Simms Challenger 7-inch Deck Boot

Product story

The Simms Challenger 7-inch Deck Boot was designed to be a versatile and ergonomic short-boot solution for “wet, cold and rainy environments.” Built with a “vulcanized rubber outer, neoprene lining and proprietary rugged outsole,” Simms seemed intent on placing a comfortable distance between themselves and the rest of the highly-competitive waterproof deck boot space (Grundéns, Huk Gear, XTRATUF etc.). And where there’s a will, there’s a way, because this well-designed boot largely blows away the competition.   

Design

Some of the design decisions you notice right away and make complete sense: 1. The seven-inch boot is a comfortable and functional height, while many of the competitor’s come in shorter. 2. A rear pull tab and kick-off provide a nice way to get the boot on and off, without creating unnecessary, line-tangling features. 3. The Vibram outsole channels water, easily grips most surfaces and doesn’t mark floors or boat decks. 4. Warmth and comfort are provided by a snug, neoprene ankle cuff, micro-grid fleece lining and a “right angle footbed” to (ostensibly) remove knee and back fatigue. That’s a lot of engineering for a $129.95 deck boot. 

Performance

It’s not often that the marketing hype comes close to meeting the everyday performance of a product offering, but the Challenger Deck Boot comes pretty close. The boot is snug in the upper, comfortable in the foot and grippy as hell with the outsole. Compared to the XTRATUFs of the world, which are basically glorified rubber shells, this is actually a comfortable boot to walk, work and scramble around in–and the “wet-slip resistance” of the outsole lives up to the billing, even on ice. I also loved the warmth and comfort features of the neoprene ankle cuff and fleece lining, which can become a grating annoyance in other boots when missing.  

Versatility

Billed as a highly versatile option for cold-water fishing, but also work and runs to the grocery, the boot definitely provides a number of crossover opportunities: think camp, lodge and boat deck. With warmer socks and the microgrid fleece (for wicking water), there are many opportunities to wear the boot in colder, wetter situations, though it’s, obviously, not a winter boot. The non-marking outsole removes any worries of scuffing up people’s floors or expensive boats, and I’m still looking for surfaces to test the traction. “Built with a ‘right angle footbed,’ which orients the foot to remove knee and back fatigue…” is basically a fancy way to say the boot was constructed with an ergonomic consideration. Having worn and walked in these boots a lot, they’re pretty comfortable when compared to the competition.