Sling Packs and Chest Packs

[troutfanatic]

I am thinking it is time to modernize my equipment carrying ability. I have always wore a vest since I started fly fishing.
I had an old Altoona made SAF-T-BAK that I bought when I was 12 and it was my vest until December of 2013, when it was stolen out of my car.

Some mates had sympathy for me and gave me some flies and a vest to get me back in the game. The vest was an Orvis one- nice but like I said, time to modernize.

that said, I don't want to drop money on a chest pack or sling pack and then not like it. I am looking for opinions here, which do you prefer and why? Then, what brand did you choose?

I am inclined to Orvis or Simms products because I can get a good discount on them, but definitely not limited to them.

I am guessing only Filson still makes stuff in the USA- correct?

 

[SBecker]

The best chest pack is the William Joseph Confluence. That is my recommendation, but obviously not Orvis or Simms.

 

[troutfanatic]

Man, that does look nice. I need to try one on. It looks like it would ride just about the same as my tactical chest rig I wear when doing army stuff.

 

[SBecker]

Yep sits perfect on my chest. Holds plenty of gear for me. My back doesn't hurt after a full day of fishing like my vest did.

 

[fisherboy3]

I like waist or hip packs. Gets everything out of the way when you slide it onto your hip or even on your back. What about a water bottle? A chest pack wont hold that. What about stuffing a net into your wading belt? I stuff mine between my pack and my body, gets it totally out of the way. Plus, the problem i had with a chest pack and vest, sometimes the line got caught on a strap. Just a hassle. Look at a hip pack honestly. I get dehydrated pretty quickly so i always need a bottle of water.

 

[ratgunner]

Just got my Orvis Safe Passage sling pack yesterday. Was on sale. Perfect size IMO.

 

[SBecker]

fisherboy3 wrote:
I like waist or hip packs. Gets everything out of the way when you slide it onto your hip or even on your back. What about a water bottle? A chest pack wont hold that. What about stuffing a net into your wading belt? I stuff mine between my pack and my body, gets it totally out of the way. Plus, the problem i had with a chest pack and vest, sometimes the line got caught on a strap. Just a hassle. Look at a hip pack honestly. I get dehydrated pretty quickly so i always need a bottle of water.

Uhhhm, I have no problem putting a water bottle in the back of my pack. Why do I need to stuff a net into my wading belt when it is attached to the back of my pack out of the way? Yeah, sometimes I step on my line, sometimes it gets caught on my pontoon while floating, sometimes it get flipped around my reel. Sometimes

 

[troutfanatic]

I suspect a sling pack would hold a nalgene bottle okay.

I was looking at the Orvis Safe Passage guide sling pack. The issue with that it is that it may be too big.

My military self has a problem with cramming as much stuff as humanly possible into something like this under the assumption- "you never know".

I must admit, that chest rig SBecker posted looks damn nice.

The issue will be when I go bluelining- alone.

figure two boxes of flies/nymphs, 4 spools of tippet, a couple extra leaders, nips, hemostats, a couple indicators, split shot, flotant... this is all a given.

Then for specifically walking the bluelines and hiking up mountains- a small first aid kit, water bottle, my GPS, a few snacks and the Taurus Judge. Yes, I carry when I fish sometimes. There are areas in WNC and WV that I fish with severe meth problems. One wild stream I fish is referred to as "the Meth".

I have waders with two big chest pockets too. One is waterproof, right now, that is where my camera goes.

Lots of ideas here.

Thanks

 

[SBecker]

troutfanatic wrote:



The issue will be when I go bluelining- alone.

figure two boxes of flies/nymphs, 4 spools of tippet, a couple extra leaders, nips, hemostats, a couple indicators, split shot, flotant... this is all a given.

Then for specifically walking the bluelines and hiking up mountains- a small first aid kit, water bottle, my GPS, a few snacks and the Taurus Judge. Yes, I carry when I fish sometimes. There are areas in WNC and WV that I fish with severe meth problems. One wild stream I fish is referred to as "the Meth".

I have waders with two big chest pockets too. One is waterproof, right now, that is where my camera goes.

Lots of ideas here.

Thanks

You will have no problem with fitting every thing in the confluence. The only thing I have a problem carrying is a rain jacket. To bulky. I need to find one that truly compacts.

You live out near Pittsburgh, correct? I have a buddy that helps run the fly fishing department at the Field and Stream. I don't think they carry any Willy J equipment, but he uses the confluence. If you are interested I am sure I could help you take a closer look at it.

 

[CRB]

I like and use a simms headwaters waist pack. I don't like the chest pack as it is hard to see in(getting old). Lost a pair of glasses to the river looking in it.simms has enough room for 2 CF fly boxes, a large box , and enough room for other smalls. Only negative is where to place the nippers and I attach them to my waders suspenders. The pack does hold a water bottle. I went to this from a vest about 4 years ago.

 

[turkey]

A bag I've been looking at from Maxpedition is called the Versipack. I have a larger backpack size bag from them that I use for work and I love it. Obviously these packs aren't manufactured with fly fishing in mind but I only mention it because it has a dedicated CCW pocket that will accommodate one of their holsters to secure your Taurus. Quart size Nalgene holder, it even has exterior hook and loop fields that you could secure a fly patch to.

Just another option. Hope this helps.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Simms Headwaters sling pack.

I've had vests and chest boxes (basically chest packs), for me, this sling pack is better than sliced bread. It's a very well thought out piece of gear.
I keep a large slim fly box and large dry fly box in the main compartment and a working box in the fold-down area with my tippet spools, floatant, and shot. It holds more gear than I care to carry, because I'm a minimalist, and the water bottle area holds a 1 liter bottle of water.

 

[troutfanatic]

SBecker wrote:

troutfanatic wrote:



The issue will be when I go bluelining- alone.

figure two boxes of flies/nymphs, 4 spools of tippet, a couple extra leaders, nips, hemostats, a couple indicators, split shot, flotant... this is all a given.

Then for specifically walking the bluelines and hiking up mountains- a small first aid kit, water bottle, my GPS, a few snacks and the Taurus Judge. Yes, I carry when I fish sometimes. There are areas in WNC and WV that I fish with severe meth problems. One wild stream I fish is referred to as "the Meth".

I have waders with two big chest pockets too. One is waterproof, right now, that is where my camera goes.

Lots of ideas here.

Thanks

You will have no problem with fitting every thing in the confluence. The only thing I have a problem carrying is a rain jacket. To bulky. I need to find one that truly compacts.

You live out near Pittsburgh, correct? I have a buddy that helps run the fly fishing department at the Field and Stream. I don't think they carry any Willy J equipment, but he uses the confluence. If you are interested I am sure I could help you take a closer look at it.

I am from Pittsburgh, but I live in NC. I am in the Army for about 10 more months till I retire. I am trying to come back. I was just up for Xmas and may have met your buddy at the store. I'll PM you about that.

 

[troutfanatic]

turkey wrote:
A bag I've been looking at from Maxpedition is called the Versipack. I have a larger backpack size bag from them that I use for work and I love it. Obviously these packs aren't manufactured with fly fishing in mind but I only mention it because it has a dedicated CCW pocket that will accommodate one of their holsters to secure your Taurus. Quart size Nalgene holder, it even has exterior hook and loop fields that you could secure a fly patch to.

Just another option. Hope this helps.

I used Maxpedition in my military duties, they make good stuff.

 

[SBecker]

O see I thought you moved up here from NC. Where are you at in NC? Got a few friends down there that run shops or fish the Cherokee area.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Filson strap vest.

 

[Midge22]

Umpqua Overlook 500 chest pack. ive used it for a long time now and the only issue i have with it was how you buckle in. But they have since fixed that issue and all is well. you can also purchase a waterproof backpack with it that will connect directly to the pack itself. that way you can carry anything you can think off with you. Icant remember what the name of the backpack is, but if you look at the overlook pack on their site, it will tell you

 

[AkDan76]

I just moved over from a waste pack after 15 years with it. I had a toss up between the simms smaller sling and the large sling.

I liked the orvis sling but opted out, I liked the simms features a little better, though I wish the simms had a place for tippet on the outside of the pack. The Velcro tippet holder is nice but I wont walk with it on. There's a ring I ended up clipping my regular tippet holder too, it works but does swing around a bit which is mostly annoying. I was talked out of the smaller pack by my significant other due to how and where I fish. But I think for every day stuff the smaller simms sling is the cats! It has a place for a water bottle plus gear plus flys without being bulky. The larger sling can hold a pile of crap. I spend more time taking people fishing or getting back in either on the raft or on foot to get away from guys, the larger sling is going to be nice.

Even loaded it still sits great!

For a net, look at the smith creek belt holder. It fits this style of fishing with a sling perfectly! T he sling keeps the bag and rim from hanging up on the brush.

The orvis guide sling is pretty nice as well. I almost dropped the ball on one at the breeches fly shop. Speaking of that I need to get Rowland a hat, good reminder!

The Patagonia stealth took a good look as well, looks like a nice pack.

If I didn't buy the simms, I would have likely picked up the Umpqua Steamboat sling. I opted out as I like the work station being its on the chest, but over all the Umpqua is a no nonsense no frill get it done pack. The cost was more than the smaller simms which put it in my over all pick of number 3...with the smaller simms being 1 and the larger being 2.

The others are great looking packs. I don't think you'll go wrong with any of them.

Give the smith a hard look over, I really like it. One thing I did do was use the bungie with a clip that came with my net and clipped it to the smith holder. I can easily drop it and not worry about it floating down river. Originally I wore the nets slung, it worked pretty good over all but with the sling packs on it wasn't the greatest combo. It would also pick up brush from time to time as well. .

 

[troutfanatic]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
Filson strap vest.

I'd love that, but Filson is a bit too elite in its pricing for me.

I prefer to drop the big dollah on rods

 

[SBecker]

Trout check out the for sale section. Someone I can vouch for is selling a Willy J Confluence. For $50 it probably would be worth taking a flyer on.