New 2025 Model Simms Flyweight Boot | Weighs nothing, does everything

By Nathan Pollard H&FNZ Manawatu

I’ve had the privilege of getting an early test pair of the 2025 model Simms flyweight boots to fish with over the past few months. For me a wading boot needs to be an all-rounder as I fish a variety of water - from the Taupo region in winter, to big back country missions in summer, and competition angling where we tend to be euro nymphing fast and often slippery central North Island rivers. The concept of the Flyweights is, as the name suggests, being a lightweight and comfortable wading boot which sounded great to me, however I was eager to see how well they performed when on the water.

There is no question the previous Flyweight collections from Simms have been a popular range of boots with NZ anglers, they are always ultra-light and have a high degree of proprioception which is the amount of “feel” you get through the boot underfoot. I found this “feel” really noticeable wading across rivers as you could feel the stones underfoot, much more so than a stiffer boot, making it easier to feel where you’re walking and therefore quite a lot safer to wade in.

The lightweight nature of the boots will be the main feature that most anglers will look to in this boot. For me I really noticed the difference at the end of a long day when walking back to the car. The lighter boots felt more like a pair of sneakers than heavy wading boots so as you start to get tired throughout the day, you’ll be pleased you’re in Flyweights. The other thing that was really noticeable is that the boots stay incredibly light even when wet, they don’t seem to absorb water and the drain holes do a great job of expelling water whilst still keeping the sand and stones out.

I found the new flyweight had the right amount of support around the ankles when walking on bouldery terrain without feeling too stiff or restrictive. This will be particularly good for longer walks on back country days over the summer months.

The last factor that’s important to me is traction, this is particularly important when fishing the Tongariro and the faster competition water, where getting to the more difficult stretch of a river can make a huge difference in catching fish. Compared to previous models the Flyweight has a new lug design on the soles to increase the surface area of the rubber - this not only significantly improves durability, but also creates a significant amount of grip. I used the boots successfully without studs but on some really slippery rivers I’d probably drop in some hard bite studs for extra traction.

The new Flyweight boot comes in sizes 7 to 14, and also in a women’s model from size 5 to 12 and are available for an early release throughout H&FNZ stores this summer.