Gear Review: The newest Simms® G4 Pro Boot

Eventually, everyone is going to need new wading boots. Wading boots are essential for all anglers alike. Nowadays, wading boots are designed and built to fit more like hiking boots, and for good reason.

If you fish, a lot of times you’re going to do a lot of hiking, and having a comfortable, well-fitting boot can make a or break a fishing experience. With that in mind, the Simms® G4 Pro Wading Boot is not only designed to be a wading boot but also incorporates design elements of a hiking boot to keep us out on the water longer.

Here are some Features and Benefits of the newest Simms® G4 Pro wading boot:

• Dual-density Midsole – lower density for comfort and shock absorption and a higher density underfoot to help with stability. 
• TPU (thermoplastic urethane) molded toe support and heel cup support to aid comfort and stability.
• High abrasion-resistant outer layer made from TPU for more durability and to increase the overall life of the boot.

TPU or thermoplastic urethane is a lightweight, temperature resistance, molded plastic that is also highly resistant to most oils and chemicals, has a high tolerance for abrasion, cracking, splitting, cuts and tears, and can survive a temperature range from hot 130°F cold-resistant down to – 20° F. It is also very lightweight making it a great material for wading boots.

• Inner neoprene and closed-cell foam to reduce water retention keeping the boot lighter.
• Pulls on both the tongue and heel side of the boot to help pull them on.
• A grippier Vibram® Idogrip rubber sole, designed for wading on a variety of fishing terrain.
• Stainless Steel receptacles for relatively easy installation and removal of HardBite Studs or AlumaBite cleats.

As you can tell from the pictures, this boot was tested. Of all the upgrades of the reduction of weight and increase of stability are the best improvements. That being said, lacing them is a bit of a challenge. It seems difficult to really lock down the boot to hug your feet, so you can take full advantage of the mid-soles stability feature. Would a more flexible material over the lacing area and “slicker” lacing eyelets help? Sure. That being said, you can always work the laces down harder. Also, can you use this in saltwater, or is it strictly a freshwater wading boot?

Overall, it is lighter weight and a relatively comfortable wading boot. As for the durability and overall life of the boot, time will tell.  In terms of sizing, Simms recommends going true to size. Simms has accounted for neoprene socks on waders and a variety of thicknesses on socks, unfortunately, our tester did it the “old school” way by getting a size bitter. Therefore, like a lot of footwear, you have to just try them on to get a true feel for the boot. If you’re in the market for new wading boot, visit your local fly shop and try on the Simms® G4 Pro wading boot to see if it’s a good fit for you.