# Fishing Vest



## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

OK, the wife wants to get me a fishing vest. She's looking at a fishpond. What would everyone here say is the best practical vest for a day on the water? Versatile for over a tee or over a parka...


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

I have the fishpond wildhorse and a friend has the fishpond wasatch. Both are very comfortable and you can carry alot. I like the option of carrying more than i need sometimes so thats why i went for the wildhorse. i can carry everything for a overnight stay on the river. i love this vest..very adjustable to accommodate tee shirts or a large parka. lifetime warranty with these vests as well


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## fredg53 (Sep 17, 2010)

Look at a waist or hip pack instead of vest just switched out myself and love this route I got the simms headwater chest/hip pack it is awesome compact but I moved all gear from my vest and more than half my backpack to it now it is all I carry nothing else. 

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## fontinalis (Mar 29, 2011)

i am also a fan of the chest pack. I have a william joseph confluence pack that can carry enough goods for an overnight, or just a day on the water if i detach the front half


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## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

I'm also a fan of the chest pack.

Although to be truthful, I find myself scaling down these days, and there were times this past season where I simply wore a Columbia fishing shirt that I like - it's comfortable, has pockets for stuff like floatant, a reel of tippet, leaders and a small box of flies. 

My hardware, which includes a pair of hemostats, scissors and a clipper, are all on a retractor that I bought at Discount Drug Mart... LOL... 4 of them in a pack for 3 bucks. I simply clip this to whatever I'm wearing.

(I also have a magnifier attached to the brim of my fishing hat, because these eyes aren't seeing the way they used to, especially on some of those 16, 18 and 20 size hooks.  )

In short, these days I'm trying to keep things more compact, less bulky and most importantly, _light._

I've found that if I have one of those vests with a pocket for _everything_, I generally fill all the pockets with everything, which makes it tougher to find what I'm looking for because I have to sort through everything to find it... and very rarely do I end up using even half of what I'm carrying around.


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## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

I agree with Copperdon. I take way more than I need in a vest. I find my chest pack a bit cumbersome. I like the looks of the Fish Pond vest, but I am still not sold on the chest pack. I have worn a vest for thirty plus years of fishing. I think the fish pond vest will serve your needs and fit well over heavier clothing. Let us know what you get and how it works out for you.


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

Fishpond makes a very nice adjustable vest. I have 2 friends who own the Sagebrush Vest & they swear by it. They both use theirs year round (in Ohio & Iowa) even though it's mesh. After all, it's worn over a jacket in cold weather, yet will be cooler in the summer, right?

My advise is this...Your wife's generous thought is a vest & a very nice one at that. She has obviously put some thought into this, so let her know that her decision to consider a Fishpond is a good one. That will mean a lot to HER as receiving the vest will to you.
Just my thoughts,
Mike


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## jhammer (Jun 13, 2011)

I have a Flint Hills vest, but I never wear it because it's so nice I don't want to get it fishy and dirty. 

It's very nice and very comfortable. More so than my old Wally World vest I wore for years. 

However, I'm more of a lanyard man because of the numerous swims I take in the pristine Maumee River. 

One dunk there and your vest will never smell the same. Plus, wives don't take kindly to you using their washing machines after that happens.


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## bruceride (Aug 1, 2011)

I *love* my Flint Hills vest. And as others have said, it adjusts to fit over anything.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

I have the fishpond arroyo chest pack and love it. I where it around my waist instead of using it as a chest pack though. I always used to use a vest, and filled every single pocket, which got bulky so I downsized to a chest/waist pack. Although it doesn't have a lot of space, it still is big enough to carry all the necessities.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

We found a VERY lightly used Fishpond Wasatch for $35 at a thrift store the other day, and after we left, the wife said she had to go back in because she forgot something whilst I waited in the car. I'm HOPING she was Christmas shopping.  It didn't look used AT ALL, but it didn't have a water bladder in the back. I see on Ebay that they go for only like $23.00...


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

I have a fly vest but being a turkey hunter, I prefer a turkey vest. Drop the fanny pad off, lots of pockets, large game bag in back for raingear etc.


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