Cast aside your worries with Striker Brands fishing apparel

Rich Palzewic

Staff

October 28, 2024

HUDSON – As many business owners will tell you, sometimes it’s necessary to pivot your focus for the longevity of the business.

That’s exactly what Striker CEO Jim Poucher said was the case for the Hudson-based angler apparel producer.

“The Striker brand was born in the snowmobile industry in 2005,” Poucher said. “The brand originally provided premium technical apparel for snowmobilers. That was until 2009 when the focus of the brand shifted.”

Utilizing decades of experience and inspiration from snowmobile apparel technologies, Poucher said Striker shifted to “bring quality apparel to anglers everywhere.”

Poucher, whose son Craig serves as president of the company, said Striker initially set up shop in Minnesota “but is very happy to be in Hudson now.”

“We moved out of Minnesota because of politics, taxes and certain things,” he said. “We like being in Wisconsin, and we require that we maintain a 50/50 mix between Vikings fans and Packers fans – we don’t want trouble in our staff meetings.”

All kidding aside, Poucher said there are similarities between what Striker was in 2005 to what it is today.

“I have a twin brother, and he and I initially ran the business,” he said. “We did a lot of different hard parts as well, like helmets, etc. We even started a retail business, and a lot of that was centered around snowmobiling. We would make track studs, dollies, trailer accessories and stuff like that. We also started carrying some clothing.”

Poucher said it wasn’t until 2009 that the company decided to do some fishing apparel “because there are so many similarities to snowmobile apparel.”

“On all of our caps, logos, T-shirts and everything, it says Striker started in 2009, even though we technically started in 2005,” he said. “I don’t think we became incorporated until 2011.”

Though there are similarities between snowmobiling and angling, Poucher said there are many differences as well. 

“It’s cold weather, you have to be in your flex knee position and having flotation is a big plus on the lakes,” he said.

Early on, Poucher said he thinks Striker tried to focus on too many brands.

“We had like six brands we were pursuing,” he said. “We decided we couldn’t do them all – it was just too much for us – so we backed off into a single logo, single brand and decided to focus on just fishing. I think it has turned out well.”

Flotation assist apparel

Poucher said in 2011, Striker introduced its “full-feature” ice fishing suits with Sureflote® flotation assist technology built into the lining – “it’s what we’re most known for.”

“This flotation-assist feature has saved more than 100 lives and counting,” he said. “Striker introduced the first premium ice fishing suits with performance waterproof/breathable shells, flotation linings and adjustable inseams.”

Poucher said the company has lost count of the exact number of lives saved with the flotation assist suit.

“The first year we had our flotation suits, they saved at least 20 people,” he said. “One of those was a guy who was in a boat fishing in the Mississippi River. He blacked out and fell into the water. It was early spring, so he had his Striker gear on. He woke up bobbing in the water alive.”

Another example, Poucher said, occurred in Michigan two years ago.

“We had a father and son in Michigan ice fishing,” he said. “They’re driving around on their ATV, and all the people who they were fishing with laughed at them because they spent all this money on Striker gear.”

Luckily for the duo, Poucher said they were wearing their Striker flotation suits that day.

“They went through the ice early in the morning in 20-30 feet of water…,” he said.

Poucher said he’s proud of what the Striker brand has become, ”but it’s become more than that.”

“It’s very rewarding for me because, with this flotation liner, I pretty much designed it,” he said. “There are some others on the market, mostly in the snowmobile business. I redesigned ours so it would be comfortable to wear and it wouldn’t feel like you are the Michelin Man. The suit has saved lives – what can possibly be better than that?”

More shifting

After an initial focus on ice fishing apparel with built-in flotation liners, Poucher said the Striker brand expanded to apparel for all types of fishing and marine activity with nationwide distribution.

“We also do a lot of lifestyle stuff,” he said. “A lot of our products are good for crossover. A lot of hunters will use our camo stuff – it depends on what they’re doing and where they are. So, in other words, with some of our gear, a lot of guys will wear it in the deer stands if it’s cold or when it’s rainy and 32 degrees fishing in the spring.
Poucher said Striker also sells gloves, footwear, headwear, shorts, pants, hoodies and sweatshirts – distributing nationwide and in Canada.

“We’re probably in 600–800 stores,” he said. “We’re in Florida, we’re in Alaska, we’re in Washington, we’re in New Hampshire, etc.”

Poucher said each region commands a different product mix, ”so we’re trying to diversify a bit regionally.”

“Guys in Florida still get cold, but they’re not going to use the ice fishing stuff,” he said. ”We do a lot of soft shells and a lot of specialty rain gear because our specialty really is outerwear. We pretty much stay with anything fishing and related lifestyle applications.”

To keep up with demand, Poucher said Striker built a new facility in 2022.

“It has 65,000 square feet of warehouse space and 12,000 square feet of office/showroom,” he said.

Different times of the year, Poucher said, correlate with shifts in demand.

“To better keep up with things, a couple of years back, we went really big on our supply chain for our production,” he said. “A lot of companies like us did that, so we’re a little heavy on inventory right now, but that will even out after this season.”

Typically, Poucher said more than half the business is pre-orders.

“This year is a bit different with the economy,” he said. “Also, a weak winter last year didn’t help, but our summer goods sold really well this year – that’s not so weather dependent. With the winter stuff, nobody is interested in (buying as much) unless the weather gets colder. We get pretty excited when the weather turns colder. Our busy season is typically the fourth quarter.”

Always improving

Though highly successful for more than a decade, Poucher said you can’t rest on your past accomplishments – “you always have to change and innovate.”

“With our product development team, that’s all they do, and they’re pretty good at it…,” he said. “We can come out with some pretty interesting stuff and have quite a bit of innovation with the fabric technologies and the different styles and colors.”

Poucher said he’s “very excited” about one of Striker’s new products – the Shield Float Vest.

“I was out fishing on Lake Vermilion the other day with my brother and a friend, and we were all geared up with our Shield Float Vests,” he said. “We were fishing, and it was 42 degrees and windy, but we stayed warm. For the cold weather, they’re unbelievably warm and a fabulous new product we have.”

Poucher said he’s also excited about what Striker has coming around the corner.

“We’ve got something new in the hopper all the time,” he said.

Poucher said he considers himself a brand ambassador for Striker.

“Craig runs the day-to-day operations,” he said. “My job is to smile and hide the fact that I’m a little worried at times. Our team does a great job, and they probably do better without me hanging around. I like to travel, so I recently drove up to Alaska and visited a lot of accounts on the way there, all the way through Canada and in Alaska. Then I went through Florida. I’ll be going to Arizona in November, probably driving across the south and making stops at accounts.”

Be rest assured – when Poucher heads to the water this fall or winter, he said he’ll be wearing his Striker gear.

For more information on Striker Brands, visit strikerbrands.com.HUDSON – As many business owners will tell you, sometimes it’s necessary to pivot your focus for the longevity of the business.

That’s exactly what Striker CEO Jim Poucher said was the case for the Hudson-based angler apparel producer.

“The Striker brand was born in the snowmobile industry in 2005,” Poucher said. “The brand originally provided premium technical apparel for snowmobilers. That was until 2009 when the focus of the brand shifted.”

Utilizing decades of experience and inspiration from snowmobile apparel technologies, Poucher said Striker shifted to “bring quality apparel to anglers everywhere.”

Poucher, whose son Craig serves as president of the company, said Striker initially set up shop in Minnesota “but is very happy to be in Hudson now.”

“We moved out of Minnesota because of politics, taxes and certain things,” he said. “We like being in Wisconsin, and we require that we maintain a 50/50 mix between Vikings fans and Packers fans – we don’t want trouble in our staff meetings.”

All kidding aside, Poucher said there are similarities between what Striker was in 2005 to what it is today.

“I have a twin brother, and he and I initially ran the business,” he said. “We did a lot of different hard parts as well, like helmets, etc. We even started a retail business, and a lot of that was centered around snowmobiling. We would make track studs, dollies, trailer accessories and stuff like that. We also started carrying some clothing.”

Poucher said it wasn’t until 2009 that the company decided to do some fishing apparel “because there are so many similarities to snowmobile apparel.”

“On all of our caps, logos, T-shirts and everything, it says Striker started in 2009, even though we technically started in 2005,” he said. “I don’t think we became incorporated until 2011.”

Though there are similarities between snowmobiling and angling, Poucher said there are many differences as well. 

“It’s cold weather, you have to be in your flex knee position and having flotation is a big plus on the lakes,” he said.

Early on, Poucher said he thinks Striker tried to focus on too many brands.

“We had like six brands we were pursuing,” he said. “We decided we couldn’t do them all – it was just too much for us – so we backed off into a single logo, single brand and decided to focus on just fishing. I think it has turned out well.”

Flotation assist apparel

Poucher said in 2011, Striker introduced its “full-feature” ice fishing suits with Sureflote® flotation assist technology built into the lining – “it’s what we’re most known for.”

“This flotation-assist feature has saved more than 100 lives and counting,” he said. “Striker introduced the first premium ice fishing suits with performance waterproof/breathable shells, flotation linings and adjustable inseams.”

Poucher said the company has lost count of the exact number of lives saved with the flotation assist suit.

“The first year we had our flotation suits, they saved at least 20 people,” he said. “One of those was a guy who was in a boat fishing in the Mississippi River. He blacked out and fell into the water. It was early spring, so he had his Striker gear on. He woke up bobbing in the water alive.”

Another example, Poucher said, occurred in Michigan two years ago.

“We had a father and son in Michigan ice fishing,” he said. “They’re driving around on their ATV, and all the people who they were fishing with laughed at them because they spent all this money on Striker gear.”

Luckily for the duo, Poucher said they were wearing their Striker flotation suits that day.

“They went through the ice early in the morning in 20-30 feet of water…,” he said.

Poucher said he’s proud of what the Striker brand has become, ”but it’s become more than that.”

“It’s very rewarding for me because, with this flotation liner, I pretty much designed it,” he said. “There are some others on the market, mostly in the snowmobile business. I redesigned ours so it would be comfortable to wear and it wouldn’t feel like you are the Michelin Man. The suit has saved lives – what can possibly be better than that?”

More shifting

After an initial focus on ice fishing apparel with built-in flotation liners, Poucher said the Striker brand expanded to apparel for all types of fishing and marine activity with nationwide distribution.

“We also do a lot of lifestyle stuff,” he said. “A lot of our products are good for crossover. A lot of hunters will use our camo stuff – it depends on what they’re doing and where they are. So, in other words, with some of our gear, a lot of guys will wear it in the deer stands if it’s cold or when it’s rainy and 32 degrees fishing in the spring.
Poucher said Striker also sells gloves, footwear, headwear, shorts, pants, hoodies and sweatshirts – distributing nationwide and in Canada.

“We’re probably in 600–800 stores,” he said. “We’re in Florida, we’re in Alaska, we’re in Washington, we’re in New Hampshire, etc.”

Poucher said each region commands a different product mix, ”so we’re trying to diversify a bit regionally.”

“Guys in Florida still get cold, but they’re not going to use the ice fishing stuff,” he said. ”We do a lot of soft shells and a lot of specialty rain gear because our specialty really is outerwear. We pretty much stay with anything fishing and related lifestyle applications.”

To keep up with demand, Poucher said Striker built a new facility in 2022.

“It has 65,000 square feet of warehouse space and 12,000 square feet of office/showroom,” he said.

Different times of the year, Poucher said, correlate with shifts in demand.

“To better keep up with things, a couple of years back, we went really big on our supply chain for our production,” he said. “A lot of companies like us did that, so we’re a little heavy on inventory right now, but that will even out after this season.”

Typically, Poucher said more than half the business is pre-orders.

“This year is a bit different with the economy,” he said. “Also, a weak winter last year didn’t help, but our summer goods sold really well this year – that’s not so weather dependent. With the winter stuff, nobody is interested in (buying as much) unless the weather gets colder. We get pretty excited when the weather turns colder. Our busy season is typically the fourth quarter.”

Always improving

Though highly successful for more than a decade, Poucher said you can’t rest on your past accomplishments – “you always have to change and innovate.”

“With our product development team, that’s all they do, and they’re pretty good at it…,” he said. “We can come out with some pretty interesting stuff and have quite a bit of innovation with the fabric technologies and the different styles and colors.”

Poucher said he’s “very excited” about one of Striker’s new products – the Shield Float Vest.

“I was out fishing on Lake Vermilion the other day with my brother and a friend, and we were all geared up with our Shield Float Vests,” he said. “We were fishing, and it was 42 degrees and windy, but we stayed warm. For the cold weather, they’re unbelievably warm and a fabulous new product we have.”

Poucher said he’s also excited about what Striker has coming around the corner.

“We’ve got something new in the hopper all the time,” he said.

Poucher said he considers himself a brand ambassador for Striker.

“Craig runs the day-to-day operations,” he said. “My job is to smile and hide the fact that I’m a little worried at times. Our team does a great job, and they probably do better without me hanging around. I like to travel, so I recently drove up to Alaska and visited a lot of accounts on the way there, all the way through Canada and in Alaska. Then I went through Florida. I’ll be going to Arizona in November, probably driving across the south and making stops at accounts.”

Be rest assured – when Poucher heads to the water this fall or winter, he said he’ll be wearing his Striker gear.

For more information on Striker Brands, visit strikerbrands.com.