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/...p_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.