Simms Currents Shoe
Deneki Outdoors
The Currents Shoe is Simms’ newest fishing inspired boat shoe designed for warm weather. It actually won the ‘Best in Show’ award in the footwear category at the 2015 ICAST show. Once we heard that, we were excited to see what the hype was all about. We’re glad we did, and today we’re going to tell you why.
Design
Although we’ve yet to put them through an entire season of heavy use, at the first impression the Current Shoes appear to be made really well. What we can say with the utmost confidence is that they are extremely comfortable, easy to slip on and off (no socks necessary), are super light, and stay tight to your feet when cinched down tight. As you would expect from a boat shoe, they also drain really well, and therefore are well ventilated to keep your feet cool throughout the day.
They also feature a really cool stretchy elastic material around the heel that holds your foot in place well, but can also be folded down, allowing the shoe to be ‘slipped’ on quickly when hoping from the boat to the dock. We’re not sure if that was Simm’s intention, but it’s a feature that lazy fishing guides like ourselves really appreciate.
On top of that, the outsole of the shoe is plenty sticky to avoid taking a dip in the drink, and are non-marking which any boatsman can appreciate it.
Function
Okay, we know what you’re thinking – They’re designed well and all, but what makes these any better to the fly fisherman than any other water shoe out there? Well, considering this is a fly fishing blog, we’ll tell you!
First things first, according to Simms the Currents Shoes were designed to eliminate line catchers (laces, hooks, eyelets, or anything else to snag up on when making a shot). The support of the shoe is made from a TPU welded material (making the sides of the shoe virtually flat), and the lace system used is a bungee system that actually tucks into is own clever little pouch to avoid any chance of catching line (see photo below). We think they did a really good job on this – In fact, when we first tried them out, we dumped a whole pile of fly line on top of them for a few casts and found the line peeled off just fine.
Simms Currents Shoe
Also, one thing we really like from a fishing standpoint is the foot bed. Directly under the toes, the footbed is actually quite thin (those familiar with ‘minimalistic’ running shoes will find it quite simlar). In other words, if you’re stepping on a bunch of fly line, you can actually feel it through the bottom of the shoe. However, the heel of the footbed is actually quite substantial offering quite a bit of cushion for those long days on the bow.
As we mentioned earlier, the shoes are also extremely light. That gives a sense of athleticism on the bow, allowing you to stay quiet – an issue that’s always tough with boots. Do they replace the need for flats boots? Absolutely not. But, they are a great pair of shoes to fish from the boat with, and give you something on your feet should you need to hop out of the boat for a quick cast. Leaving the flats boots for when you’re ready to go for a walk.
Conclusion
We think the Currents Shoes are pretty slick, and are a great option for anyone who’s looking for a little extra support while fishing from the boat. They retail for $99.95US and are available in three different colors – Blue/Gray, Chartreuse/Gray, and Black. For more information, check them out at Simm’s website.
Originally published here.