The Vest
The first year that I started fly fishing I came across two vests while purchasing a bulk lot of materials and fly fishing gear. They were standard cloth style vests with an assortment of pockets, plastic o-rings to clip tools on to and made of a light weight material. Starting out I would carry much more gear then I needed on the water due to lack of experience and lack of confidence. I needed a vast assortment of flies, tools and lotions just in case the items were needed. Very quickly I found a lot of dislikes with the vest and after the first year using them I ended up selling both.
Dislikes:
- To many pockets available to fill full of things that are not required, and then finding were you put certain items among 45 pockets.
- Due to the length of most cheaper vests when wading deep they will get wet and start wicking water up onto your clothing
- The pockets that are oriented in the front of the chest bother me. It seems no matter what is placed in the pockets the weight and bulk of having items up front bother me while casting.
- Not enough room to carry a days supply of water, a lunch, snacks etc.
The Fanny Pack
The fanny pack was the second product I tried. I purchased a $60 pack from Amundson to give it a try. It connected around your waist, had a flip down pocket with a fly patch to keep an assortment of flies ready to go and a few other larger pockets for other tools and fly boxes. The waist pack was good in theory but quickly I realized it was not a good choice for me. Most of the times I am wading aggressively and deep ending up in the pack and its contents getting soaked. Another problem I had was the belt slipping or becoming loose and slipping down from my waist. I sold this pack within a week of buying it.
The Sling Pack
At the recommendation of a friend I went to a local hiking and outdoors store and purchased a simple black sling pack to give a try at a reasonable price of $28. I must say that 100% this is my favorite method of organizing gear and items on the water. Being able to have your fly boxes, tools, potions and lotions on hand stored away in a back pack worked well for me. The biggest draw was after finishing with my activities with my pack in front of me zipped open, I could just zip it closed, swing it around to my back, tighten up the closure and have everything out of my way and be ready to fish. My only complaint is to do with size. I purchased one of the larger packs and while it handled all my gear and then some what it does not handle is a 1L bottle of water and some snacks/lunch on the water. Another concern especially when steel heading is having a rain jacket or a spare pair of gloves/hat available. I am happy with the sling pack for very short fishing trips when I do not need water or a lunch, or perhaps am just fishing at a pond or easily accessible area. However when going into the woods for an hour or more to reach a fishing spot I want to make sure I have the items needed to make my day a comfortable one. I plan to keep my sling pack and perhaps keep an eye out for one of a larger size but for full day fishing trips or steelheading the pack just does not cut it.
The Fly Fishing Chest & Back Pack
I just purchased a Wright & Mcgill Madison Pod Pack to give a try hoping to find the best of both worlds, an organized well laid out chest pack, with a back pack able to carry all my gear and tools, as well as lunch, a rain jacket or whatever I may think that I need on that trip. I tried on the William Joseph Exodus back/chest pack and found the front vest style compartments to be bulky and know that it would drive me nuts casting all day. I also checked out the Amundson pack and found the back pack to be a little small.
As for the Madison pack, I took it apart and disassembled each individual part to have a look. I like the two pods they have with two pockets, one smaller and one larger. In the larger pocket they have adhesive strips with velcro to attach to your fly boxes to stick them to the inside of the pod. I like this idea and placed the strips on a few fly boxes to secure them inside the pods. They also have lots of o rings and places to attach tools, as well as slits to place your hemostats while not in use. The pods are bulky and would drive me nuts to have them hanging in the front as they are all day but I purchased this pack due to the versatility...or at least the implied versatility. The pods unclip from the pack and can be worn on the belt or attached elsewhere. I tried flipped the pods up over my shoulder to get them out of the way which would have been an amazing design but they do not sit comfortable.
At the moment the second pod I have set aside, it comes with a "leader" management system that allow you to place two spools of tippet material inside the smaller pocket and feed it up through two holes for easy dispensing on the river, as well as a larger pocket for fly boxes etc.
The first pod that I am keeping I have attached to the strap on the side meant to tighten and secure rod tubes. I figure this way its out of the way in front of me while fishing but still easily accessible. I refrained from hanging my tools (hook sharpener, nippers, forceps) from the pack as I think I am most comfortable attaching them to the D ring on my waders. The back pack is massive and includes a pocket in the front for gear or a water bladder, and a larger pocket behind that could easily store a rain coat, reels, extra fly boxes, lunch, water, a knife or survival kit etc.
I am hoping this pack works out for me as I would hate to have to sell it and look for another alternative. I am very picky about how I store and organize my gear on the water but rightfully so I think, a well organized well balanced thought out product creates an easier more laid back day on the water...at least for myself. I will be putting this pack to the test tomorrow and will report back with a review.
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