switched from vest to chest.

[GeorgeMcFly]

after seeing and admiring the dual chest packs for awhile and almost getting a william joseph pack for 70 bux on ebay tonight! I got outbidded at the last minute:icon_twis . (I just can't drop $130 on a pack) well I looked further than ebay and opted for a lesser named brand that had the same options as the william joseph minus the tippet dispenser. I picked up the watermark hydration chest pack for 50 bux plus free shipping. heres some pix and the specs. anyone have one? what are they like?




A well-built piece of equipment with a lifetime warranty at an amazing price!
Allow us to be blunt: fishing out of a vest sucks. Small impractical pockets, poor tool storage, and nowhere to hold your box when you’re tying-on, are the benchmarks of a standard vest.

The Hydro Pack is the result of many hours spent on the river. It is a hybrid that will allow you to carry everything for a full day on the river, while giving you easy access to all of your tools. The fold-down workstations will give you the ability to select a fly without fumbling. It will do all the things a vest can’t, but will keep you in the realm of old school.

Features:

Dual fold down workstations can be used for fly foam or to attach fly boxes with Velcro
Four, yes four, integrated zingers / retractors and two built-in floatant holders
Loads of pockets, dividers and compartments to keep even the biggest gadget-junkie organized
Fully breathable suspension keeps you cool and on the water longer
Adjustable strap lengths in the shoulder and waist for a "one-size-fits-all" pack
Dual rod holder, net attachment D-ring and multiple lash features
Spacious back compartment that features two additional zippered pockets
Hydration compatible (bladder sold separately, the 100 oz fits best)
Dimensions:

Chest Pouches (each): 9" x 6" x 2"
Backpack: 16" x 13" (approx 1000 cu. in.)
Color:

Dark Tan / Olive


Watermark Warranty: We're not going to beat around the bush here with a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo. Here’s the deal: all Watermark equipment has a lifetime warranty against things which are our fault. Things that are your fault we will fix with little cost to you. You also have our guarantee that you will be happy with how your issues were taken care of. There, we couldn’t think of a simpler way to put it. From the makers of William Joseph packs, but were not supposed to tell you that.

 

[GRN]

I abandoned vests when the Fishpond Double Haul showed up in the shop, I prefer the center pack design to the "D cup" design... a shop joke. What I really dig about the Fishpond designs is that many of them have interchangeable components, the next year I bought... think it's called the Glacier Pack which came with "D's" up front, but also accepted the center front pack from the Double Haul... I bought it to have a larger back pack component and sold off the "D's". Willy J and Fishpond have both put out some great designs in the last few years, we added Willy J in the shop this year primarily to pick up the wader and jacket lines, sweet stuff IMO.

TL's~

 

[GeorgeMcFly]

was gonna get the single pack design at 1st but it seemed bulky to me almost like you had a major beer belly going on. thats why I opted for the double d's :wink: since I figured I could look down infront of me and see where i'm wading.. this being said I never tried um on in person tho cause I have no fly shop that sells um. only gander mountain and last time I looked they had just vests like I got now. so for all I know they aren't as bulky as I thought. as long as this is better than my guide series vest I will be happy. seen a few singles that looked to swing over your shoulder caveman style also that looked neat. I already wear a regular vest and wear a hydratration backpack over that so to me this is kinda putting together 2 items in one for me.

 

[MTskibum]

I love my chestpack, I will never go back to a vest again.

 

[Jackster]

I can't use them. Being a klutz I just have to see where my feet are, especially in some of the steeper pocket water areas I fish in.
I just bought a WJ Solo for the pond out back. Even that little artificial beer belly has me worried.

 

[philthy]

I switched to a Willy J Coastal with the tippet dispenser last fall and haven't looked back! Tons of storage and I like the way the pockets fold down into a "table". It'll sure be nice this summer when the temps get up near 100. I'm in the market for an inflatable PFD now with the flows going up to 3000 today on the San Juan. Will look real hard at the belt style to keep everything out of the way.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi to all,

I have tried the double vertical chest packs and the vertical pockets on a vest. I found that the vertical pockets are a good idea but all that I have tried have the pockets too far apart. The right side pocket interfered with my casting arm and both bothered me when rowing.

My most recent favorite is the Orvis Safe Passage Compact Chest Pack. The adjustment straps allows me to pull the pack tight against my chest and it doesn't move around when I lean over. It doesn't interfere with rowing. It has a "D" ring at the back for hanging a net when wading. It is small enough in size that I am not carrying too much stuff. The over shoulder straps are wide and distributes the weight well. A very handy little chest pack.


Orvis Safe Passage

 

[Chris Mason]

Hey Frank, I also have this same chest pack and I love it. The only problem I have is I try to take 2 boxes of flies with me, (1 for drys and 1 for nymphs/wet). It gets real tight trying to fit 2 boxes. I guess I could always try to find a little smaller fly boxes. I use Scientific Anglers "System X" boxes and I really like them.

 

[GeorgeMcFly]

i have a system x box also. great fly box hold loads of flies! winder if it will fit in mine? if not I still got the large backpack part I guess lol. I have lots of other fly boxes too but I will just take what I need for the day.
thanks for all the comments and tips. I will let ya know how I like it. if not I can always try a different one.

 

[Joni]

Man I have been VEST both one in mesh and one with zip of fleece sleeves. Vest is great, but sometimes a pain, specially in the winter with a lot of cloths on.

Then I went the the really small Chest wallet figuring it would be a Provo River set up and I knew what flies to take. Soon out grew that theory. Bought one of the WJ chest packs and for me the tippet thing was harder than it looks so went to the Tippet Landyard.
I went to the fanny pack, from Orvis which also has that chest pack minus the "X" strap in the back which is nice cause a place to hang a net. Wore the Fanny Pack (Safe Passage) while guiding cause I could carry two water bottles (clients) But then there were trips that I had four clients at a time (which really sucks if they are newbies). Anyway, I can load the Fanny Pack with 6 system X boxes, plus leader, strike indicators, etc. I found I really like a Landyard even on stillwater so stuck with that, but then the chest packs became a hassle.
I bought one of the OLDER Orvis Hydration Packs which is awesome. A lot more rome than the new ones with even pouches on the side. Problem with the design, is it was very small and a normal man was just too big. Being a woman it fit me but I did make the shoulder straps longer. Great for Uinta trips.

While guiding with the fanny and water bottles it got kinda heavy on my hips, not to mention wading in deep water. I found I was taking it off and wearing it over my shoulder.
Which leads to what I now use and love it. The Orvis sling pack. A lot more room than the WJ and is perfect for me. Plus you swing it from front to back but the "D" ring for the net always stays in the middle.

 

[jimw]

Has anyone hear ever used a chest pack with a stripping basket? Does it work? I have been using an over the shoulder gear bag because a vest just wont work with a stripping basket. I have never tried a chest pack.

Jim

 

[fyshstykr]

Geez Joni, your as bad as I am!!!

In the past I've tried different vest, chest packs, fanny packs. a lanyard, no lanyard and now back to a lanyard, just never found the perfect set-up.

As of now, I still use my vest(Simms guide vest 10yrs old), it's usually always in the boat but really only gets used on a couple rivers, it has river specific boxes in it, still has the required gadgets also so I don't wear the lanyard with it.

I wear my lanyard constantly, and just work out of the boatbag for fly boxes, pulling out needed boxes at the start of the day, if I wander away from the boat I will grab a couple bugs to put in the fly patch or put the appropriate fly box in my pocket.

Overall.... for myself, the search for the perfect vest or pack has been an on-going quest, I'm not sure if there is a "perfect" set-up for everywhere.

 

[Joni]

Has anyone hear ever used a chest pack with a stripping basket? Does it work? I have been using an over the shoulder gear bag because a vest just wont work with a stripping basket. I have never tried a chest pack.

Jim

I use the WJ stripping basket and there again is why the fanny pack didn't work, but I am not seeing the problem with a vest.
I agree however that is another plus for the sling, forgot about the basket thing, but it works great.

 

[aroostookbasser]

Guess I am too old fashioned...like my vest, hate the voodoo necklace lanyard thingy......and these over prices packs are too "foo foo" for me. Just looking to carry my boxes and stuff out of the way but handy.

 

[MTskibum]

Here is the chestpack i use, its a little different than the otherones pictured. It is great for wading in chest deep water. The only downside has alot less storage than the other types pictured.

 

[Fly2Fish]

Technical Vests

I use the WJ stripping basket . . . but I am not seeing the problem with a vest.

Like Joni, I have had no problem using the WJ collapsible stripping basket with a vest, in my case, the WJ Fusion Vest. Unfortunately, I had to send back my Fusion Vest for a jammed zipper, and it turns out that they have discontinued the model. Although being the great company they are, they are refunding my purchase price (it had only been used once), I now have the problem of finding another vest with some of those great features the Fusion had, especially its two tool holsters along with their built-in zingers and its fold-down work bench. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[jimw]

I use a orvis basket and wear it high to keep waves from breaking inside of it th WJ basket IMO is not very good at keeping line untangled it is light and compact but with out the spikes on the bottom the line seems to clump up into a ball. I have tried a couple of different vest and they get in my way. I have never seen a sling pack? who makes them? I tried the highest cut vest i could find and the 2 lower front pockets always seem to find there way inside the basket.

 

[Joni]

jim, the sling I now use is this one:
http://www.orvis.com/store/product_...Prod_feeds*Prod_feeds*12082&CAWELAID=28341026

I had the WJ but it was a lot smaller.

FLY2FISH, WJ is about 5 minutes from my house, and they had there big year end clearance sale this LAST weekend. Don't feel too bad, I live that close and I didn't make it....DANG-IT!

 

[jimw]

Hi Joni
That looks pretty nice that just might be the ticket. I dont carry much but I do carry 2 Large fly boxes maybe a quart water bottle and tippet and a few tools. somedays i wade 10 plus miles and like to keep it light. the price seems pretty user friendly too.
thanks
Jim

 

[dorian.ducker]

I did recently buy the Fishpond Double haul backpack/chestpack combo. I really like it around my house, but haven't been fishing with it yet! I love that you can use the 2 separately. I think it is going to be the perfect setup for fishing the streams I like to fish all day long. The backpack doesn't get in the way of casting at all. Like it isn't even there!!