Fly fishing anglers have traditionally used a fly fishing vest to carry their fly fishing equipment whilst fishing. These vests are comfortable and provide many pockets for storage of fishing gear and accessories. Fly fishing vests have been used by anglers for many years, but recently with the introduction of the fishing chest pack, anglers now have another option for carrying their fly fishing gear whilst wading through rivers and streams. What are the advantages of chest packs, and what should one look out for when buying a fishing chest pack?
The first advantage of a fishing chest pack is that it forces you to be more selective on the fly fishing gear that you carry. Because chest packs generally have less pockets and storage space than vests, they force the angler to pack only essential items and not the entire “kitchen sink”. Vests quite often have at least 15 pockets, and fully laden with gear can be quite heavy and uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Chest packs can be more comfortable on the shoulders when wearing for extended periods.
A fly fishing chest pack also allows the angler to wade into deeper water than a fly fishing vest whilst keeping your fly fishing equipment dry. Also a good fishing chest pack can be adjusted to ride higher when wading into deep water. Chest packs also put your fly fishing accessories in the most convenient place, right under your nose.
If fishing in a warm environment, fishing in a full fishing vest can get very hot – using a fishing chest pack will keep you a lot cooler. Vests also tend to be on the large size, and may flap around and snag on branches or boulders. Chest packs fit more snugly and don’t snag as easily.
Before buying a fishing chest pack, serious consideration must be made on how much fly fishing equipment you will need to carry. Chest packs come in many different sizes and styles – some have only a single pouch in the front, others may have double pouches, whilst others may be a vest/chest pack hybrid, and contain many pouches and pockets.
A water resistant fishing chest pack is a good idea to keep your fly fishing gear dry (note that water resistant does not mean that the pack can be submerged under the water). Some packs come with a special waterproof pouch (with waterproof zippers) to keep your cell phone, wallet and keys dry. Top-of-the-range chest packs are fully waterproof.
What has become extremely popular for the minimalist angler is the chest/lumbar pack. A chest/lumbar pack is a small pack that you can wear strapped to your chest as a conventional chest pack, but can also be worn as a lumbar pack (or hip pack) around your hips.
Another popular type of fishing chest pack is the chest/back pack, which combines a chest pack on the front of your body, linked via shoulder straps to a back pack on your back. A chest/back pack is quite versatile, and allows you to detach the chest pack from the back pack, and to wear each item separately. Also, dividing the weight of your fishing gear between your front and back balances your body better.
A fishing chest pack may come with a water bottle holder, or with a built in “hands-free” hydration system. A hydration system is where a water reservoir (or bladder) can be inserted into the pack, and a small hose leads from this reservoir allowing the wearer to drink hands-free. Other chest packs have a flip-out workbench table, which is very handy for tying knots or selecting flies whilst fishing in the water.
- Chest/Lumbar (Hip) Packs
- Chest/Back Packs
- Conventional Chest Packs
Tags: chest pack, fishing chest pack, fly fishing chest pack
