Striker Guardian and Trekker

Considering upgrading my ice gear from my Sportsman’s Guide suit to something that’s just a little warmer and floats.

Most people on here seem to get the Predator or something even warmer yet. I’m wondering who has used the Guardian or newer Trekker suits from Striker?

I usually stay fairly mobile. Chances are if I’m sitting still for a long period of time I’m either in a shack or it’s a nice day out. I wear my bibs all the time on the ice. Usually just wear the jacket if it’s cold or windy out.

I feel like I’d rather have less weight and bulk to carry around on most days, and add an extra layer of it’s cold or I’ll be outside more that day.

I’ve tried the Predator bibs on and thought they seemed a little thick, bulky, and stiff. Considering I’m getting by in Sportsman’s Guide gear now which the bibs are basically uninsulated and the jacket only lightly so, I’m assuming the Guardian would be a little warmer?

Is the Guardian pretty light weight and easy to move in?

Finally, reading the add for the Trekker gear on the Striker website, it sounds like the Guardian might be replaced by Trekker, but Guardian is still showing up on their site. Does anybody know if the Guardian line is still being made or if it’s being replaced by the Trekker line up?

Tucker

My only opinion on this is I have the climate suit. And the only time I even consider wearing the jacket I am on a wheeler. Other then that i wear bibs only. I personally love it that way. I do the same at work. 2 hoodies no jacket.

Sorry I have no experience with those other suits

I am pretty sure the guardian has been replaced by the trekker. I run the predator myself and would say that after wearing them a couple of times they will lose a lot of that stiffness. As far as being thick and bulky, I don’t think there is a very big difference between the predator and the trekker.

I have the Hardwater myself. Yes they are very stiff at first, but after a time or two out on the ice they break in fairly quick. I was going to get the climate but was talked into the hardwater. I am glad I listened, because the bibs are all I need most days. I fish with a guy who has the trekker and he likes it most of the time. On real cold days with wind he regrets not spending a bit more for the predator or hardwater series.

Marine General has the Climate suits for 194.00 for the bibs and 194.00 for the Jacket. That is a hell of a good price.

al-wichman wrote:

Marine General has the Climate suits for 194.00 for the bibs and 194.00 for the Jacket. That is a hell of a good price.

That is a killer deal

I use the guardian. Super easy to get around in. I do a lot of hole hopping and it is plenty warm enough even on the sub zero days. I also have a climate suit that is way to warm for my style of fishing. I’m not one to sit and wait for fish. So if you are constantly on the move, I would definitely go with the guardian.

I had the Hardwater and switched to the predator bibs. Slightly lighter but no big difference. You may consider going lighter if you didn’t like the predator. As mentioned before a time through the washer and wearing it really breaks it in nice.

The Striker stuff loosens up a lot with use. Washing it will make it even softer. My Predator suit has been washed at least 40-50 times. I do it weekly sometimes, especially when I’m on panfish, which seem to slime it up more that walleye. Low cycle, light detergent, hang dry.

I picked up a Guardian jacket two years ago for really cheap to use as a winter jacket. I use the Predator suit for fishing in the fall and winter. I wear the whole suit on the boat sometimes. I don’t feel it’s too warm. They have zippered vents on the back that really help if you’re too warm, say in 45-degree weather hole-hopping in late-March.

The Guardian is just as bulky as the Predator but disappointingly not nearly as warm. Not even close. It also doesn’t have the little bells and whistles like the zippered vent and extra pockets etc. The less you pay the less you get. Guardian would be okay if you layer underneath, but the Predator is better gear. However, if the Guardian gets eliminated from the line-up, there will be some major sales that might make it an easy choice.

al-wichman wrote:

Marine General has the Climate suits for 194.00 for the bibs and 194.00 for the Jacket. That is a hell of a good price.

Climate? Wholey Carp! That’s quite a bit less than I paid for mine. Of course it had just came out new by about 6 months when I bought mine. Even then they were @ sponsor pricing.

Thanks for the replies so far. Kind of tore on which way to go. I have a feeling the Trekker or Guardian would be warm enough almost all the time for how I fish.

I also like the extra features of the predator lineup as well. Main concern is will they be too warm or thick to stay mobile or drill a bunch of holes. I like to wear bibs while drilling holes to keep my pants dry but of course walking and drilling generates heat.

It may boil down to price and what I might find for sales. I wonder if Trekker bibs and a Predator jacket might be a good combination. I don’t really wear a jacket unless I need to keep warm and am a little more stationary. In that case warm works fine. Bibs on the other hand are wore all the time weather active or stationary and I think the overall warmth of them is less of a factor vs being wind and waterproof and having good knee padding. About the only time I don’t have bibs on is if I’m dragging the shack out by foot. Then I keep them off to avoid over heating and sweating.

In everyone’s opinion, which bib option would be the least warm:
Climate with liner removed and vents open, Predator with vents open, or Trekker?

From what I gather the climate and predator bibs do have venting? Is that correct or is the venting just opening up the leg zippers?

I love the trekker jacket. The hardwater is just too warm.

Thanks to all the responses so far. I think I’m going to look at either the Predator or Climate bibs. Next year probably get a Predator jacket.

I wear bibs more than thr jacket and the removable liner of the Climate appeals to me. I wish they were a little cheaper but it is what it is.

How well does the Climate bibs with liners removed feel and move? Do they feel pretty light and mobile?

I ordered a set of Predator bibs this weekend. With sales they weren’t much more than the Guardian, and it sounds like the Trekker is using a heavier Carhart type material which I didn’t really want.

Fyi I called Striker and they said the Climate with liner removed is about the same warmth as the Predator. I can’t see getting cold enough where I’d need the extra liner in the Climate so I saved the money over getting the Climate.

When it comes time to get a jacket I could see getting the Climate since that liner looks nice to wear on its own.

Tucker

When it comes time to get a jacket I could see getting the Climate since that liner looks nice to wear on its own.

Tucker
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I wear the liner as it’s own coat every day for my ” nice ” jacket. I’ve never worn the liner in the actual jacket

The liner in the Climate jacket is a very comfortable spring jacket in itself!