Vest or Chest/Lumbar pack

thebassman

thebassman

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
469
Hey Guys,

I currently have a Fishpond San Juan Chest pack, and while I love the heck out of this little thing it does not cut it for size all the time. I actually love this thing for my trips that last all day. I pair this with an Osprey Manta 25 Hydration pack and its awesome. However I do not always want to carry around the chest pack and the backpack. The chest pack does not cut it for my shorter trips where I carry around in my pack wallet, phone, camera, tippet, leaders, fly box, possible second fly box, small pad of paper and pen, and maybe some other tools.

I have looked at some vest (all online) and like the Fishpond Gore Range vest and the Simms Fly Fishing vest.

chest packs/Lumbar packs I have looked at and liked are the Fishpond waterdance, fishpond blue river, Simms Headwaters Chest pack, Cabelas Deluxe Chest (on sale for 30 bucks now), or fishpond wind walker.

I think I am leaning more toward a chest pack or a chest/lumbar pack then a vest but was wondering if you guys had any input on what style or what pack I should look into. What are all of you guys using?

Thanks,
Steven

 
Pack v. vest is a highly personal thing imo. Frankly, I don't like either option. I have a Simms Headwaters chest pack, but I ended up butchering it into some type of sling. I have enough fat hanging in front of me that I don't need extra crap out there to catch my line, etc. I am currently using a Simms Drycreek Hip Pack, though the damn zipper failed when I was out the other day.
If you go with the Headwaters and want the Dry Creek Day Pack, I got one I'll sell ya for half price.
 
thebassman wrote:
Hey Guys,

I currently have a Fishpond San Juan Chest pack, and while I love the heck out of this little thing it does not cut it for size all the time. I actually love this thing for my trips that last all day. I pair this with an Osprey Manta 25 Hydration pack and its awesome. However I do not always want to carry around the chest pack and the backpack. The chest pack does not cut it for my shorter trips where I carry around in my pack wallet, phone, camera, tippet, leaders, fly box, possible second fly box, small pad of paper and pen, and maybe some other tools.

I have looked at some vest (all online) and like the Fishpond Gore Range vest and the Simms Fly Fishing vest.

chest packs/Lumbar packs I have looked at and liked are the Fishpond waterdance, fishpond blue river, Simms Headwaters Chest pack, Cabelas Deluxe Chest (on sale for 30 bucks now), or fishpond wind walker.

I think I am leaning more toward a chest pack or a chest/lumbar pack then a vest but was wondering if you guys had any input on what style or what pack I should look into. What are all of you guys using?

Thanks,
Steven
Click to expand...

If you can, just go to a store that has a variety of styles and try some stuff out, see what you like, then grab it. It's so personal that it's really the only way to do it.

I have a fishpond San Juan Chest Pack (which becomes more of a sling type thing) and a fishpond Open Range Tech Pack and I love them both. And this is what I do, I throw my San Juan in the back of my Open Range. I get to my spot, scope it out, see what fish are rising to, then throw the appropriate box(es) in the San Juan and leave the Open Range on the bank in a tree. It's like the best of both worlds.
 

When I want lots of junk, I have an older Orvis sling pack.

When I want just a bit of junk, I've made my own belt pack wotj molle bags on my wading belt, and a lanyard for the important bits.

When I want no junk, I wear the lanyard for the important bits.

Vests are hot, and chest packs just strike me as ridiculous.
 
Update....I am going to order the Fishpond Waterdance Pack. I went to a shop and tried a bunch on. In the end it was between this pack and the Fishpond Blue River....and I was leaning more toward the waterdance with the way it fit me and all the room it had!!
 
My vote is for neither. I use a Down's chest box and lanyard for 90% of my trout fishing now. I originally got away from the vest because they are hot. I still have a W&J pack vest to carry around all of the 20 pounds stuff I think I need but really don't. I only use it when I'm fishing for the whole day and am away from the car. You know, in case I might actually need something in it.
 
I guess I'm old fashioned but I use a vest and either a "Down's" or "Richardson" chestbox. Works for me.
 
Bassman,

Not that I am biased or anything but I just bought that FishPond Waterdance waste pack/slingy thing and it is one of the best flyfishing accessories I have ever purchased. I wear it around the waste but move it behind me while I am fishing. They have a lot of room inside.
 
Keep an eye on www.redtruckflyfishing.com and buy a closet full of fishing shirts on the cheap. You can wear 'em to work too. They are vented, quick drying, and outright damn comfortable. Some of the better ones provide great sun protection to keep the farmer's tan in order. The first time I fished out west, I was shocked that nobody looked like a mech out on the stream. Turns out they are on to something.

80% of the time, I toss a box, some floatant, shot, and other doodads in the pockets and go. If I need more, I take my orvis sling.
 
I have literally tried them all from vests to chest packs and everything in between but I have found nothing better than the filson foul weather strap vest. I know it's pricey but I should never have to buy one again if I take care of it. And it's made in the USA.
 
For those of you that wear the waist packs.....what do you do when you are wading deeper than waist deep? I always thought about going with one of those before the Filson but I wade in deep water a lot and don't want to get my gear soaked. Plus most of the waist packs don't have D rings for nets.
 
For those of you that wear the waist packs.....what do you do when you are wading deeper than waist deep?
Click to expand...

One of the reasons I got the Waterdance is because you can wear it like a chest pack too. I figure if the water is gonna be waist level then I will just just move it up on my chest.
 
I love that the Waterdance waist pack has waterbottle holders too. I like to shift the pack to side or to my back that way it is out of the way completely.
 
The bag should come in sometime next week and I plan on posting an initial review of the pack at www.averageoutdoors.com
 
I have been using a Sage Typhoon waist pack. I chose this pack, because it has a submersible pocket in which I keep wallet, keys, electronics etc. When I wade into waist high water, the gear in that pocket stays dry. It has a second waterproof, but not submersible, pocket that has not leaked so far through brief exposures to water. I keep my fly boxes and other wetable items in the second pocket.

The belt on this pack is well made and effectively shifts the weight to my hips. I find I can fish longer with this pack than when I wear my vest without experiencing back discomfort.
 
Willy J's old school chest/lumbar pack is one of the best products I've owned. Has a waterproof pack for valuables, two very spacious compartments, extremely comfortable padding around the neck and very good support for your back. Plus the padding on the lumbar has a nice little pocket on it for a multi-tool/hemo's tippet or w/e.

Oh and most importantly it looks l33t.
 
lol, way to break out 1337 ^^ I have the Simms headwater chest pack. Perfect size for me. I dont know how guys carry so much crap. It also sits high enough for me to wade deep. Two complaints: my girlfriend makes fun of me and says it looks like a fanny pack on my chest/baby carrier. And, it pulls a bit on the neck/upper back after 6 hours of fishing. They should have made the straps go over your shoulders and not solely your neck. All-in-all I am a happy man.

One more thing going for the Simms pack, it is slate gray. I know it's fishpond's thing and all, but the colors are gay. The pastel greens/blues/oranges are just effing weird to me.
 
I have been using the WJ confluence pack for about 2 years now. I love the way it functions and that I can stuff just about every fishing related gadget I own into it and never use. But, it's really hot in the summer and in most fishing situations I'd rather I didn't have a big bubble sticking out of my chest. I've been thinking about buying either the Fishpond waterdance or the Simms headwaters waist pack. It's not often I'm in over my waist, so I'm not too concerned about getting it wet. Any suggestions? Maybe I should just lose some weight!
 
I use neither a vest or chest pack. I'm very fond of the Hardy Brook Bag. Holds just the right amount of stuff.
 
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