C&F Fly Boxes: Are They Worth It?

[sweetandsalt]

Some how, no matter how I think I am paying attention, I invariably wade too deep and get my vest pockets wet. More times than I can recount I have spent non-hatch afternoon down-time laying my fly boxes out in the sun to evaporate river water. Along came C&F fly boxes from Japan. Featuring a water-proof gasket and a fail-proof clasp, they are expensive. They also introduced high density slit foam to hold flies securely and visibly in neat rows. Even shaken, flies rarely fall out on their own. Yes, fine lower-cost variations on this theme have appeared from SA and other imitators and they too are very good and I use both, but the original is still the best quality. They have protected my valuable flies in both sweet and salt water and I think they are worth it. What do you think?

[chi flyfisher]

S&S I spend most of my non-hatch time nymphing and streamer fishing

I love the C&F boxes and use them religiously. They're excellent and worth every penny. I've been using the first one I bought for years and it's still going strong. The foam is still in good shape, the seal is still solid, clasps are great, no rusting on any hinges from fishing in rain or dropping boxes in water (than never happens).

I think they're great.

Cheers,
Mike.

[shotgunfly]

I've got 2 of the large system water proof boxes and probably 12 inserts of varying slotted foam designs...the system alone makes it worth it for me.

Oddly enough I've decided to use those 2 strictly for bass and am buying 6-7 wheatley boxes for trout. Wheatleys aren't submersible but I've dropped them in and they float long enough to grab em.

Back to the CF boxes. Again, I'm not knocking them completely. I DO find them a little heavy and bulky.

[williamhj]

I should probably drop some money and get one. I've picked-up some of the knock-offs that claim to be water proof. Well dropped one and watched it go straight to the bottom then quickly downstream into some rapids. I figured my life (or at least my limbs) were more valuable than the flies in that box so just let it go. An expensive way to save money.

[Diver Dan]

I'm going to have to say no again. I got the almost identical box, in fact I bought about half a dozen of them. They are water proof with the same white gasket. Same latch. Same foam inserts with the same pattern. Got them from a tackle shop up here. They were selling them for keeping ice fishing jigs organized. I even bought one for Bill because he goes deeper than pocket depth pretty often as well. I figured for the $3.99 I paid for them it was a good idea.

I could have loaded one with little nymphs, open on a vest like that and called a C&F and I'll bet nobody would have thought it wasn't.

The difference in price I am willing to bet, is because you will never get an Ice fisherman to drop giant amounts of cash on a box, and there are fly fishermen who will. That's why they don't sell Abel clippers to ice fishermen.

Originally Posted by williamhj

knock-offs that claim to be water proof. Well dropped one and watched it go straight to the bottom then quickly downstream into some rapids.

Water proof and floats are two different things. It is weight vs. displacement. Bet you $5 if you drop the C&F box it goes straight down and through the rapids to meet up with your other box, both full of dry flies.

You do realize that it could not have leaked fast enough to go straight to the bottom? Even a submarine can't go straight to the bottom and they are designed to sink. If it had a weight vs. displacement that allowed it to float, and it leaked, it would have floated way down stream eventually going to the bottom. Waterproof and floats are two different things. I have a box that floats and isn't waterproof. You can have a water proof box that goes straight to the bottom.

Originally Posted by shotgunfly

Back to the CF boxes. Again, I'm not knocking them completely. I DO find them a little heavy and bulky.

Like I said, waterproof and floats, two different things.

[Mrtrout]

I have both C&F and the so called knock offs, which I was reliably informed by the supplier, whose name I won't reveal, came from the same factory.
I have studied both in detail, and apart from the logo missing, I can't see any difference whatsoever.
I put one of the £5 ones in the bath weighted down with a brick to keep it submerged overnight, next day it was as dry as a bone.
Metal pin hinges, very strong, I stood on one, it held my weight no problem.
C&F were leaders in their day, but I wouldn't pay the fancy prices they demand these days, far too many better boxes out there now for a quarter of the price, IMO of course.
S.

[woodrivertroutbum]

This is great, haha.

[bear 007]

I don't mean to hyjack this thread, just wondering if anyone has tried GreenCaddis Waterproof Fly Boxes. The price looks right, Madison River also has C&F box's on sale.

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by Mrtrout

I have both C&F and the so called knock offs, which I was reliably informed by the supplier, whose name I won't reveal, came from the same factory.
I have studied both in detail, and apart from the logo missing, I can't see any difference whatsoever.

That's probably what I have. As I said, you can't see a bit of difference in mine and the C&F ones. The same latch, shape, size, white gasket, foam and pattern. All exactly like the one in the first photo in the thread. In fact as I said, I could duplicate the photo and you could never tell which one was which.

What did you pay for that C&F in the first photo?

[sweetandsalt]

Dan, I bought the depicted one from Renee Harrop when he first brought them over from Japan some years ago. It was a novelty item at the time and I had to have it though I am sure I paid multiples of the $9.50 Allen Fly Fishing charges for the so similar appearing box currently. I was recently given a private logo box that looks all but identical to the SA clear, two-sided box as well. If the knock-offs are as good as the originals or even, as MrTrout suggested, the original without the brand name, I don't mind saving the bread. Point remains, the imaginative inception of the idea and its execution are first rate and an advantage to anglers keeping their precious flies dry until we chose to get um wet. I applaud innovation and am leery of knock-offs especially if they emanate from a particular, large, overseas, manufacturing nation. The value of these boxes, I have them for my bonefish and permit flies too, has exceeded over time whatever it was I originally paid for them. I will add that the many Wheatly rip-offs I've examined are a far cry from the real thing...but that is another category.