Hi guys,

I am in the market for a rain suit that I will be wearing most of the time in Californian winters (rainy and relatively cold) for bankfishing but also for kayak fishing.

Looking at the Simms Transom and Simms Challenger suits.

I am wondering which one is the better deal (they are almost the same price right now). The Challenger which seams to have already good 'warmth' with decent water protection or the Transom which has superior water protection but does not have insulation which I would need to add through clothing under the suit.

I am reading some reviews on the Challenger that say that the suit is not super water resistent.

Would love to get some feedback from the community if possible.

Thanks all!

Get the Transom. Gore-Tex vs no Gore-Tex.....no brainer.

I have the Challenger, both the insulated and non-insulated versions. Never had any issues with water leaks.  They're super-dry and comfortable.  Plus they're designed by anglers, so they have a lot of features usually not found in other suits, such as built-in sunglass cleaning cloths.

 

The wind protection of the suit contributes to the warmth, but also the insulation they use is the best warmth-to-weight ratio, meaning the suit doesn't weigh you down or feel heavy at all. Usually just the bib alone is good enough to keep me warm all day unless it's below 40 degrees, and that's when I'm wearing just jeans and a sweatshirt underneath.

 

It's important to note that they redesigned the Challenger suits last year, which addressed any waterproof issues, plus made several improvements (added adjustable velcro cuffs, inner boot linings for additional water protection, better draw cords on the hood, etc).

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

I bought the Transom combo for half off and couldn't be happier.

Yeah, decided to go with the Transom.

Points that made my choice:

* Better water protection.
* Longer Jacket
* Can be worn when it is warmer and additional layers can be added when it is cold
* Material looks to be a bit more robust