chest pack vs. vest???

[cmcclung]

So at the end of last year I had all my fly gear stolen from my truck. I guess lessoned learned not to leave it in there anymore. Luckily insurance did cover it and actually ended up giving me more than what I had asked for. Anyway, I am replacing my gear and am unsure on what to do, whether to buy a vest or a chest pack. I had a cloudveil vest and it worked ok. I had it packed though and not sure i could fit that much stuff into a chest pack. The other part of me wonders, do I honestly need all that stuff???? Anyway, what are your thoughts? What do you guys find works for you?

[Pikecrazed]

i have a backpack with a chest pack biult on in the back pack part i can put tow rods 3 reels and flie box so on food whatever else im ont using at the emidiate moment and then i can put pliers and such in the front works great plenty of storage and tough as nails

[shakeyleg02]

I use a vest for larger rivers ..and a small waist pack for mountain creeks

[Hopper]

i also have a backpack with a front chest pack which can detach so I can use either solo. I love it day trips I can take food, clothes, bearspray... Or just a quick drop in after work I can grap the chest pack and go. I have a simms waist pack which I hardly use anymore. Mine is a William Joseph, I have been impressed with their products the past couple years.

[Fishonthefly]

I have a vest because I carry way too much stuff. But you never know when you will need a roll of electrical tape.... haha

[Okotokian]

I use a mesh vest. Light but holds lots of crap, doesn't get in the way. Have thought about a chest pack but never seen anything I thought was significantly better or held more than my $50 vest.

[ÜberFly]

x2!!

Originally Posted by Hopper

i also have a backpack with a front chest pack which can detach so I can use either solo. I love it day trips I can take food, clothes, bearspray... Or just a quick drop in after work I can grap the chest pack and go.

[Darren N]

I use the back pack type as I like to have spares of everything, but I seem to be the "go to guy" for my fishing buddies "hey Darren got any spare..." They are comfortable as long as you dont get carried away and overpack them. It's nice though to have a spot to put bug spray, sun repellent so you dont have to go back to your vehicle.

[pikergolf]

I bought a chest pack, I use it for wadding lakes. I do haul around a bag as well, reels, extra rod, water etc. I'd like to go to those neat backpacks with wheels and a strap, it's big with the college girls, but I'm scared I'd get bullied at the lake for being a nerd.

[scel]

x3!!

I found the vests awkward with not enough payload for a 10 hour walk-n-wade.

Originally Posted by ÜberFly

x2!!

Originally Posted by Hopper

i also have a backpack with a front chest pack which can detach so I can use either solo. I love it day trips I can take food, clothes, bearspray... Or just a quick drop in after work I can grap the chest pack and go. I have a simms waist pack which I hardly use anymore. Mine is a William Joseph, I have been impressed with their products the past couple years.

[midgetwaiter]

I used a vest for a while and then switched over to a Simms chest pack because I kept getting the bottom pockets of the vest wet. I can't carry half of what I used to but I don't miss any of it either.

I intended to get the simms headwaters daypack so I could clip the chest pack to it for longer hikes but I wasn't really impressed with we what you get for $150. There are far nicer packs for that kind of money.

[Dust1n]

I use a frot pack and a backpack. The hip pack holds stuff I use all the time like flies tippet etc and the backpack holds food and jacket etc.

I used to use a vest but I won't go back to it

[skain11]

I went to a William and Joseph chestpack last year and still getting used to it. I really like the magnetic closure feature and the slot to hold a bottle. Keep in mind if you are a big guy to begin with ( here) you are now much bigger out front...and if you like to carry a net check for the ring attachment on the back.

[scel]

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

I used a vest for a while and then switched over to a Simms chest pack because I kept getting the bottom pockets of the vest wet. I can't carry half of what I used to but I don't miss any of it either.

I intended to get the simms headwaters daypack so I could clip the chest pack to it for longer hikes but I wasn't really impressed with we what you get for $150. There are far nicer packs for that kind of money.

The Simms daypack is probably the best designed backpack that I have ever owned. It is a little smaller than you might expect. It has good tactical fly-fishing. The main compartment has room for water bladder, is insulated and white (being white makes it much easier to find something with sunglasses or in the dark).
There are few small magnet pockets. There are pockets on the waist supports as well as standard mesh side pockets with tie-downs (perfect for that travel rod). I totally love the super soft sunglasses carrying pocket. The chestpack clips to the front or the back.

The only issue I have is that the backpack straps sit on top of the wader. I agree though---it does not look like much, but I think that the design and functionality is genius. There is enough room to comfortably carry 3 flyboxes, 1 thermos, headlamp, gloves, extra sweater, and 2 bottles of water.

Simms should start paying me.

[Off in the Bushes]

I have a chest pack and dislike it as when walking and wading I can not see where my feet are going, and in the float tube it is awkward to be stripping and all the line piling in front of you and you can not see it. I am gong back to a vest this summer.

[npauls]

I am running a big waist pack that holds all of my gear real nice. If I need to pack a coat and lunch I will use my small hydration bag for that.

Seems to work pretty good so far. Nice light weight set up that is out of the way while you are walking or fishing and easily accessible when you need something out of it.

[Lornce]

In colder weather I wear my wading jacket or one of my larger guide vests. As it gets warmer I go to a chest or waist bag, for me it depends what time of year it is and where I am fishing.

[cranky]

Backpack with everything but the kitchen sink in it for survival if i get in trouble out there somewhere but still light enough for a old guy. And a small waist pack.

[BBT]

I use a Orvis backpack with a chest pack. Lunch, water, rain coat, SLR camera, big streamer box and so on.

Mine is the older model but its just like this one.

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=2T42

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3H60

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by scel

The Simms daypack is probably the best designed backpack that I have ever owned.

It's a nice pack, no question but it's not worth $150. The thing that bothers me is that the only difference between it and any other decent daypack is the clips for the chest pack and $80. They better be pretty fancy clips for $80.

Look at this bag from MEC:
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Packs/...8-backpack.jsp

[Don Andersen]

Started with an Army gas mask bag about 50 years ago. A little short of storage so I headed off into vest land. And things grew and grew till the vest went over 35 lbs. Had to lighten things up so I acquired a chest vest to force down the load. Worked OK but there was no provision for water bottles, toilet paper or rain jacket is I needed another pack. That was a pain so back to the vest. The largest Fish Pond just fit the fly boxes etc. Trouble is, it's about as comfortable as strapping on two 2*4's.
Here's hoping someone figures it out and comes out with a decent vest.
Simms is about the only outfit coming close.

Catch ya'


Don

[Bhflyfisher]

Originally Posted by BBT

I use a Orvis backpack with a chest pack. Lunch, water, rain coat, SLR camera, big streamer box and so on.

Mine is the older model but its just like this one.

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=2T42

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3H60

Thats a nice looking pack, but 170 for it? A little steep.

I have a couple things that see multiple use. One is a columbia ultralight pack. Fits a net, fly boxes and lunch pretty good. Also have the sage typhoon waist pack which is nice when doing minimal hiking, and less items are necessary. Carries my DSLR and a fly box pretty easily. This year i got a full sized hiking backpack, big enough to fit a friggen float tube if i want. But it will mostly be used for bring camera equipment into more remote areas. A 4 piece rod tube almost fits in it for god sakes.

[scel]

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

It's a nice pack, no question but it's not worth $150. The thing that bothers me is that the only difference between it and any other decent daypack is the clips for the chest pack and $80. They better be pretty fancy clips for $80.

Look at this bag from MEC:
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Packs/...8-backpack.jsp

It is at least $50 better than the MEC pack.
The Simms pack has:
Lightweight metal frame and mesh. The back does not sit directly on your back and the Simms will stay rigid.

The design is like the Deuter packs
http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Packs/...28-daypack.jsp I would not be surprised if the design were licensed from Deuter. This feature is worth at least $40. (i.e. the price difference between the Deuter and MEC)

The bag opens from the top. A design feature that makes it less likely that something will fall out, but not worth money. The inside, however, is lined with a different white material. It is mildly insulating and makes the bag more usable. This is worth $10. (total $50)

The straps are thicker with more padding. Worth $5 (total $55)

The entire front pouch is fly fishing specific. Not worth a great deal more, but for the person who will appreciate it, it is worth $5. (Total $60)

The Simms bag has a patented reinforced metal clip for attaching your net. It is probably worth ten, but we can gauge at $5. (Total $65)

The Simms bag has the attachment for the chest pack. $5 (Total $70)

So, just on raw features, I think that the Simms comes close in value. If you take into account that it is a super comfortable bag designed for fly fishing that is made in USA, I think that it is worth the price tag. Of course, this does not take into account any of the costs associated with design and testing.

I can understand when someone would look at the bag and find $150 too much to spend. After 2 years of heavy year-round use, there is not a single thing wrong with it. Like everything that I have ever bought from Simms, it has been worth the money.

[FishingFrenzy]

I'd go with a good smaller hiking pack, with a couple of waistband pockets. I have a gregory 30L and I can either fit a ton of stuff in it, or cinch it down and go minimal. Its got nice small pockets on the hipbelt that I can fit floatent, bear bangers and a point-and-shoot camera. The rest of the time, I dont find it much of a hassle just to pull my pack off and dig out my flyboxes, or get my buddy to grab it for me.

I have it more for versatility, and the fact I like to haul camera gear when I fish.

I think what you need depends on how you fish..

[killerspade]

This what I use. I can easily ditch the pack when I'm fishing in town (Canmore) the rest of the time it's on when i'm in the mountains.

http://reviews.patagonia.com/9248/81896/reviews.htm

I have the older version. but you can build your own with the minimalist vest and either the Sweet fish or Storm front pack.

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/...?p=82750-0-984

KS

[greylynx]

Chestpacks depending on where I am going in combination with a climbing pack that holds a short barrel shotgun.