-quarter-length jacket and bib and brace insulated with Holofil, a hollow-fibre fill that traps warm air, under a waterproof outer skin.

The knees get extra-durable woven fabric and the seat a reinforced pad, which is exactly where a match suit takes its punishment. A detachable wire-peaked hood, storm-sealed zip, Velcro storm cuffs and a fleece-lined collar and pockets finish it, in sizes Small to XXXX Large.

It's a superb match suit, because every detail is aimed at a long day on the box. Next to the Daiwa Two Piece Quilted Suit, it swaps quilting for Holofil and adds a reinforced seat pad, and the Matrix Therma-Foil Winter Suit is its closest rival, with a heat-reflective foil lining.

To be fair, anglers fishing in the open through heavy rain may want a 20,000mm suit. For winter match anglers who sit on the box all day, though, it's hard to fault.

A heat-reflective foil lining and thick thermal filling go into both halves of the Matrix Therma-Foil Winter Suit, so warmth is very much its strong suit. The main fabric is 5K waterproof and 3K breathable, with every seam taped.

Both pieces close with baffled two-way zips. The jacket adds a peaked, bungee-adjusted hood, Velcro cuffs and Sherpa-lined hand pockets, while the salopettes get boot zips and a part-elasticated waist, in sizes from Small to XXXXL.

Match anglers who sit out frosty days on a box are who it's built for, along with pleasure anglers who feel the cold. Next to the Preston Innovations Celcius Suit, you swap a reinforced seat and three-quarter jacket for that foil lining, while the Westin W6 Winter Suit Ink Black has a 20,000mm head for open, wet venues.

To be fair, 5K fabric is really for showers and drizzle, not a soaking. For cold, dry match days, though, I think it's a superbly warm suit to sit in.

With windproof fabric and a 20,000mm hydrostatic head, the Westin W6 Winter Suit Ink Black is sealed for the worst of winter on open water. It breathes well too, at up to 10,000 grams of moisture per square metre, so lure anglers on the move should stay drier inside.

SORONA Aura padding runs at 200gsm in the jacket body and 160gsm in the sleeves and bib. The bib has 600D Oxford reinforcement with a TPU membrane and a YKK two-way zip with a wind shield, and the removable hood has a wired peak.

For me, it's the best suit for predator and boat anglers in this line-up. Next to the Matrix Therma-Foil Winter Suit, it's far better sealed against heavy rain and wind, while the Westin W4 Flotation Suit Jetset Lime is the one to pick if you want buoyancy built in.

To be fair, it's a big spend, and sizes stop at 3XL. For anglers facing cold wind over open water, though, I think it's worth every penny.

Flexible lightweight foam is built into the Westin W4 Flotation Suit Jetset Lime, and the suit is certified to DS/EN ISO 12402-6. The outer is PU-coated 210D nylon with taped seams, with ripstop reinforcement on the knees and back.

Safety kit runs right through it, from a high-vis fold-in hood with 180° view panels to SOLAS reflective tape, a certified whistle and loops to lock an inflatable vest in place. Nine pockets, two of them fleece-insulated, and an extra-high fleece collar add comfort.

On a boat or rock mark, where warmth and flotation both matter, it comes into its own. Next to the Westin W6 Winter Suit Ink Black, it's the safety-first choice, while the W6 is the padded suit with a 20,000mm head. The Fox Rage Winter Suit is simpler again, a fleece-lined suit for the bank.

To be fair, it adds buoyancy rather than replacing a lifejacket, so wear one too. For winter boat fishing, though, I think it's a superb, safety-minded suit.

Predator anglers get a thick fleece lining right through the Fox Rage Winter Suit's jacket and salopettes, with a 5k water-resistant and 3k breathable construction. The cut is shaped for casting, so it should move with you on a roving day.

Neoprene inner cuffs with thumb holes seal the wrists, while a front baffle guards the two-way heavy-duty zip. The hood is peaked and fleece-lined, and sizes run from Small to XXXXLarge.

Bank-based lure anglers and deadbaiters on cold, showery days will get the most from it. The Westin W4 Flotation Suit Jetset Lime is the pick for boat safety, and next to the Penn Fierce Thermo Suit Fiery Red/Ink, the Fox Rage brings thumb-hole cuffs and a casting cut, though the Penn has the higher 8,000mm figure.

To be fair, 5k water resistance won't cope with a full day of heavy rain. For predator anglers fishing cold, showery days on the bank, though, I think it's a warm, smart choice.

Boat, pier and bank fishing in wind, rain and cold is what the Penn Fierce Thermo Suit Fiery Red/Ink is made for. Its polyester pongee outer has a PVC coating with an 8,000mm waterproof figure, and a microfleece lining with 160gsm poly-fill padding provides the warmth.

There's a detachable hood, ribbed inner cuffs and a two-way front zip, plus large fleece-lined front pockets and a chest pocket with a water-repellent zip. The salopettes have elasticated braces and long gusseted leg zips for getting in and out over boots.

Next to the Fox Rage Winter Suit, it has the higher waterproof figure, though the Fox adds thick fleece throughout and thumb-hole cuffs for casting. It's one of the cheaper suits in this line-up, so pier and boat anglers watching the pennies will get plenty from it.

To be fair, the build is basic and sizes start at M. For sea anglers on a budget, though, I think it's an honest, practical buy.