wjlapier
Well-known member
Damn these are expensive. But regardless I'm interested in either one. Leaning towards the Lumbar. Anyone use one of these extensively and can comment on it?
Fishpond Thunderhead Sling/Lumbar Anyone?
- Thread starter wjlapier
- Start date
djb_88
Active member
I have the sling and I love it. I’ve used a variety of packs and this is by far the best of them. I also second the statement that it holds a ton. If I lost mine I’d by another quickly.
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wthorpe
Well-known member
I got a Patagonia Stormfront sling over a year ago. At first i almost gave up on it. Did not like sling feature. Did not like the waterproof feature that seemingly leads to not having many internal pockets/dividers, etc. But over time it has really grown on me. i DO like the sling, and i effectively replaced internal pockets and dividers with some quart and gallon size clear plastic bags. My 30L Pat bag holds 5+ boxes of flies, water, snack, rain jacket, tippet, leaders, bobbers, split shot, and so forth, plus i once stuffed some waders in it.
wjlapier
Well-known member
I went with the lumbar version. I'll report back once I gave it a trial run.
m3moser
Member
The sling has worked great for me plus, being watertight, when dropped in the water out of a boat it also can be chased downstream and saved.
Hi
I have the lumbar pack. It is absolutely awesome/amazing, I really love it. It holds tons of stuff, I generally have 4 large C&F and 4 regular C&F flyboxes in it plus a couple of sandwiches plus a half liter water bottle and I still have room in it!
One thing to know: the zipper being waterproof it is a bit "hard" to operate so you have to use both hands. Does t bother me at all, all the more so as you can leave the pack open: thanks to the fairly rigid construction, everything stays in place!
It costed me a fortune to import from the US (item not commercialised in Europe!) but I would do it again if I were to loose it.
Can't recommend enough
Pat
I have the lumbar pack. It is absolutely awesome/amazing, I really love it. It holds tons of stuff, I generally have 4 large C&F and 4 regular C&F flyboxes in it plus a couple of sandwiches plus a half liter water bottle and I still have room in it!
One thing to know: the zipper being waterproof it is a bit "hard" to operate so you have to use both hands. Does t bother me at all, all the more so as you can leave the pack open: thanks to the fairly rigid construction, everything stays in place!
It costed me a fortune to import from the US (item not commercialised in Europe!) but I would do it again if I were to loose it.
Can't recommend enough
Pat
I have the sling version and think it's the most functional fishing pack I've ever used. I like that it carries comfortably and with stability with only the main over the shoulder strap; I've not needed to use the stabilizing strap, which becomes something else to tangle when the pack is shifted around to the front.
And the net sleeve is a great way to carry my long-handled net. It's out of the way and doesn't shift the way nets typically do when using a net-release lanyard to attach the net to the pack.
And the net sleeve is a great way to carry my long-handled net. It's out of the way and doesn't shift the way nets typically do when using a net-release lanyard to attach the net to the pack.
chi.fly.guy
Active member
About a month ago I picked up a thunderhead sling. My previous sling was the Fishpond Summit and I loved so much about it but wanted something that would keep the water out of my bag when I took a tumble (after all, you're not really trying until you're covered in mud and soaked).
The guys at my local shop told me to go with Patagonia but after feeling the material of both bags, I liked the thunderhead much more. Only thing is that I wish it was a touch larger to hold a jacket or if it had some bungee style pouches on the inside to keep my gear in place.
So last weekend was the first trip I was able to test out the bag and boy did it get tested! First test was impact (not planned). I went to take a step and lo and behold, there wasn't any firm ground under my foot! Bag was perfectly fine.
Second test was waterproof-ness of the smaller outside pocket. I put small things like my license in there. A few guys I spoke with said that the outer pocket isn't submersible waterproof but even in a good rain, whatever is in there will stay dry. Thanks to a quick and unexpected fall shower, I got to confirm that! The rain wasn't anything amazing but it was enough that I was annoyed. Cut to about 45 minutes after the rain started and it finally leaves. I check on my papers and boom they're as dry as can be! Check that box as a win!
Third and most important but least favorite test was the main compartment and it's waterproof-ness and submersible test. Let's set the scene shall we? Small farm creek with a hay field on one bank and the other bank is forest. Afternoon fishing about 52 and overcast. I entered the water on the south bank (hay field side) and after throwing about a dozen times into a pool that should've been teeming with trout, I decide to move along. I step off the small rock submerged that I was on and step on to what I thought was another rock. Turned out it was mud. So I tried to quick step to the next spot and that was also mud. So both boots are stuck about ankle deep in the mud and muck. I pull the back foot and took about the slowest fall I've ever had in my life. So now I'm on my knees up to my waist in the water and my Drake Waterfowl jacket is soaked on the bottom third. The bag however, is floating above water still across my body. My dad who was about 75 yards away says "you're really putting that bag through quite a test aren't you?" After I got my footing, I went to get off on the forest side of the bank. I went to step on the bank and due to rain overnight, my boot slides off the footing I had and "Timber!" big tree falls hard yet again in the water. Bag totally fine! Once I finally pull my body up on the bank, I check my bag. Aside from my stuff being shifted every which way, everything is perfectly dry and the bag itself is dry as well!
Will I say it's the best $230 I've spent? Ehh
Will I say it's the best sling pack I've owned? Absolutely!
Will I buy the lumbar bag or possibly another sling just because I want to have another and I love the cutthroat orange? Yup!
I'm telling you, if you're accident prone, if you fish places with mud bottoms, if you don't want your gear to get wet, if you want a sling pack that stays in place, this is as good as it gets!
Some slight adjustments that I'd like to see would be a spot for fly storage on the outside. Nothing major just something that would be nice. Also some bungee pockets inside would be nice for smaller items. But thanks to all the attachment points, I was able to make a few mods to better suit me. For instance, I added the simms water bottle holder to the bottom of the bag so I can carry my hydro flask or yeti rambler and not worry about it messing up my gear that I put in the major pouch to keep it dry.
So if anyone is looking to buy a sling pack and they want to make sure the stuff in their bag stays dry and safe, this is the bag for you! If you want something with a flip out dry fly pouch, I'm going to say look at the summit or another bag.
The guys at my local shop told me to go with Patagonia but after feeling the material of both bags, I liked the thunderhead much more. Only thing is that I wish it was a touch larger to hold a jacket or if it had some bungee style pouches on the inside to keep my gear in place.
So last weekend was the first trip I was able to test out the bag and boy did it get tested! First test was impact (not planned). I went to take a step and lo and behold, there wasn't any firm ground under my foot! Bag was perfectly fine.
Second test was waterproof-ness of the smaller outside pocket. I put small things like my license in there. A few guys I spoke with said that the outer pocket isn't submersible waterproof but even in a good rain, whatever is in there will stay dry. Thanks to a quick and unexpected fall shower, I got to confirm that! The rain wasn't anything amazing but it was enough that I was annoyed. Cut to about 45 minutes after the rain started and it finally leaves. I check on my papers and boom they're as dry as can be! Check that box as a win!
Third and most important but least favorite test was the main compartment and it's waterproof-ness and submersible test. Let's set the scene shall we? Small farm creek with a hay field on one bank and the other bank is forest. Afternoon fishing about 52 and overcast. I entered the water on the south bank (hay field side) and after throwing about a dozen times into a pool that should've been teeming with trout, I decide to move along. I step off the small rock submerged that I was on and step on to what I thought was another rock. Turned out it was mud. So I tried to quick step to the next spot and that was also mud. So both boots are stuck about ankle deep in the mud and muck. I pull the back foot and took about the slowest fall I've ever had in my life. So now I'm on my knees up to my waist in the water and my Drake Waterfowl jacket is soaked on the bottom third. The bag however, is floating above water still across my body. My dad who was about 75 yards away says "you're really putting that bag through quite a test aren't you?" After I got my footing, I went to get off on the forest side of the bank. I went to step on the bank and due to rain overnight, my boot slides off the footing I had and "Timber!" big tree falls hard yet again in the water. Bag totally fine! Once I finally pull my body up on the bank, I check my bag. Aside from my stuff being shifted every which way, everything is perfectly dry and the bag itself is dry as well!
Will I say it's the best $230 I've spent? Ehh
Will I say it's the best sling pack I've owned? Absolutely!
Will I buy the lumbar bag or possibly another sling just because I want to have another and I love the cutthroat orange? Yup!
I'm telling you, if you're accident prone, if you fish places with mud bottoms, if you don't want your gear to get wet, if you want a sling pack that stays in place, this is as good as it gets!
Some slight adjustments that I'd like to see would be a spot for fly storage on the outside. Nothing major just something that would be nice. Also some bungee pockets inside would be nice for smaller items. But thanks to all the attachment points, I was able to make a few mods to better suit me. For instance, I added the simms water bottle holder to the bottom of the bag so I can carry my hydro flask or yeti rambler and not worry about it messing up my gear that I put in the major pouch to keep it dry.
So if anyone is looking to buy a sling pack and they want to make sure the stuff in their bag stays dry and safe, this is the bag for you! If you want something with a flip out dry fly pouch, I'm going to say look at the summit or another bag.
dennyk
Well-known member
I do have the Fishpond Summit sling and have been very happy with it for cold weather fishing. Once the temperature drops I swap out my vest contents and load up the sling. With heavy clothing it works much better for me then the vest, especially when needing the handwarmer pockets which are on my wool vest.I suppose access to pants pockets would be easier with the sling as well.
Denny
Denny
wjlapier
Well-known member
I used the lumbar pack for half a day and decided to sell it. For some reason it didn't feel right on my hip and I had a hard time with the ergonomics of it with a net and wading staff, as well as accessing my flies which I sometimes have to change out often. And it was too big compartment-wise.
I did find a smaller Fishpond Westwater Lumbar pack recently for a lot less and it was brand-new. Figured this one was smaller and looked like it might work better. It has so far. I'm still wrestling with the net/wading staff placement but for the amount of gear I bring fishing and the way the pack feels on my hip or back I really like it.
I did find a smaller Fishpond Westwater Lumbar pack recently for a lot less and it was brand-new. Figured this one was smaller and looked like it might work better. It has so far. I'm still wrestling with the net/wading staff placement but for the amount of gear I bring fishing and the way the pack feels on my hip or back I really like it.
tcorfey
Well-known member
I have the Fishpond Summit Sling and it's okay.
I like the net sleeve and it has plenty of compartments for most stuff but, it is a little small for me. I am 6'5" and about 300 lbs. So anything that is rated for one size fits all is usually a little small. My biggest issue is that the the shoulder strap sits too high on my shoulder so where I want to attach items to the strap is sometimes slipping behind my back. I now attach everything to the bag itself. I had to extend all the straps out to their limits no slack there. The other issue I have is because of the weight of stuff in the bag the front straps ride high on my torso and then the stuff in my shirt pockets gets pushed up and out with some shirts. I solved that by attaching my water bottle to the cross strap which offsets the weight of the pack and keeps the crossing straps in the front lower on my torso. Of course now when I want to swing the pack to the front to get in to the pack I have to be careful not to lose my water bottle. I have several different ways of traveling on the river from back packs to day packs, several slings, chest packs, vests etc. I don't have anything I would rate a 10 out of 10. The Summit Sling is probably my most used bag and it is probably a 6 or 7 out of 10. Basically it is just another tool I use and I choose to use different tools depending on the weather and what kind of fish I am after.
Regards,
Tim C.
I like the net sleeve and it has plenty of compartments for most stuff but, it is a little small for me. I am 6'5" and about 300 lbs. So anything that is rated for one size fits all is usually a little small. My biggest issue is that the the shoulder strap sits too high on my shoulder so where I want to attach items to the strap is sometimes slipping behind my back. I now attach everything to the bag itself. I had to extend all the straps out to their limits no slack there. The other issue I have is because of the weight of stuff in the bag the front straps ride high on my torso and then the stuff in my shirt pockets gets pushed up and out with some shirts. I solved that by attaching my water bottle to the cross strap which offsets the weight of the pack and keeps the crossing straps in the front lower on my torso. Of course now when I want to swing the pack to the front to get in to the pack I have to be careful not to lose my water bottle. I have several different ways of traveling on the river from back packs to day packs, several slings, chest packs, vests etc. I don't have anything I would rate a 10 out of 10. The Summit Sling is probably my most used bag and it is probably a 6 or 7 out of 10. Basically it is just another tool I use and I choose to use different tools depending on the weather and what kind of fish I am after.
Regards,
Tim C.
chi.fly.guy
Active member
Tim has a great point! It's more about the weather you're going to fish in that dictates what you'll use.
Like for myself, in the spring or early fall, I'll use my thunderhead sling if I'm going to be out fishing for a while. It holds a ton of stuff and it actually helps retain heat off your back. If I'm going out for maybe 2 hours, I could use a smaller bag since I won't need to bring extras like lunch, extra drink, all of my fly boxes. But if it's going to be cool out and I'll be wearing an outer layer like my Drake LST pullover (which I highly recommend everyone look into getting), I might not use my sling because if I'm constantly rotating the pack around me, the jacket will get all bunched up and bother the heck out of me. I had that happen on my last trip and boy did that get under my skin a few times!
If it's warmer out and I'll be out fishing for a while, I'd be more inclined to go with my lumbar pack. This allows me to wear my camelbak if the weather is going to be really warm and I want to stay hydrated. It also allows me to not have my gear weighing me down and heating up my back and chaffing my shoulders and neck. But although my lumbar pack and sling are roughly the same size, I feel as if I can keep more items in my sling. So if it's warmer, I could wear my sling and carry my larger yeti rambler in it along with an emergency rain jacket.
All in all, it's up to the individual really. What are your average days on the water like? How many fly boxes do you carry? What else do you keep in your bag? That will dictate lumbar versus sling from my experiences.
When it comes to the thunderhead compared to other packs out there, think of a few more steps. Are you ok with not having a water bottle holding pocket? Are you alright with just having all of your stuff in one large compartment? Are you fine with not having a fold down workbench space like the summit?
Personally, the lack of a water bottle holder annoyed the heck out of me so I modified mine with a simms bottle holder and attached that to the bottom if the pack is on my back. That way, the stuff I want to keep dry stays dry in the bag but I'm able to keep a water bottle with me. The last thing someone wants is to buy a bag that is submersible and then have the water bottle they put in their dry bag leak on their stuff. Kinda defeats the purpose right? And sadly, Fishpond, Simms, Patagonia, and Orvis aren't really looking at that end of things. Maybe next year?
I don't mind all my stuff being in the same pocket but I want to do my best to keep it organized. So I bought a small pelican dry box for items like my phone and car keys. Kind of annoying to have the rattling sound when I'm walking but I know even if I slip or take a spill, my gear will be dry.
At first, I wasn't huge on not having a fold down workbench but I've gotten used to it. I just made sure to use a bigger fly box so I felt like I had more room to put the old fly and place the new fly and all of my other fussing.
Sorry for being so long-winded but when you're about to drop $200 on a pack, I think it's best to really look at all of the angles.
Like for myself, in the spring or early fall, I'll use my thunderhead sling if I'm going to be out fishing for a while. It holds a ton of stuff and it actually helps retain heat off your back. If I'm going out for maybe 2 hours, I could use a smaller bag since I won't need to bring extras like lunch, extra drink, all of my fly boxes. But if it's going to be cool out and I'll be wearing an outer layer like my Drake LST pullover (which I highly recommend everyone look into getting), I might not use my sling because if I'm constantly rotating the pack around me, the jacket will get all bunched up and bother the heck out of me. I had that happen on my last trip and boy did that get under my skin a few times!
If it's warmer out and I'll be out fishing for a while, I'd be more inclined to go with my lumbar pack. This allows me to wear my camelbak if the weather is going to be really warm and I want to stay hydrated. It also allows me to not have my gear weighing me down and heating up my back and chaffing my shoulders and neck. But although my lumbar pack and sling are roughly the same size, I feel as if I can keep more items in my sling. So if it's warmer, I could wear my sling and carry my larger yeti rambler in it along with an emergency rain jacket.
All in all, it's up to the individual really. What are your average days on the water like? How many fly boxes do you carry? What else do you keep in your bag? That will dictate lumbar versus sling from my experiences.
When it comes to the thunderhead compared to other packs out there, think of a few more steps. Are you ok with not having a water bottle holding pocket? Are you alright with just having all of your stuff in one large compartment? Are you fine with not having a fold down workbench space like the summit?
Personally, the lack of a water bottle holder annoyed the heck out of me so I modified mine with a simms bottle holder and attached that to the bottom if the pack is on my back. That way, the stuff I want to keep dry stays dry in the bag but I'm able to keep a water bottle with me. The last thing someone wants is to buy a bag that is submersible and then have the water bottle they put in their dry bag leak on their stuff. Kinda defeats the purpose right? And sadly, Fishpond, Simms, Patagonia, and Orvis aren't really looking at that end of things. Maybe next year?
I don't mind all my stuff being in the same pocket but I want to do my best to keep it organized. So I bought a small pelican dry box for items like my phone and car keys. Kind of annoying to have the rattling sound when I'm walking but I know even if I slip or take a spill, my gear will be dry.
At first, I wasn't huge on not having a fold down workbench but I've gotten used to it. I just made sure to use a bigger fly box so I felt like I had more room to put the old fly and place the new fly and all of my other fussing.
Sorry for being so long-winded but when you're about to drop $200 on a pack, I think it's best to really look at all of the angles.
myt1
Well-known member
Gosh darn it, I didn't see this thread.
I just started a thread a second ago mentioning the Fishpond Thunderstruck Sling Pack for sale at Sierra Trading Post, sorry for the redundancy.
Fishpond Thunderhead Sling Pack - Save 34%
I just started a thread a second ago mentioning the Fishpond Thunderstruck Sling Pack for sale at Sierra Trading Post, sorry for the redundancy.
Fishpond Thunderhead Sling Pack - Save 34%
Nordiceod51
Member
I own both..after years a testing everything under the sun