Striker climate suit

[Crappie slayer 36]

Just got my jacket in yesterday to complete my suit and I have to say I was a little skeptical after hearing a few of the reviews from a few folks about snaps coming loose in the pockets. And also crotches ripping. Well they changed the pockets in the front from snaps to Velcro. Very nice suit and I dont see having to wear anything but underwear and a tea shirt under this suit. They said it is the "Ferrari" of ice suits and I see why!!! Hope I don't get in trouble for mentioning Ferrari lol!!!!

[tater140]

i bought the Striker hardwater suite and wore it for the first time last night out on the boat night fishing.  I'm sure you will really like yours.  I love the suite so far, tons of nice features, pockets, etc.. and very warm.  I just wore jeans and a sweatshirt under it and most of the night I didn't have the jacket zipped up, temps were around 32 I think.  From what I understand they have fixed the crotches ripping on these new suits. I couldn't quit bragging about it while we were fishing though, that may become a problem with my fishing friends.

[Crappie slayer 36]

Lol!! Yes I know what you mean ivehad it on and off three times already,and haven't left the house! Can't wait to get ice and put up the pop-up for bathroom purposes and then run and gun all day. My girlfriend got tired of my ranting last night and just turned the t.v. up.

[Stinkybaits]

Just be careful with thinking they float like an AA suit because they aren't even close. You will however be easy to find just under the ice looking up. But just remember you will go all the way under that's a proven fact and getting out is not an easy task like the AA suit. I'd switch in a heartbeat if it was as buoyant definitely laid out nice and I like the zippers on the bibs that go all the way up to waste like carhart did. I will say however I do take both ends of the season to the extreme so floater is a must!

[Crappie slayer 36]

I believe that either suit if you fall straight through you are going under but you will float back up immediately from the videos that I've seen. Personally, I'm referring to the new suit which is a lot different than any of the other suits. I feel it's a matter of taste as striker has not been around as long however they both will save  your life, or at least give you a fighting chance. That's the important thing, thatwe're all safe on the thin/deteriorating stuff.

[Crappie slayer 36]

There is a big difference between walking up to a hole and stepping in as opposed to walking up to it, turning around, and falling backwards into the hole. Just sayin'

[hoosierdad]

got mine a few weeks ago. I went with the lite suit, its discontinued but for $175.00 for the jacket and bibs I couldnt pass it up. Come on ice!

[black55]

Stinkybaits where did u get your facts ? Seems to be a little harsh on the striker suits, have u did your own tests ? What facts are u basing your statments on ? I'm sure all the people that own striker suits would like to know if there suits are unsafe !

[FelixD]

HMMMMMMM

[black55]

I've seen that video and know that was shawn who i believe is around 6 ft 4 in and 220 or 230 lb. I still wonder where stinky got his info.

[crappie66]

Got my Striker Predator Suit a while back.  Obviously haven't been able to use it yet, but it fits great and is comfortable.  Opted for the Striker over AA because of cust service issues, lack of breathability, and the inseam length is more for avg height people. 

I have a feeling there will be a Striker vs. Arctic Armor debate for some time to come in the same way there has been a Vex vs. Marcum debate for years.

[Dylan-ICEFISHING]

Never heard of them before!.... hope u enjoy it. I just bought the full vexilar ice suit. I love it!!

[tater140]

I too wonder where his facts came from.  After seeing his post last night I spent about 2 hours browsing the internet and forums and nowhere did I find anything about striker not floating as well as arctic armor.  I watch the striker video and that guy actually jumps when he goes in backwards and he doesn't even come close to sinking.  Sure the tidal wave from his jump washes over him when he jumps in but he certainly didn't sink.  I didn't buy the suit to be able to push the envelope to the ice season, I simply bought it to have some extra insurance in case something were to happen unintentionally. 

[Stinkybaits]

I believe that either suit if you fall straight through you are going under but you will float back up immediately from the videos that I've seen. Personally, I'm referring to the new suit which is a lot different than any of the other suits. I feel it's a matter of taste as striker has not been around as long however they both will save  your life, or at least give you a fighting chance. That's the important thing, thatwe're all safe on the thin/deteriorating stuff.

Actually I was there when Kevin Harris went through Round last year end of season. He only went up to his arm pits had fishfinder in one hand and rod in the other. He simply laid the rod and fishfinder on ice and popped himself right out of the hole no ice picks just hands and said suit was so buoyant that it felt like someone was pushing him out I figured it was the suit but maybe it was the lady of the lake lol. As far as the video of a guy floating on his back in a swimming pool I can do that too even without a buoyant suit lol. Check this video out

They test the suit in 6' of water and the guy goes all the way under NOTE the roap tied to the guy as a safety precaution .... Also this guy struggles to get out with the picks. Having seen the AA save my buddies life then seeing a suit that claims to be the same type of suit I couldn't see the Striker even being close to the AA. There isn't an AA video that has a test person tied to a rope and struggling to pull themselves out with ice picks. I'm not saying that the suit doesn't kinda float your just going under and popping up in the sane hole hopefully. Hopefully you have a rope tied around your waste too unless your a young spry buck like the guy on the video because none of us old guys could of made it out alone. But the striker does float great in a swimming pool perhaps could extend the pool season! Lol it's a great suit but it's not nearly as buoyant from what I've seen on the video compared to the AA in live action. Just be careful is all I'm saying!

[black55]

Stinky that addy u gave is invalid ,atleast for me.

[wax_worm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNiRyTEVPxM  Try this one... this guy goes in twice and both times he goes completely under.  He pops back up and gets out with the picks which is better than a clam suit or vex suit.  However, there have been numerous reports on IS of guys going in with the AA suit on and reporting they did not go under.  Both will float you, but if your head does not go under, you have zero chance of inhaling lungs full of water which causes alot of problems when people go into ice could water.  Not sure the test is 100% valid as you rarely just step in a huge hole in the ice.  Normally the ice gives way under you and you go in with a slower entry than in the video so you may not go under with the striker suit either.

[kevs]

I know from experience what the AA suit will do. Went thru the ice on Round with my Showdown in one hand and an ice rod and gills in the other. Never touched bottom nor did I go any deeper than my armpits. Dropped and popped back out on to the ice without any effort of my own. Still had my gear in hand. Only places I got wet was around my waist, upper back and lower legs. Oh ya, I weigh around 265 lbs fully dressed. Sold on the AAs.

[kevs]

Just checked video link posted by Stinkybaits, went right to it. Fella steps off into water, does not jump. I wouldn't want to go under water completely for many reasons. Not coming back up in hole is one. Getting head wet causes increased loss of body heat and having been thru hypothermia it is not a pleasant experience.

[tater140]

Here is the closest video i could find of the same type of entry into the water with the arctic armor. 

I believe she would have went all the way under if it wasn't only  4.5' deep.  I went in last year in decked out in my carharts, vexilar, bucket with rods, etc. and only went in up to my armpits as well.  I weigh 180, and got out without any picks or any other help.  that doesnt mean it wasnt a bit scary though.  That is the reason i went out and bought a floating suit this year.
Anyhow... To each his own, i believe they are both great suits.

[Stinkybaits]

More AA videos notice there is no need for ropes or ice picks http://www.idigear.com/tv-vid3.php. Even when you read the description of Striker it claims to have floatation assistance.

Also Striker states it's a floatation assistance under their specifications....

SUREFLOTE is made from expanded low density polyethylene foam that traps air in closed cells constructed into multi-layer membranes to create internal air pockets for added buoyancy. The SUREFLOTE membrane is moisture resistant and provides superior user mobility and added protection in the extreme cold. The combined jacket and pant/bib with SUREFLOTE provide flotation assistance for up to two hours for an average person. SUREFLOTE is designed to provide added buoyancy to a person's body weight for flotation assistance. An average sized adult needs 7-12 lbs of buoyancy to keep their head afloat. Suits with the SUREFLOTE system are designed to provide approximately 10-12 lbs of buoyancy depending on size and style.

Now we see the need for the rope! The rope provides assistance in case you can't provide your share of the work needed to assist the assistance. If the Striker floated as well as the AA suit I would buy one in a heart beat its a far superior suit in every other way but the one that saves your life.

[jchunter]

 Quote from stinkybaits

Now we see the need for the rope! The rope provides assistance in case you can't provide your share of the work needed to assist the assistance. If the Striker floated as well as the AA suit I would buy one in a heart beat its a far superior suit in every other way but the one that saves your life.
[/quote]

The rope was there for added safety purpose's. I don't see it as a dig on the suit that they were being smart and tied him off. I don't know why your making such a big deal about the rope. They didn't use the rope to get the guy out of the water anyway. I also think the guy could have gotten out of the water without the safety pics. Clearly if you watch the Striker videos the suit has no problems floating a person.

 I would also think that if a person goes walking off a pier feet first wearing a Pfd or one of the float suits on the market without reaching for the side of the pier on your way in, your head would go under for a split second also.

[Zktaylor]

I agree with jchunter.

[revpilot]

Id be willing to video it if we have 2 volunteers, then we would know for sure.....     Hey Jeff (Steuben1) you have a pond and a AA suit just saying......     

[Crappie slayer 36]

I believe in striker so I would be game!!!!

[Crappie slayer 36]

"for a nominal price"

[Steuben1]

Id be willing to video it if we have 2 volunteers, then we would know for sure.....     Hey Jeff (Steuben1) you have a pond and a AA suit just saying......     

I already know what will happen, the 3 of us in my family tested them this summer.  3 AA suits and three people stepping off the dock into the water.  All three of our heads went under water for a moment.  I hate my AA suit and think it's a POS anyway.

[Stinkybaits]

Quote from stinkybaits

Now we see the need for the rope! The rope provides assistance in case you can't provide your share of the work needed to assist the assistance. If the Striker floated as well as the AA suit I would buy one in a heart beat its a far superior suit in every other way but the one that saves your life.


The rope was there for added safety purpose's. I don't see it as a dig on the suit that they were being smart and tied him off. I don't know why your making such a big deal about the rope. They didn't use the rope to get the guy out of the water anyway. I also think the guy could have gotten out of the water without the safety pics. Clearly if you watch the Striker videos the suit has no problems floating a person.



 I would also think that if a person goes walking off a pier feet first wearing a Pfd or one of the float suits on the market without reaching for the side of the pier on your way in, your head would go under for a split second also.

The rope was added to the guy in the video because striker KNOWS that the suit goes all of the way under. That was made clear to us in their video. The AA suit doesn't use a rope in any of their videos because it will not go all the way under even when jumping off the pier or walking into the hole like the striker video. Did you watch the AA videos or read the specifications from Striker? Striker even says assistance in their specs. The word assistance means helping. The Striker suit will HELP you float. The AA suit WILL float without any assistance from you what so ever. I love everything else about the striker suit the multi use jacket adjustable length bibs ect very awesome and far surpasses the AA suit except the buoyancy just not a buoyant as the AA suit and if your over deep water your head will more than likely go under. Kevs only went in to his arm pits and that's while holding his gear up with both hands. Maybe with your hands out and the ice giving away slowly the Striker would keep you up as well just make sure you have picks. That young man in the Striker video had a heck of a time getting out using picks. Kevs just popped right out over deep water like he had a push the AA suit is that buoyant. Ill probably but the Striker set for open water fishing it looks better waterproof wise. The AA gets wet even after retreating pretty disappointed in that issue.

[Crappie slayer 36]

The arctic armor videos shoe a guy going up to a hole and "plopping" backwards onto his back in the hole. As opposed to going in feet first like you would in real life. Don't see many people fall through the ice into their back. Steuben told you the facts.

[Stinkybaits]

I did miss something in the striker video that I just saw that suit they are using is not the tri layered coat. Crappie does that jacket have other layers that have the same floating assist material on it or is it just the original jacket like worn in the video with the added liners? If the other layers are float assist as well that would add to the overall buoyancy for sure!

[Stinkybaits]

The arctic armor videos shoe a guy going up to a hole and "plopping" backwards onto his back in the hole. As opposed to going in feet first like you would in real life. Don't see many people fall through the ice into their back. Steuben told you the facts.

Here's the video Im referring to. They plop in and walkin kind of a barrage of everything. Watch the whole video.
http://www.idigear.com/tv-vid3.php