# Waist pack/chest pack or vest?



## Koby1knoby

When you are fly fishing which do you prefer a vest with all of you're gear or a chest/ waist pack. Why do you prefer one over the other?

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## jm77

No one good answer that I've found though I keep constantly trying different ones. I've used at least a couple of each and none are ever perfect.. I seem to always end up going back to the vest just because it's convenient and you can take so much stuff even though you of course just end up taking way more than you'd ever need. I now also use a pack that can be used as a chest or waist pack for when it's too hot for a vest or I feel like I can get by without taking every fly box and other pointless gadget that I own. Waist packs are nice because they are out of the way but I always end up getting everything wet because I'm in water over my waist. Chest packs either get in your way sticking out or they are too small to take much. Vests can get hot in the summer and are tough to wear over jackets in the winter, but they hold a lot of stuff and are easy to take a water bottle with you and attach a net to. Ideally, the thing to do is to just take enough stuff that you can fit it all in wader and shirt pockets. If someone figures out how to do that, I'd love to know.:lol:


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## thefishpimp

I've tried a few different set ups. Started with a chest pack and eventually threw the towel in on it. It had room to carry all the stuff that you "REALLY" need, but I didn't like not being able to easily see my feet while wading and felt like I was constantly getting my line caught on it etc. 

Moved on from the chest pack to a sling pack. I've got a love/hate relationship with it. Great size and I really like that when flipped to the back its completely out of the way. With that said, if you have to get into it often....it can be a pain to have to constantly spin around to access and there is really no good way to carry a net. I use it most while steelhead fishing. 

I finally bought a vest. I went with a mesh version to help with the heat, and if I need to carry a decent amount of stuff....its my go to set up. Even when fully loaded, I never feel like its in the way. 

For small stream or situations where i don't need much stuff, I carry a small fly box in my waders and wear a lanyard with the basics.... tools/floatant/tippet.

They all have their benefits and drawbacks, but if I had to pick one that is the closest to perfect for me, I have to go with the vest.


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## rvrwader

I was just thinking about the this myself. I started out fishing with a vest and switched to a chest pack because the full loaded vest tended to get a little heavy on the shoulders. I really like the chest pack except when wading in certain situations. It takes a lot of getting used to not being able to see your feet. The other disadvantage of the chest pack is it doesn't hold a lot of stuff. While it will hold all the essentials, it really has no room for a couple energy bars or other snacks you may want throughout a long day fishing. I fixed that with the mentioned waist pack but as noted before if you don't pay attention you will get it soaked when wading in deaper water.Also it is not easy to carry a net with a chest pack. Now with a vest you can carry everything you need all in one easy to access garment. Problem with that is if you dont have one of the very expensives vests your shoulders and back will start to hurt after a few hours. A big plus is that it is easy to carry a net. 

With all that said I am leaning towards the chest pack again this year. Now if I could only find a good way to carry my net.


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## jerrob

A vest, holds everything for fishing. On the all day wades, A Simms waterproof backpack too, can get the kitchen sink in it.


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## aimus1

A shirt or jacket with large chest pockets and a lanyard should get it done for any day on the river. And I seldom carry the lanyard. Any more stuff than two large pockets and a lanyard will hold is overkill for a days fishing IMHO. Sure I keep A duffel in the vehicle with fly boxes, leader, tippet, and whatever I might need, but I sure as heck don't go lugging that stuff up and down the river bank or in the boat. My dad carries one of those chest packs full of soo much unecessary junk its hilarious. If he fell in the river, he wouldnt have to worry about drowning from his waders filling. His chest pack would take him down like an anchor tied around his neck. He had it sittin out on the table a couple days ago as he was packing for Montana. I picked the thing up and laughed until tears ran down my face. I couldn't believe how much that thing weighed He always says "If I aint effin got it....you don't effin need it. :lol: His golf bag is the same way. You cant tip the bag boy enough for pulling that thing outa the trunk.:help:


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## swaprat

i am with the above guy i have been carring around a shoulder bag from wright and mc gill when i could get away with just the stuff in it 

1)wheatly fly box medium w flies of course 
2)hemos 

3)pre tied leader butts in plastic bag i tie mine 3 foot x 3 foot for trout i will use 10 pound to 6 pound and carry 4 pound or two pound tippet. uni to uni knot them together that is one knot in the 3x3 foot section and then one for the tippet. if needed fish stremer on the 6 foot long section that is the 3x3 and dries etc on the 9 foot 4 or 2 lb test tippet. then put a perfection loop in the butt of 10 pound and a uni knot to fly. you can always shorten if needed for stremers to get them deeper. i pre tie 6 just for the day. 

4)tippet wheel 
5)nippers so not to wreck teeth 
6)small mag light flash lite 2-aa 
7)and one net around your neck with a duffel bag shoulder strap 
8)maybe even a filter straw to drink water if wanted that is if all day on the water hiking or a hydro pak 
9)gps if off the beaten path that much mine has a belt clip 
10)cellphone 
11)car keys 
12)wallet for fishing license/ driver money etc.. 
13)couple of those lead core leader tips for sinking a fly 
14)sinkint or floatant 
15) pocket knife 
16 lead split shot for nymphs 
17) some kind of indicator i like rio kuna lt strike indicators 

that all the stuff you need and it fits in you pockets. lol's if you can't fit it you don't needed it 

i will ditch the bag and do the same long trips up north my truck looks the same. lol's tons of gear, the problem is finding it. when i get up north or on the steam.


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## Ray Adams

I went through this same dilemma a few years back. I quickly recognized that if I had the pockets in a vest, front pack, belt bag, whatever, I'd fill them without fail. Being somewhat of a minimalist, I decided I either needed a strap vest or a belt bag, so I bought both. 

Being somewhat of a traditionalist, I lean towards Filson products. I picked up their Fly Fishing Strap Vest

http://www.filson.com/products/fly-...roduct=activity/fly-fishing&fmetaProduct=aa13

and their Fly Fishing Waist Pack

http://www.filson.com/products/fish...roduct=activity/fly-fishing&fmetaProduct=aa13

Both are nice, but day in and day out I go with the strap vest. The waist pack always winds up wet (as indicated by rvrwader). I wind up using this on a canoe or pontoon more than wading. Also like the net hanging behind me where it is accessible but not grabbing every bit of bank-side pucker-brush. Obviously a waist pack prohibits this method of carry. 

Anyway, here's the contents of my strap vest:

1. Landing net
2. Fly boxes (dries, wets, nymphs, terrestrials and attractors)
3. Spare leader
4. Stainless dive knife
5. Non-tox split shot
6. Thing-a-ma-bobber strike indicators
7. Matches in brass match safe with compass
8. Headlamp
9. Pipe and tobacco ("Trout Stream" blend, of course)
10. Tippet in 0X-6X
11. Floatant
12. Combo nippers/hemos
13. Small flask (celebration for that rare big trout)
14. Thermometer (to record stream temps for my fishing journal)
15. Nail knot tool
16. Waterproof Olympus camera

I've been really happy with this setup and am pretty much convinced that this is what I'll stay with. 

Ray


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## ESOX

I have been around from vest, to chest pack to waist pack to bandolier back to vest. I seem to use the vest the most because it does the best job of distributing the load evenly on the shoulders. But the bandolier and chest pack still see action when I am traveling extra light.


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## john warren

shirt pockets to hold plenty of flies, a lanyard to hold a few tools, and a messenger bag to hold my lunch and coffee, if i'm going to be out that long. 
i do find eating lunch and having coffee while admiring my work at festuning the streamside with flies in the trees, to be a nice relaxing thing.


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## brushbuster

A fly fishing shirt or military bdu and a lanyard.


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## Copcheck

I started with a vest and then switched to a Chest/Waist combo.

I prefer a smaller chest pack so it doesn't get in the way but in cold weather I want quick access to gear. I guess I could get away with using the pockets in my wading jacket, but I like the chest pack.

*Chest Pack*
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/FishPond-Fishpond-Arroyo-Chest-Pack/dp/B001HXCWKK"]Amazon.com: Fishpond Arroyo Chest Pack: Sports & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@21yRY5gjkBL[/ame]

I opted for a more water tight waist pack with a lumbar support and although the Sage DXL Typhoon is a bit heavy, I can fit a bunch of stuff in it including lunch and water.

*Waist Pack*
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sage-Typhoon-Waist-Pack-Small/dp/B002TK7GZ6"]Amazon.com: Sage DXL Typhoon Waist Pack Small: Sports & [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@21Scs6jnVrL[/ame]

My .02

I don't think there is a right or wrong way, just preferences.


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## john warren

all depends on how long your going to be out. all day you need more stuff. hour or two, a pocket full will do.


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## swampswede

I too wanted to eliminate my heavy vest and picked up a nice lanyard at Jays. I considered a chest pack but with having the lanyard for tools and a sizable pocket in my waders, I am hoping those 4 and 5 hour outings are a little more comfortable on my favorite river.


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## rcleofly

I've tried them all but I always go back to the ol vest.

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## bombcast

rcleofly said:


> I've tried them all but I always go back to the ol vest.


Same here. Absolutely IN LOVE with my new vest - can carry everything I could possibly need, plus a 6 pack of beer in the hydration pocket in the back, and still have room. 

LL Bean Rapid River vest

Has a built in lumbar support/wading belt, which does a fantastic job of distributing weight off the shoulders. I don't recommend or endorse much, and this thing is fantastic.


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## jmarsh

I have a Simms headwaters chestpack and a north face backpack i have dry clothes and cold weather gear in the winter time and dry clothes and hydropack in the summer everything ive ever needed and then some. But yeah its a preference thing i may carry too much and may think you dont carry enough... But either way we are fishing!!!


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## swaprat

here is one i was looking at earlier i wonder if it would get in your way wile casting?i have a old jw outfitter surf pack that simular. i use to love that thing to bad you can't fine them any more. btw there are discount this place give every once in a wile. any ways see link 

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...d=12759513&cp=4406646.4413993.4414792.4418212


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## Copcheck

bombcast said:


> Same here. Absolutely IN LOVE with my new vest - can carry everything I could possibly need, plus a 6 pack of beer in the hydration pocket in the back, and still have room.
> 
> LL Bean Rapid River vest
> 
> Has a built in lumbar support/wading belt, which does a fantastic job of distributing weight off the shoulders. I don't recommend or endorse much, and this thing is fantastic.


I'm not gonna lie, that looks pretty cool!


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## Bob T

Well after forty years of flyfishing I have used just about every item to carry my gear with me while I fish. All of them have their place now and then. I like a vest because you can carry just about anything you need including the kitchen sink but it gets heavy after a while. Waist packs are okay and I do not like a chest pack because I do not like anything hanging under my nose while I fish. My latest craze is the Orvis Sling Pack. Carries just enough gear but not too much to weight me down. Easy to get to and it swings out of the way while not in use. The only thing is that there is not enough room to carry a rain coat if it looks like you might get wet.

http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3H6P&adv=12082&cm_mmc=Froogle*Prod_feeds*Prod_feeds*12082&CAWELAID=1156793989&gclid=CIqYp57ToK8CFUPf4AodCzCbGA


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