Vest or Chest Pack?

[JAWallace]

Which is better?

I feel positively archaic at times wearing my old Orvis vest. I rarely see anyone with a vest any more. My only complaint is too many pockets to lose things temporarily. I only wear it when wading, never when drifting on the toon or on the boat. What am I missing, if anything? Recommendations?

Thanks! ~John

[Sammy]

I gave up on the vest a long time ago. Now i have one of those back pack type deals with two chest pockets. Plenty of room in those pockets to hold flies, line, indicators, etc... Then the back pack part can hold a thermal, camera, water, beer and lunch.

It's much more convenient, especially if you like to do a decent amount of hiking/fishing in a day.

[Scott V]

For shad and surf fishing I use a small chest pack and a small camelback for water. When creek fishing I use my fishpond chest/back pack.

[DFrink]

Vest in my tube, it's convenient and holds "everything". I use one of my Camelback's for stream fishing, nice to have lot's of water when going creekin'.

[luckydude]

I was just looking around at this stuff and I ended up getting this:

http://www.fishpondusa.com/doublehaul.cfm

It seemed like it filled the minimalist answer as well as gotta-pack-lots-of-junk answer.

I'll be getting it Thursday or so, I can post a review then.

[KJE]

If I don't need much (shad, small streams, etc.) I use one of these:
http://www.recycledwaders.com/pages/products/nooksack/productpopup_nooksack.asp

Big enough for a few flies, tippet and a beverage. Small enough to ensure that I don't bring too much stuff. A bead of Aquaseal along the seams and it is pretty waterproof.

[DFrink]

Pretty nice, but it better be for the price. I paid that much for my back packing pack and I can put a weeks worth of gear in it!


I was just looking around at this stuff and I ended up getting this:

http://www.fishpondusa.com/doublehaul.cfm

It seemed like it filled the minimalist answer as well as gotta-pack-lots-of-junk answer.

I'll be getting it Thursday or so, I can post a review then.

[DV8]

I'd keep the vest, but absolutely buy a chest pack. My old vest literally has 27 different pockets/storage spots, its like a black hole. I usually tried to keep everything in four accessible pockets, sans the license and cigar dry pocket, until I switched. The pack covers 90% percent of what I do, from the mountains to the surf, with easier use, less weight, and better range of motion. I still like having the vest if I need to bring a ton of gear, but that rarely happens.

[Ed Wahl]

I gave up on the vest a long time ago. Now i have one of those back pack type deals with two chest pockets. Plenty of room in those pockets to hold flies, line, indicators, etc... Then the back pack part can hold a thermal, camera, water, beer and lunch.

It's much more convenient, especially if you like to do a decent amount of hiking/fishing in a day.

+1 for the reason's given and the fact that I rock hop/climb a lot and I need to see where my feet go, something you don't get with a chest pack.
I do still like vests but the ability to carry multiple water bottles, rain gear, and dry boots for the walk out as well as some beers has got me into the aforementioned packs.

Ed

[jbird]

Ive got a vest and two chest packs. I use them both. If Im wading a small creek I prefer a fanny type pack that I can rotate to my hip to dig thru and then back out of the way. I have had too many casting/line management problems with a chest pack. I have lost a couple steelhead when my loose line jumped around my chest pack on a hard running fish.

I mostly use my vest for all purpose fishing.

[JAWallace]

Sierra Trading has a decent looking one for $38. I don't know what to look for. Minimalist and me do not often work together well. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/glacier-glove-universal-chest-pack-expandable-fishing~p~2474x/?filterString=s~chest-pack%2F&colorFamily=01

[joshfish]

I have the fishpond double haul. I like having water when fishing during the summer. The only down side is when the water bladder is full it make the back pack very heavy and your feel it in your shoulders after awhile. The chest pack is nice because it's big enough for just the things I need and keeps me from packing a bunch of stuff I don't need. The other down side for me is I sweat profusely where the pack is against my body.

[Sammy]

THis is the one I got from Orvis. On sale at the moment. http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3H62s

[EricW]

I've been using a chest pack for about 7 years. The first was the techy looking william joseph and the last couple years the WJ old school brown one. I like it very much but it definitely can't hold more than 1 big and 1 small CF fly box plus tippet and other bits.

One thing I really like about them is the neck strap goes through the back and becomes the waist strap. This lets you just wear it loose over your head and one shoulder like a casual satchel so it rides on your hip when walking. Also small enough to set on a table or tying bench. I tried the integrated chest and backpack fishpond but it's quite a production and had much more room than needed for my use and seemed clunky. I have a backpack for when needing layers, lunch, etc..

If you think that might suit your style, look at the WJ old school (http://www.williamjoseph.net/gear.php?userChoice=Chest-Pack) or the Simms version (http://www.simmsfishing.com/site/headwaters_chest_pack.html) (which can hold a little bit more). The fishpond equivalents seem overdone.

[itsbenlong]

I have been looking for years for the perfect way to carry gear. I have had vests, packs, pockets and more. Most of the vests either have pockets that hang to far out and wear on your neck. What I really have wanted is something that I can wear on my back and flip it to the front when I need it. However, most of the slings wandereded around to much or you had to remove it to get it to the front and get things out of it.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I bought the Patagonia Stealth Atom Sling and so far it is the best thing I could ever find. It holds as much as you would really need while wading and wandering up and down a river. It sits high on your back so you can wear it in waist deep water. You don't have to remove it to use it and when you flip it to the front, all of your zippers are right side up and easy to get to.

I don't think there will ever be the perfect bag for all types/styles of fishing. This one comes close: http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/stealth-atom-sling?p=48325-0-961

[agentphil]

After using just about everything on the planet, I've discovered that a larger waist pack (like Fishpond's Waterdance or the Nimbus) combined with a good lanyard works perfectly. Pack stays out of the way and all the essentials are right at your chest on the lanyard. Works well for a good chunk of time on the water. For day trips, I'd just add a back pack to hold some added layers and food. Good Luck!

[luckydude]

I was just looking around at this stuff and I ended up getting this:

http://www.fishpondusa.com/doublehaul.cfm


OK, I got this about an hour ago. It's pretty slick. The chest pack has two zippered compartments. If you are carrying a camera then you put that in the smaller and you put your fly boxes in the bigger one. I have 4 small boxes and 3 spools of tippet in there and I could definitely get a couple more boxes in there easily, maybe 4 if I really pushed.

There is a mesh pocket on the front that will hold a tippet spool. And 2 sleeves, good for some hemostats.

I definitely could fish all day long from this chest pack. What I'd be missing that I carry in a vest is a toilet kit (trowel, paper, lighter).

The backpack part, if you choose to use it, is pretty big. You could put a 3L water bladder back there and still have room for DSLR.

No idea if this info is useful, but I'm liking the setup. If I could change one thing it would be on the chest pack, I'd make it "boxes", "camera", "tippets". But that's pretty minor, I'm liking this setup and will be taking it to the south fork of the flathead for a week. I'll report back after that.

[k9mark]

I find chest packs too uncomfortable for me as they give me pain in the neck and upper shoulder areas so, I've been wearing vests. I've decided I'm going to try the lanyard route along with the following pack http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products/Bags-Backpacks/Backpacks/RUSH-MOAB-6.html and see how it goes.

[kabah088]

google search RIBZ

Ray over there does a good job and I use mine for many thing
hiking
fish
snowboard

[Terry Imai]

You going to have different types of "arrows" in your quiver to get the job done.

I prefer matching the hatch type of fishing and need a vest/pack that can carry a large volume of fly boxes along with a hydration system. I used the Simms vests for many years and since they're such wonderfully made vest that don't come apart, I purchased a new one and used it for a few trips but I noticed that it didn't give me the proper back support that I required (old sport injuries). I went to the Fishpond vest/packs and was impressed with the proper body support and here is the one I purchase a few years ago:

http://www.fishpondusa.com/wasatch.cfm

This is a wonderful vest/pack if you find the need to carry a lot of boxes and water.

http://www.recycledwaders.com/pages/...p_nooksack.asp

I know a lot of guys who enjoy freestone fishing that a chest pack would fit the bill because you only need a few boxes for your flies.


If fact, Herb Burton (Trinity Fly Shop) has worked with the owner of Recycled Wader for a carry bag that's perfect for spey casting where you don't need that much actual hardware. It has a belt to either wear around your waist or diagnostically over the neck and you keep the bag behind you while casting (no hangups with your shooting line) but you can swing it around in front to change fliest or tippets. I agree if you need a satchel to carry one box of flies and a few spools of tippet and leaders; this would fit the situation:

[Tony]

I use a vest for Trout fishing but prefer a lumbar/chest pack for Stripers/Bass (when I am wading)

The fish Pond Waterdance has a lot of room.

[luckydude]

Anyway, to make a long story short, I bought the Patagonia Stealth Atom Sling and so far it is the best thing I could ever find.

I agree. I've got that and the Fishpond doublehaul and the sling is what gets used.