Striker Ice Floating Winter Suit

[jdog]

i got the lite on saturday and i used it this morning absolutely love it the lite is still very warm

[DTro]

Been really enjoying my suit this winter. Had it out on a couple single digit temps nights and out on the snowmobile as well. I have no regrets about getting the reg suit.

The "bulkiness" is very similar to a Frabill Snosuit.

One thing I noticed is that there is some minor pilling on the inside fabric of the bibs. Not sure if that is because of the clothes I wear, or if it is from the material on the bibs.

[Borch]

The "bulkiness" is very similar to a Frabill Snosuit.

One thing I noticed is that there is some minor pilling on the inside fabric of the bibs. Not sure if that is because of the clothes I wear, or if it is from the material on the bibs.

I noticed the pilling after doing a lot of walking in the suit this weekend. The vents are nice for allowing excess heat and moisture to escape during physical activity.

[Brad B]

Do you see this as causing premature wear in that area inside the bibs. I haven't noticed it yet but will watch for it on my bibs.

Darren could you post a pic of the effected area so I know where to keep a eye on it.

[griff321]

Just got home with my Striker Lite bibs and I'm in love with them. I'm 6-4 and 190lbs, so it's VERY hard to find anything that fits right. The bibs in large are perfect for me. I'm also going to highly suggest buying the lite over the regular. It's rated to like -20, so I really doubt anyone needs the extra bulk that can't be fixed by a pair of fleece longjohns. Plus these are going to be with me on walleye opener for sure.

[TruthWalleyes]

You guys just about have me sold on the Striker Suits.

What about the being water resistant? I'm thinking a Striker Suit in open water during cold temps.

I think you could use it in a downpour.

I have the LITE bibs, no coat yet, and I shower them with water when drilling, and kneel in water next to a hole. It doesn't absorb into the outer shell at all. I've also cut a hole in my bibs as well(well a couple of them actually) and the insides are much like thin packing plastic. Think light, Warm, and DRY.

[Summett]

I too just recently purchased the Lite bibs & coat. They are fantastic! I took them out on Saturday here. It was 5 outside wth 15 mi/hr winds...making it feel like well below zero. I wasn't cold at all! I was thinking to myself how warm the regular suit must be if the lite suit was this warm.

One thing that really surprised me was how light the "lite" suit really is. No bulk at all!

[fishnowworknever]

I've had my suit for just over a month now (regular bib and jacket). I just noticed a tear right in the crotch area where the legs meet (almost like a T if you look at the stitching)

Spoke with Shaun and he is having me send the bibs in to have a patch installed. He said this wasn't the 1st one he has heard of with this stitching issue. Apparently the stitching was too close to the seams and it basically came apart.

[BeezeHound]

The STRIKER LITE suit arrived to my house on Friday so I got to use it over the weekend and I was very impressed. I'm 5'11" 175 lbs, ordered large bibs and jacket. The bibs fit excellent at the waist and once I shortened the cuffs with their snap system length was perfect also. The jacket was slightly big, but not overly so that I was swimming in it, maybe medium would've been better, I don't know. The sleeve length was perfect, just the belly area had some extra room.

The suit was really warm and kept me dry through all the drilling and kneeling on the ice, definitely glad I made the purchase.

[DTro]

Darren could you post a pic of the effected area so I know where to keep a eye on it.

Like I said the pilling is pretty minor.

[Wanderer]

The STRIKER LITE suit arrived to my house on Friday so I got to use it over the weekend and I was very impressed. I'm 5'11" 175 lbs, ordered large bibs and jacket. The bibs fit excellent at the waist and once I shortened the cuffs with their snap system length was perfect also. The jacket was slightly big, but not overly so that I was swimming in it, maybe medium would've been better, I don't know. The sleeve length was perfect, just the belly area had some extra room.

I'm 5'10" and 170 (+ these days) and I had the same thoughts when I tried my large Striker on last night. I wasn't wearing any layers to go out, just lounging clothes, so hopefully I'll feel more filled out in full dress. The sleeves feel a little long on me but I had to chuckle at that because on Sunday I was trying to pull my AA jacket cuffs over my hands to keep them out of the wind and couldn't.

[griff321]

Now that I got a bit of use out of my bibs I have a bit more detailed thoughts regarding them. I own the lite bibs and when I wasn't outside I was cooking and I only wear a pair of adidas polyester running pants underneath. Even in the shelter my feet ended up getting cold before my legs or core. The full length three way zipper really comes in handy to easily provide the precise amount of venting I want where I want it. I wear size 13 hunting boots and had zero problems putting the bibs on and off with my giant clunckers on. It's nice to be able to lace up the boots in a morning daze and not break out into a cursing fit when I realize I didn't put on my outwear first.

Speaking of multi-zippers I found the EZ-P zipper to be amazing. After years of taking off layers just to get at my crotch while doing a gotta go dance, words can't describe my amazement at a simple easy access zipper. I was EZ-P'ing all over the place.

The adjustable hem was everything I dreamed of and more. For a guy that doesn't have the normal dimensions I was so happy to have a pant length that was exactly the perfect length and not a ton of extra material in the gut. The interior cuff worked as advertised and I never had that shockingly cold bit of snow that seemed to always work it's way up to bare skin on my hunting pants when I kneel. Kneeling all day long was zero problem. My knoby knees never got sore or wet.

Now for the bad. The beverage holder is a pure gimmick. I just can't see using it without constantly checking it out to make sure my can isn't spilling all over the place. However, it's the very first thing that I bust out when showing off my bibs. Everyone agrees that's it's about the coolest thing since sliced bread, but it's not something I can see getting a lot of use out of.

I found immediately that the bottom of the right pocket liner is ripped. I'm pretty sure it was like that when I bought them because I just can't see how I ripped it wearing them in the car and not even using the pocket. Plus the first time I used them I put the bibs on before my boots so it couldn't be that. The material is a pretty flimsy synthetic and it could have really been thought through better in design. It's still functional because it's just a barrier between the beverage holder compartment and the pocket, but it bugged me. I'm still within the 30 days of the retailers policy, so I'm going to take them back and see if I can't get an exchange. I'll report back after today on what ends up happening.

The bibs sold me on the jacket. Now I just have to decide if I want the regular jacket or the lite. Being able to mix and match is another great perk that's rare.

[griff321]

Just got back from the retailer and I wasn't able to exchange them. The guy just explained it's a warranty issue because I've used them, but to take it up with striker, because they've been a really good partner when it comes to taking care of customers. The guy working was way cool about it and really just following the line he has to but wasn't a jerk about it. He did take the time to answer any questions I had about the jacket and let me run outside to test it out. Even though my problem wasn't resolved I still left satisfied and with the regular jacket in tow.

I'm not even sure I want to mess with the warranty because it's still functional, but I may just to report back on the process. Even with that slight hiccup it's easy to see that they're a very good Minnesota company with a great product and I'm shocked they didn't win the iCast award for apparel.

[Jim Uran]

I used my Striker Lite bibs and jacket all weekend long with out a hitch!! I've used carhart over the last few seasons, and what a difference a suit built for ice fishing is..

Especially while kneeling down next to the hole fishing!

[fishnowworknever]

Quick update:

I got my bibs back today after they were sent in for a repair. The patch looks like it's going to fix that problem area perfectly. The stitching is great and I am 100% satisfied with the customer service I received.

The color didn't turn up well on the photo.

Here is a pic of the patch job:

[TruthWalleyes]

After i saw your post, i looked at my LITE bibs, and the crotch has ripped open also. I plan on waiting until the end of the season to send them in though as i want to use them in the mean time. Also, i got the striker LITE coat in the mail monday. I've never been cold wearing the bibs, but the coat is not as warm as the bibs. That was diappointing, i was expecting the same warmth from the coat as i've gotten from the bibs.