New Vest or Wait till the old one literally disintegrates?

[russellb]

So I purchased my current vest, a Patagonia Vertical Pocket, back in 91. It's survived my from my formative to my guiding/college years, its seen trips to the Frying Pan, San Juan as well as countless trips to the White and Norfork in Arkansas.

I wore this while I caught my largest trout on a dry fly, 26 inch rainbow on an elk hair caddis in Wisconsin. It is faded beyond imagination but bares my FFF patch on the back. The velcro and zippers still function but the garment is clearly getting tired.

I just feel that if I get a new one I would be turning my back on an old companion. But I am a realist, what are your thoughts?

 

[mikel]

wear it, patch it and wear it some more...you can't buy history

 

[kevin2]

I'm all into wearing stuff till it disintergrates, but then again, sometimes newer is better. I've been eyeing some of the new shoulder/waist/hip thingys from FISHPOND, the DRAGONFLY. I am doing so because, to be honest, sometimes the weight on my shoulders from all the stuff in my vest begins to put the hurt on my kneck, shoulders and back. Problem is, not sure that one of these new thingys will solve that OR will they just suck! Hard call. I might have to get one & just take the chance.

Mine has begun to fall apart too, but could work on for another few years I'm sure with some sewing.

I say get a new one...

 

[theboz]

Just went thru that traumatic situation this year! My daughter said she couldn't stand my ratty old vest anymore ( about 20 years old) and bought me a real beauty of a vest for Christmas. To reduce withdrawal symptoms I hung it on the chair at my tying table and it keeps me company while I'm tying! Now I'm really into the new vest and I still have my old one as a
reminder of some great trips!worked for me!
Must admit it's nice having pockets with bottoms in them again (and more than one!).

 

[fredaevans]

"It ain't broke, don't fix it."
:thumbsup:

But I hear the words of "the boz." Father's do what they must .....

 

[gfirob]

Save that vest, go get one of the waist packs (of the size you like) and give that a try. My advice would be to get a small pack and use the vest only when you really need it, when you really need all that stuff in it, and try fishing unencumbered for a while and see if you like it. If you don't, go back to vest world, old or new, if you do like it, new horizons open for you. That's my wisdom for the day (and it used up my full supply).

 

[russellb]

Great responses, thanks! I have a chest pack and a waste pack so I do go minimalist at times but a couple of my rivers require the full arsenal.

 

[troutnut4]

I have two vests, one for my salmon gear which is hot and heavy. The other holds all my trout gear. What I found was that I was carrying way too much in the pockets. When I took out the seldom used or not used at all gear , I realized a SIMMS waist pack was all that was needed. I now carry two Wheatley and two smaller fly boxes and everything I need in that waist pack. It's lighter and more comfortable IMHO.

 

[mcnerney]

I have two vests, one for my salmon gear which is hot and heavy. The other holds all my trout gear. What I found was that I was carrying way too much in the pockets. When I took out the seldom used or not used at all gear , I realized a SIMMS waist pack was all that was needed. I now carry two Wheatley and two smaller fly boxes and everything I need in that waist pack. It's lighter and more comfortable IMHO.

That is exactly my experience with vests, I just "HAD TO HAVE" all that gear stuffed in the vest and I finally got tired of the sore shoulders and pain in the neck and moved on to an Orvis Sling Pack, it doesn't hold much so it forces me to make decisions on what I "REALLY" need for any particular trip. I just didn't have any self control with the vests. I've never tried the waist pack but I think that would be a good option as well.

 

[Rip Tide]

:ranting3:
I have no sympathy with folks that feel the need to stuff everything that they own into their fly vests and then complaint about their lack of control.

Do I buy a bottle of whiskey and drink the whole thing at once ?
Okay, maybe that's a bad example

I use the same LLBean trout vest that I've had since the late '70s.
It's been repaired a number of times and could use a little work right now, but it's still got some years in it and I wouldn't think of ever replacing it.

 

[silver creek]

So I purchased my current vest, a Patagonia Vertical Pocket, back in 91. It's survived my from my formative to my guiding/college years, its seen trips to the Frying Pan, San Juan as well as countless trips to the White and Norfork in Arkansas.

I wore this while I caught my largest trout on a dry fly, 26 inch rainbow on an elk hair caddis in Wisconsin. It is faded beyond imagination but bares my FFF patch on the back. The velcro and zippers still function but the garment is clearly getting tired.

I just feel that if I get a new one I would be turning my back on an old companion. But I am a realist, what are your thoughts?

I would send it to Patagonia with a letter and the form below. In your letter state how you feel about the vest and I think you have a good chance of getting it repaired for free.

I have two identical Patagonia Vests that have velcro closures that eventually wear out. They put in new velcro closures for free. This last time they put in new velcro and the repaired a zipper that was pulling out of the fabric.

http://www.patagonia.com/pdf/en_US/patagonia_repairs_form.pdf

 

[fredaevans]

I have two vests, one for my salmon gear which is hot and heavy. The other holds all my trout gear. What I found was that I was carrying way too much in the pockets. When I took out the seldom used or not used at all gear , I realized a SIMMS waist pack was all that was needed. I now carry two Wheatley and two smaller fly boxes and everything I need in that waist pack. It's lighter and more comfortable IMHO.

Dear God can I ever relate!

40 (or more?) years back I was a gear chucker (chasing Steel in NW Washington). Took a 'dump' in the 'Sky' and sank like a rock. Got out of the river and back to the car soaking wet head to toe. Out of my gear and an old towel around my middle.

Oh, forgot to mention this was early Feb., and there was a couple of feet of snow on the ground ..... :exercise:

Home, hot shower, kids doing a 'Neeener:icon_mrgr-Neeener:icon_mrgrr-Neener:icon_mrgr;' "You fell in the River, Neener ..." never mind. I took them out of my Will a couple of days later.

End game was (buck neeked) weighted me with/without vest. Sweet Jesus it gained close to 15 pounds with the thing on. No wonder the 'sink like a rock!'

Started to pull stuff out of the pockets/back and 90% of it had never seen the light of day. Few days later I had a 'fanny pack.' If you can't prove you need it (do you really need 5'ish pounds of pencil lead, pyramid sinkers?) why do you 'need it?'

Today, save for a full on days float trip, if it won't go in my shirt pockets, or the little pouch in the front of my Dan Baily's, "skip it!" Need something else, no biggie .. the Jeep's a couple hundred yards away.

Fred

 

[ditz]

I say keep the old one if it works for you. .....I still have my old vest I bought 40 years ago but I changed to a shoulder bag many years ago. I used to have an old army gas mask bag that I wished I still had but it came up missing during one of our moves. I have had a few since then but none have the feel of the old army bag that a friend gave me. I assume it was a WWII bag. Down here in middle TN it is much too hot during our long summers to wear a vest.:thumbsup:

 

[kevin2]

that is a great idea! I try to keep all my old sporting stuff and hang it in my game room. Might have to hang my vest up too...

To reduce withdrawal symptoms I hung it on the chair at my tying table and it keeps me company while I'm tying!

 

[half fast]

Do old vests really disintegrate? I've had mine since around 1975, and I suspect I'll disintegrate before it does. I certainly have had a lot more damage over the years than the vest has.

 

[theboz]

Do old vests really disintegrate? I've had mine since around 1975, and I suspect I'll disintegrate before it does. I certainly have had a lot more damage over the years than the vest has.

If they are made of canvas like some old ones the bottom of the pockets just disappear! I think mine had on good pocket left!

 

[jcw355]

Dear God can I ever relate!

40 (or more?) years back I was a gear chucker (chasing Steel in NW Washington). Took a 'dump' in the 'Sky' and sank like a rock. Got out of the river and back to the car soaking wet head to toe. Out of my gear and an old towel around my middle.

Oh, forgot to mention this was early Feb., and there was a couple of feet of snow on the ground ..... :exercise:

Home, hot shower, kids doing a 'Neeener:icon_mrgr-Neeener:icon_mrgrr-Neener:icon_mrgr;' "You fell in the River, Neener ..." never mind. I took them out of my Will a couple of days later.

End game was (buck neeked) weighted me with/without vest. Sweet Jesus it gained close to 15 pounds with the thing on. No wonder the 'sink like a rock!'

Started to pull stuff out of the pockets/back and 90% of it had never seen the light of day. Few days later I had a 'fanny pack.' If you can't prove you need it (do you really need 5'ish pounds of pencil lead, pyramid sinkers?) why do you 'need it?'

Today, save for a full on days float trip, if it won't go in my shirt pockets, or the little pouch in the front of my Dan Baily's, "skip it!" Need something else, no biggie .. the Jeep's a couple hundred yards away.

Fred

That was one heavy vest. Mine, with net, a little over a 1/3 of that weight. Acceptable to me. I wish my waders had inside pockets, it has four outside pockets.

 

[siege]

I have had the same vest since the 70's. Some of the zippers quit working, and there are a few barb wire snags in it, but still usable. My problem seems to be that what I wear starts to shrink as it hangs in the closet. This began as I got older and a little less active. The vest got pretty tight, my pants got hard to button, and after I bought some pants that matched my increased girth, I started looking at vests. My sons wear chest packs, and love 'em, so I tried one.I bought a small one first. Didn't hold enough. Bought a bigger one, and it's great. Holds all I REALLY need, easy to use, and lighter. Try something new ? Might add to your enjoyment !

 

[half fast]

I guess I won't get to find out if the old one ever disintegrates. Yesterday She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed gave me a new Simms mesh vest for my birthday. It has so many pockets I'll probably waste half my fishing time trying to find which one I put my streamers in.

 

[streamborn_jr77]

I have a wood river bag that barely holds together it was passed down to me by my pop's... Personally i dont think i will ever get rid of that bag! neither should you your vest lol