My first pair of wading boots were a pair of chucks with carpet glued to the bottom. They worked, kinda.
Bottom line up front - look for a boot with an MSRP of $100-200. You will save money in the long run, unless you are wading 2 or 3 times per year. You can find closeouts that will get you down under 100 on a very good boot.
I think the construction of the Simms boots is a bit better than Korkers. Rubber with studs is good most of the time. Felt if you're in a boat a lot, or want the absolute most stable ride. Korkers allows you to go back and forth if you want/need to, which is an advantage.
Felt is harder to clean, and raises some questions about invasive species transfer. There is controversy here, and I don't know the right answer. I wear studded rubber, just to be safe.