If you are over 30 you will probably know what I am talking about and if you’re under 30 . . . well, you’ll know soon enough too.
There comes a time in your life when your knees will tell you you need a better pair of wading boots. When that moment comes, you should listen. In my case, I knew my beat up Hodgeman’s had to go after a particuarly brutal wading trip on the Siletz. My knee pain decided I needed a better pair of boots but what to get? Simms has a reputation for making a quality product and that is how I ended up with the Simms G3 late this spring. Water level being what it was I held off on the review until now– you don’t really get a feel for a pair of boots in a driftboat but after about a dozen wading trips trips, I can give you an informed review.
The boots are made of leather, they look good (for what that is worth), the molded toe protect my toes from rocks and they are uber-stable. I haven’t had any ankle twists wearing these boots. The hardware is solid and remains in good shape after more than a dozen wading trips and the felt soles are pretty sticky. It is also really, really easy to get these boots on and off and that is a huge bonus. I mean, how many times have you lost your balance tugging on a wading boot that just won’t come off? Just the ease of getting these things off my feet has me sold (now if someone could figure out how to do that with stockingfeet).
Pros:
- Solid, Stable
- Seemingly durable
- Easy to tighten
- Good fit
- Easy to get on/remove
Cons:
- A little bulky (they don’t fit easily in my backpack)
- A little heavy (I’m not looking forward to carrying these into a couple of backcountry trips I have planned)
The Bottom line: I haven’t had any fishing related knee pain since I started wearing these boots. That alone earns the G3s a thunbs up–the rest of the good stuff is gravy.–KM
Buy your Simms G3 Guide Boots at CaddisFlyShop.com.
