Real World Tests: California isn’t really the best place to test foul weather gear and getting blasted with a hose behind the lab really doesn’t accurately simulate a deluge so we waited for rain. During an extremely dry winter I was able to use the STORMR gear on wet runs in the delta but we never got the heavy rain we were hoping for.

The STRYKR gear feels more like armor than traditional foul weather shells

Our field tests took us up and down the coast and we decided we needed to expand our test pool to include interviews with guides, not prostaff, that had firsthand experience with the STORMR gear. We tested the STRYKR jacket and bib both together as a set and individually in everything from boat to shore fishing applications from Northern California to the Pacific Northwest.

Both the STRYKR jacket and bib do not feel heavy once they are put on

Operation: When I first held the STRYKR gear in hand the set definitely felt heavier than the Simms raingear that I just spent the last season fishing in. The STRYKR gear looks and feels robust and once I put it on I observed a few things immediately. The first thing was that though the gear felt heavier in hand once you actually put it on it didn’t feel that heavy at all, in fact it was interesting how easy it was to move around in the gear.

The inside of these garments is lined with fleece for comfort and warmth

The second thing was how fit is much more critical on this bib than other competing sets. Because the bib is constructed with neoprene it is much more form fitting than other bibs which are often loose cut. You absolutely need to make sure you get the right size and length to feel comfortable in the STRYKR bib. With the right fit the STRYKR gear feels much more like armor than other foul weather jackets and bibs and it was time to see if this kit could really stand up to the elements.

The jacket provides excellent flexibility when making quick motions like casting

Both the STRYKR jacket and bib feature fleece lining and the very first time I fished the delta with this jacket the temperature at time of launch was just a few degrees above freezing, yet I was very comfortable all morning long. The STORMR jacket and bib provide much more warmth than your average gear and requires less layering to achieve the same level of warmth. The material is not only windproof it does a very good job locking in the heat with the included fleece layer and also because the jacket and bib are physically closer to your body simply due to the fitting.

Internal neoprene cuffs help prevent water from seeping back into the sleeves

The exterior layer of the STORMR jacket is nylon and is treated with a water repellant finish so that it beads on contact. Water droplets almost seem to bounce off the jacket in the rain, almost as if you had an invisible shield around the garment. Over time in a heavy downpour the outer layer seems to absorb some of the water but surprisingly it still doesn’t feel too heavy and burdened, and the water never penetrates through the inner layers. The STRYKR jacket features internal neoprene cuffs that do an excellent job preventing water from entering during casts and trickling down your sleeves.

The STRYKR Jacket features a water repellant exterior shell

Another interesting attribute of the STRYKR jacket’s hood is that it maintains shape much better than most hoods and stays out of your way when fishing. Other hoods often creep down and can make you feel like you are cut off from the surroundings. On other garments we have noticed that the pitter patter of rain can sound loud as the drops hit the surface of the hood. This is not the case with the STRYKR and the material better absorbs the impact of the rain allowing you to focus more on what is in front of you versus the assault of raindrops from above.

The hood protects anglers from a deluge

The team at STORMR has over engineered this jacket and the garment has a massive non corrosive splash proof zipper and there is also a storm flap that extends the full length of the interior. There are copious amounts of storage including gear pockets inside, a dedicated cell phone pocket, two chest pockets and two fleece lined waterproof exterior pockets that help keep your hands warm during those extended early morning boat runs. For those of you that are piloting the boat there are two D-Rings that can be used to attach kill switch tethers, or can be used latch on accessories during fishing.

Together the STRYKR Jacket and Bib protect anglers from head to ankle

In the old days I used to just wear rain gear and was content to keep my upper body warm, later I added ski pants but now I prefer complete rain and wind protection. The STRYKR Bib does exactly that and is designed to complement the jacket to provide head to ankle protection from the environment. The STRYKR bib is a little harder to put on and take off than a loose fitting bib, like that from Simms. Once put on the STRYKR bib was also very easy to move in and there is abrasion resistant material in all the critical high contact areas, like the knees and seat, to protect the bib from damage.  

Zippers along the STRYKR Bib make it easy to put the garment on

The shoulder straps are easy to adjust and in my case they were just a tad short, so that the bottom of the ankle cuffs rode up when I kneeled down or made long strides. This really isn’t an issue with the garment but rather the fit of my particular test unit to my own dimensions, but it reiterates the importance of making sure you get the right size gear as the STORMR gear does not run as loose as some of the competing offerings.

Abrasion resistant material protects high contact areas

In terms of protection from the elements the bib did a great job and I never got wet or even felt damp. The seams are all glued, blind stitched and then finished with thermal tape to ensure a tight waterproof seal. Overkill? Perhaps, but STORMR is serious about providing outdoor enthusiasts with protection from the harshest elements.

The zippers are con corrosive and splash proof

Next Section: Armor from the elements