About to embark on my first SMD adventures…
how do you fast prototype stuff like that? I’m not sure I’d like to attach them to breakout pcb’s - I like the plug&play approach. I bought a set of these hooks http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-Grabbers-Probes-SMD-IC-Hook-Test-Clip-for-Multimeter-/180916505343?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item2a1f76caff in the hope they might be just the thing, but until they arrive I’d love to hear how you guys go about it.
Are you planning to prototype with those ? If you are thinking about attaching those test hooks to chip leads to complete circuits your results may vary. It will be best to use a breakout board. These hooks will help for quick connections for measurements or for quick test of a LED, sensor or something similar. Take care not to attach/detach these hooks in a powered circuit, you may short something.
Let us know how it goes.
For fancy chips I would use breakout boards for the rest I would use non SMD variants for prototyping.
Went the traditional route…
Whadda you think? It’s my first SMD! 
Can’t believe how easy it was. Thanks @ Justin for clues and encouragement.
Looks professional 
!
The first one there looks professional, the second one not so much… 
Nothing wrong with that soldering at all.
Now back to your original question though, an SOIC8 like that is probably ok to deadbug style prototype with then enamel wires, especially if you have already got the chip but no additional breakout board. Deadbug wires straight into a breadboard would be how I’d approach that, although at 1A output of that chip you might have wire capacity problems - just consider it a fuse that you may have to replace a couple of times