Simms Fishing Challenger Rain Bibs Product Review

Apparel Review

Simms Challenges the Notion Gore-Tex Is the Only Viable Rain Fabric (continued)

Of course, I didn't let that stop me as I took the opportunity to put the suit on anyway to keep me dry while running daily errands in the storms from this past winter. I may have looked out of place in the suburbs of San Francisco running around in my Simms Challenger rainsuit, but I sure was dry.

Demonstrating the repellency of the 2 layer Toray fabric.

Water bounces off and beads on the surface instantly.

One thing I cannot get over with this suit is how soft and comfortable the lining is inside both the jacket and bib.

If you're in the habit of wearing a short sleeved shirt or shorts underneath your rain suit (as I was running errands from the house), you will appreciate the quality of lining Simms uses in this garment. It's a tightly woven nylon material that's really soft next to your skin. Couple that with the expert fitting Simms uses to tailor the suit to your movements and I can't think of a more comfortable rainsuit I've owned over the last several years.

But inside... this lining is feathery soft to the skin.

The entire suit allows very good freedom of movement.

Features: Simms holds nothing back in outfitting the jacket and rainbib of the Challenger suit with their standard array of features including fleece lined pockets to help keep your hands warm, plastic grommets to attach kill switches or lanyard enabled tools, water resistant zippers, extra weather proof straps around the zippers, a vented hood, etc.. What I really enjoy is the big pocket along the right pant leg to store my oversized phone so I can update social media while we're out on the water.

Getting some work done in the comforts of the Challenger suit.

Plastic grommets are on both the jacket and bib for tool and kill switch attachments.

The elastic suspenders detach for easy on off and adjustments.

The Challenger Rainsuit is available in four different color patterns so you and your buddies can all get the same suit and not look like an over-aged boy band looking to hit the comeback trail.

The garments fit - both bib and jacket - are very comfortable and do not restrict movement in any direction. The bibs especially are very easy to slip on over a pair of pants yet don't feel like burden as you move around in them fully decked out underneath. I really appreciate how well this garment fits.

Pant legs feature a weather flap over the zipper and Velcro closure at the cuff.

The zippers reach up practically to your knees.

Price & Application: At $400 for the entire suit, the Challenger rainsuit by Simms is still a bit of a stretch for those on super tight budgets, but it's a far more affordable option than the company's top end suit. At just $200 for the suit or jacket, you can go halfway into the Challenger suit and still come away with an excellent garment for keeping you dry during the rain. Personally, I'd recommend the bibs if you had to choose one.

Available colors from left to right... Fury Orange, Black, Hex Camo Boulder, Cobalt

Ratings:

Simms Challenger Rainsuit Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Simms products are always top notch quality	9
Performance	Water proof and comfortable to wear!	9
Price	An excellent price for top notch quality in a rain suit	7.5
Features	Solid array of features	8
Design (Ergonomics)	The lining really puts this suit over the top	8
Application	A very good option for when the weather turns wet	8
Total Score		8.25
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ Super super comfortable rainsuit to wear	- Still looking for a minus
+ Good protection from the weather
+ Lots of pockets and attachment points for tools
+ Unusual number of color options

The Challenger rainsuit is the most comfortable I've worn to date in both fit and finish.

Conclusion: I cannot say enough good things about this suit. It surprises me each time I reach for it and put it on. It's easier to get into and back out of than I think, weather protection is outstanding, the high collar on the shirt really helps block out wind, there are pockets at every turn, it packs away relatively easily and it even feels good next to your skin. Throw on top of that there are more than just one or two very wearable color patterns to choose from and the suit is priced reasonably and I don't know why Simms took this long to challenge themselves into producing a suit of this fit, finish, and price point. It is easily this Editor's Choice.

Looking for this suit?
Try Tacklewarehouse for the Challenger Bib and matching Jacket