If you fish, you spend a great deal of time in wet places. That’s just how it is. Wet grass, streambanks, marinas, boats — you name it. And of course rain doesn’t stop us. If you live and fish in the Pacific Northwest, you might encounter month after month of frequent rain. This is why deck boots are commonly worn in those areas.
A good rain boot is hard to find. Many are too tall, too heavy, hard to get on and off, too loose around the foot — all common problems with rain boots. Enter the Riverbank Chukka Boot from Simms.
Yet again, Simms recognized a need among anglers and identified deficiencies with current designs from other brands and created a product that you should expect to be seen as possibly a new staple among anglers. Considering how often anglers add boots, shoes, and socks to the list of wet items at the end of the day, the need for a product like the Simms Riverbank Chukka Boot is strong, and it’s unlikely that once worn, anglers will ever want to head out in a number of conditions without these boots again.
Now we know there are other options, and Simms hasn’t invented the rainboot. However, it is immediately clear upon wearing these boots that Simms has prioritized the needs of anglers when designing these boots. This makes a difference.
Anglers naturally change footwear at least twice during most days. From shoes to waders then back to shoes, it’s important for anglers to have an easy on and easy off boot. This is especially true in a downpour when you’re trying to make that transfer as quick as possible (consider your socks!). Additionally, many anglers don’t live right on the river, so a comfortable boot for the drive is an important factor. And for traveling anglers, cutting back on what you pack is important. With all of this in mind the Riverbank Chukka Boot makes things about as easy as it gets. With a rubber lip on the heal to easily kick off the boots and a loop to easily get them on, you skip the hassle of many boots that make it tricky and annoying to wear rubber. And with a nice snug fit and an insulated footbed, these boots keep your feet comfortable throughout the day and are even comfortable enough to wear on flights, thereby allowing you more space in your bag.
The outsole on these boots deliver a nice grip (key on many surfaces when it’s wet), and they are also non-marking (key on many boats).
The Riverbank Chukka Boot are now right by the front door and worn far more than any other footwear now that the rainy season has arrived to the Northwest. The fact that they’re a chukka boot means they can be worn with any pair of pants I own, no matter the dimensions of the ankle of the pants. (I don’t known skinny jeans.) In all seriousness, I even considered wearing them to the gym once. These boots are easy to love.
To learn more about the the Riverbank Chukka Boot from Simms, please click here.
Disclosure: Simms is in a professional relationship with The Venturing Angler. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.