Opinions on Orvis 'Chest and Hydration Pack'

[chemdoc]

This is my second summer of fly fishing and the first in which I actually did some hiking to fish. I have been filling the back of my vest with water, food, etc., and this has been a bit cumbersome. I received a new Orvis catalog today and it has an interesting pack/vest combo that can carry a couple of rod tubes and hold 1.8 liters of water with a tube for easy access.

This looks quite handy, but I am interested the opinions of experienced fly fishers. If you are interested, the url is http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_id=28R8&feature_id=&dir_id=758&group_id=781&cat_id=5093&subcat_id=6670&shop_id=, or you can find it on page 104 of the Orvis catalog.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Darian]

Most Orvis products are well made/serviceable.... 8) But very pricey for the value. :( :(

I'm leery of these bladders built into backpacks for hiking or bicycling.... :? :? They're safe in use for a short period but if not thoroughly cleaned and dried between uses, they grow some very exotic stuff that you ingest during the next use. :shock: :shock: Cleaning them is not always as easy as it looks. :( Since I tend to forget to clean them, I don't bother buying 'em in the first place..... There isn't any savings in weight thru use of a bladder as opposed to a plastc bottle either.... 8) 8)

[Ed Wahl]

I have a similar product made by william joseph, I believe it's called a 'creel'. I use the same water bladder that I use for backpacking. Love it.Once you get used to the easy access water you'll never go back.

[PatrickM]

Hey Chemdoc,
I used that exact pack for almost two years and liked it a lot. It has plenty of storage space, you can take the front pouches off and use the back pack by itself, and it seemed like a good deal compared to others I was checking out. The only problem I found was that the pouches hang a bit low, so sometimes they get wet when you're wading deep. Because of this, and due to the fact that I often take unplanned dips while fishing, I recently bought a new Simms waterproof hip pack. I still use the back pack from the Orvis set up if I'm fishing for more than a couple of hours and know I'll need some water and other supplies. If you're planning on hiking to fish, I think this pack would be a good choice. Of course, look around and try some different ones on before you buy.
Hope that helps.

[Rob]

I never carry water. :?:
I'm always standing in it. :!:
We keep one of these in the inside pockets of our fishing vest.
They work great !!! :lol:
http://www.thstore.com/thstore/ProductInfo2_2.asp?ID=W-H2O-SBWF&GroupID=70

[Hairstacker]

chemdoc, the first time I mountain biked into Henry Coe to fish the back ponds, I relied on a water bottle and almost DIED from heat exhaustion/dehydration. :shock: The second time I attempted it, I had bought a Camelbak M.U.L.E., which has a bladder and tube like the one you're looking at, and it worked like a charm. Those bladders will hold a helluva lot more water than any bottle and, with the tube, the access to water is so easy that you'll keep yourself constantly hydrated. They especially work well on a bike when you want to take regular drinks on the fly.

The Camelback was almost $70, and it doesn't have the front pockets that the Orvis one has. If the Orvis is good quality, I think it's worth the price personally. Having said that, I've seen similar packs with bladders but without the front pockets at Wal Mart for far less money. They were in the camping section of the store.

I agree with Ed, you'll never go back. And Darian's right, you have to be diligent about flushing it out and letting it dry between use. I also think there's something to be said for guzzling a bunch of water until you slosh just before you embark.