“What Is Strike Footwear?” The Ten Biggest Questions Everyone Wanted To Ask Us At ICAST 2025

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If you’ve been searching for this year’s best footwear for saltwater fishing, ICAST 2025 was the place to find it.

In July, we introduced Strike’s all-new non-slip fishing footwear to over 12,000 serious boat and big-game anglers at Florida’s Orange County Convention Center – the home of the world’s largest sportfishing trade show. And if there’s one thing we learned at ICAST 2025, it’s that the convention’s hardcore angling enthusiasts know how to review the best fishing shoes on the market.

“Our stand was packed out for the full three days,” says Strike Brand Executive, Olive Palmer. “We had more than 600 other brands to fight for the attention of some of the most dedicated anglers in the world, and given the positive feedback (and that I had completely lost my voice by the end of the event), I’d say we left the center as a new firm favourite. It’s clear that there’s a real need for performance shoes designed and produced by fishing experts.”

From tarpon guides to marlin competitors, weekend warriors to pros, the questions about Strike came streaming in. Who is Strike? What are those little holes in the sole all about? Will Strike shoes mark my deck? What’s the biggest fish your CEO has ever landed?

So many questions, in fact, that we’ve reminded ourselves of the ten most common queries we faced from our scrupulous customers and compiled the answers, so that even if you weren’t at ICAST, you can get to know us a little better:

WHO'S BEHIND STRIKE?

Strike was born from a lifelong friendship (and many late-night conversations) between an established British shoemaker and a renowned Italian big-game fisherman. After too many deck slips, back surgeries, and lost PBs, the friends realised there was no go-to slip-proof shoe that met the hardcore demands of their style of saltwater boat angling. So they set off to create their solution. Fifteen years later, Strike was born.

HOW ARE THE SHOES TESTED?

On the decks of boats and the feet of fishermen. Strike shoes may be designed in a studio, but they’re put through their paces where it counts – wherever there’s fish on. Every Strike product and feature has gone through countless hours of testing and endless rounds of feedback within the Italian angling community, leading us to produce what we believe is the best offering of game fishing footwear out there.

HOW DID STRIKE AND IGFA (INTERNATIONAL GAME FISHING ASSOCIATION) BECOME PARTNERS?

Both of Strike’s founders have been closely involved with the IGFA for years. When they introduced their concept and products to IGFA members, the relationship started to take shape. When Strike’s founders revealed their drive to use the brand as a force for ocean conservation, the partnership was solidified. Strike is now the official footwear partner of the IGFA and we make a financial donation to the organisation from every pair of our shoes sold so that, together, we can help to safeguard the waters that make our sports passions possible.

WHAT DO THE HOLES IN THE SOLES DO?

Nobody ever left a truly life-changing saltwater fishing trip with dry feet. We know that wet shoes are inevitable in angling, so instead of trying to work against the water, we decided to work with it. Our Aqua Sluice Gills allow free passage for the water to escape, in turn increasing comfort and grip on deck.

WHAT FABRICS AND MATERIALS DO YOU USE?

As a team of anglers, we have a responsibility to protect the waters we love. When we make a material choice, it’s based on making the smallest possible impact on our blue spaces. You’ll find a spectrum of innovative, sustainability-driven fabrics in our range, including natural rubber, Seaqual® Yarn (a durable, fast-drying material made from recycled marine plastic and post-consumer PET), and Solum™ Outsoles, which are derived from plant waste.

WILL THE SOLES LEAVE MARKS ON THE DECK?

Absolutely not.

HOW RESILLIENT ARE STRIKE SHOES TO SALTWATER?

Strike shoes are made for saltwater fishing, and we know how hard the ocean can be on products. As well as being environmentally focused, all our fabrics are chosen for product longevity and tested through extreme saline exposure.

WHAT COLOURS DO THEY COME IN?

We take inspiration from the ocean in everything we do, including our colourways. You’ll find turquoises, blues, blacks, and whites running through our collection.

CAN I WEAR THESE WHILE BOAT FISHING FRESHWATER TOO?

We make Strike shoes specifically with saltwater in mind, but if largemouth and steelhead are more your bag, you’ll love what we do, too.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST FISH YOUR CEO HAS CAUGHT?

We’ll keep this quick as it’s quite a story, but it’ll be his 175kg tuna in Tunisia. He calls it “the fight of a lifetime.”

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