We've all been there: tough, early spring fishing. The weather's cold, it's misting and we have four layers of clothes on. To top it off, we add a cumbersome lifejacket to the pile. Talk about uncomfortable.

Mustang Survival has an answer to this cold-weather discomfort. The company combined safety with warmth and comfort in its Integrity cold-weather survival jacket. If you fish out of a boat in rainy, windy and cold conditions – or even on hard water – you should take a look at this jacket, particularly if cold weather affects you.

Mustang's Integrity Bomber Jacket (MJ6224) is a premier cold-weather floatation coat. Yes, it keeps you warm and floats you if you fall in (and helps protect you from hypothermia), but it's also good-looking and doesn't bind or restrict you in any way.

"We wanted to make sure the angler had the protection they needed without compromising mobility," said Mustang marketing manager Frank Leffelaar. "We designed this jacket with safety and flotation first, but we knew we could do that well and still have a jacket an angler could fish out of."

Our Tests

> Our tests showed that the wrist cuffs and waistband do not ride up, even while fishing.

> It's lightweight compared to similar jackets we've tried.

> It's well-ventilated under the arms. You can wear it the entire day comfortably, and is optimum with air temperatures below 60 degrees.

> We liked the trademark Mustang attention to detail from a comfort perspective – everything from closures to zippers to neck support to the finest materials.

> As is the case with all of the Mustang Survival products we've reviewed, this jacket is made of 210 Denier nylon and other materials that meet or exceed all U.S. Coast Guard ratings for weathering and UV protection. Closed-cell foam is used for flotation, which helps make this bomber-style jacket light.

> Mustang uses rubberized sleeves with Velcro closures to keep the moisture out, plus a soft fleece collar that won't stick or bind after a long day on the water. The collar of the jacket, when fully zipped up, also serves as head/neck support in the event you fall in the water.

Ray Scott on the Jacket

Bass founder Ray Scott said of the Mustang Integrity: "These guys have it dialed in. I've not seen a single product from Mustang that didn't do what it was supposed to. They build everything to last, and in this day and age, that's a rarity."

He added: "We don't get a ton of cold weather here where I live in Alabama for a jacket of this type, but I have had an occasion or two where this jacket was a lifesaver for me. Not only did I have the comfort level knowing that if there was an accident I would be protected, but it took the nip out of the air for me as well."

Bottom line: We thought wearing this product would be like wearing a straight-jacket, but that wasn't the case. It's warm, it's a lifesaving device, it looks good, and you don't have to put anything else on while you're running or fishing. The lanyard clip is built right into the jacket. What's not to like?

For more information, click here to go to www.mustangsurvival.com.