SIMMS® – Stick With Old Fashioned Laces On Your Boots

SIMMS® has a reputation for producing quality fishing gear. In a small, unscientific study, I noticed that most of the fishermen I see on the water have at least one article of clothing, waders, or boots with the SIMMS® brand. A company with that much market share doesn’t supply poor quality products.

But, I must admit at being less than thrilled with the wading boots I purchased with the Boa Technology lacing system. In 2013 I purchased the Rivertek wading boot. The first time I used the boots the lacing loosened, and after turning the knob to tighten the wire laces, they loosened again. This was the norm and not the exception. I lived with this because of the alumi-bite cleats, which are very helpful in wading.

After using the boots for a little more than a year I noticed the wire lacing on the right boot was fraying. I contacted SIMMS® and they pointed me to Boa Technology and said replacement parts could be sent to me. I contacted Boa and they sent replacement parts at no charge. To me, that’s a red flag. Why would a company send replacement parts at no charge? Did they know there were some issues with their system? The winding knob and laces were replaced on the right boot but the loosening continued. Now, three months later I had to have the left boot wire laces repaired. That’s way too much maintenance for a system that doesn’t seem to work.

The next pair of boots I buy, and it seems I may have to buy sooner rather than later, may be another SIMMS® product, but it definitely will not be with the wire lacing system. I don’t think you can wrong with good, old fashioned laces.