# "Opinions.....



## RonT (May 4, 2008)

...are like....." ....well anyhow.
Have vests and tackle bags, am now considering a chest/sling pack to set up solely for Hybrid fishing. 
Orvis: 
-Safe Passage - Could be a player, have to try one on. 
-Sling Pac - Appears to be one handed (RH)
Fishpond:
- Airoyo - Compact, just the basics, another player
- Deepcreek - more basics, too much bulk (?)
Pros, cons...? Primary use will be shoreline/stream wading. 
R


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I bought my chest pack without any particular fish species in mind...and while I absolutely love it, I now am under the impression that a general purpose over the shoulder sling style is the way to go. My reasoning: All of these big flies I've tied have to go somewhere. Traditionally I have simply carried 2 or 3 of them mashed up in a compartment somewhere....but this coming season, I am going to carry 4 or 5 large streamer boxes and I can't think of a better way to carry them. 

Deceivers can stored flat & compressed...it's actually better for them...but clousers & flat wings need to be suspended in the box without any pressure on the their materials. 

The other advantage of choosing a bulk storage type sling...is you can choose from a bunch of manufacturers, not just flyfishing specifics. 

I think from your list, the Safe Passage looks pretty sweet. I'm also in the market for one so I will keep you updated with what I find!


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

This should do the trick!













I changed my image search from "Orvis sling pack" to simply "sling pack" and a lot more options popped up...including the joke above.


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## RonT (May 4, 2008)

Had one somewhat like that once...Olive Drab Green too....
I made a stripping basket and am running out of room, hence the need for minimalization. Never liked the Richardson chest packs, when I saw your pack it started the ball rolling.
R


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

My pack I'm using now is awesome for smallies, trout...a couple small boxes, a fold out foam fly holder, etc... but for these new boxes I made, it will only hold 2 of them and nothing else. Just not enough! I'm diggin' the sling packs, we'll see how much more money I can blow on fishing gear!


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## mystic4314 (May 20, 2006)

Here was all you needed last year to hit the hybrids so a small shoulder bag is enough


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## creekwalker (May 23, 2004)

I have a William Joseph Access chest pack that I basically carry like a sling pack but use the waist strap to hold it in place (hard to explain well). It essentially winds up on my back while I'm fishing, but I swing it around to a chest pack to change lures, etc. I could never get used to the chest pack in front of me (I primarily using spinning tackle), so I slung it over my shoulder. Works pretty well and I like the organization it provides. I seldom carry more than two small tackle box and a few accessories and fish mainly for smallies and hybrids (which ain't much these days)!

http://www.cabelas.com/mens-fishing-vests-chest-fanny-packs-william-joseph-access-chest-pack.shtml?type=product&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleBaseUSA&WT.z_mc_id1=1168250&rid=40&mr:trackingCode=EF06F915-921B-E011-8E88-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA


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## RonT (May 4, 2008)

looked at that... Will be at Cabela's in early Feb. to try on various types.
Thanks for the tip.
R


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Ron, the "Access" is the same pack I had on that day...



My cousin is a sheriff in Memphis when he's not fighting wars overseas.

Check out what he sent me!





















Sweetest pack I own! A medic's pack. Unbelievably rugged & thoughtful engineering. 

Changed the way I think about packs & how they should be made.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

I use an Orvis Sling Pack for most all of my fly fishing and love it. It stays out of your way when you want it away from your chest, but is easy to sling around and get into when you need something. There's a surprising amount of storage space, too. I usually fit 4 or 5 good sized fly boxes in it when I go out. If you are using conventional gear, you could load a lot of bags of soft plastics in it and a box or two of jigheads or whatever you're carrying that day. It's not like toting around a large tackle bag, but if you know what you need and don't carry everything you own it would work well!


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## steelheader007 (Apr 8, 2004)

This is the write up about the Pak "I've been using a backpack for fly fishing for several years now and I've seen the nature of the humble pack change. Today there are people who demand performance from mild to extreme and who use their packs for anything from serious wilderness trips to humping gear to the office or school. Osprey is a company that is grabbing for new heights, and was kind enough to let Fly Fish Ohio review the new Atmos 35 pack under the real conditions faced by lunatic fringe anglers. I took the Atmos to New York's demanding Niagra River for some late fall fishing, hiking steep and rugged trails under cold, wet conditions in search of trout and salmon. The pack not only passed the test, but did so with flying colors! 

The Atmos 35 is best suited for base camping; it's not designed to hike in a huge mound of gear plus all your fishing equipment. This pack capacity is simply not sufficient for that kind of wilderness load. But I've found this backpack ideally suits the fly fishing enthusiast! I've taken both day trips and overnight trips with the pack always loaded. The engineering of this pack is very well thought out. The panel loading system allows easy access to important gear. 

When selecting a pack, no matter what technical level you are, you'll want to give lot's of consideration to the size of the compartments. On the Atmos 35 the very outer-most compartment is a welded woven stretch pocket. This pocket can be used to hold tippet spools, spare reels, rain top, stocking-foot waders, fly boxes, or any other miscellaneous piece of gear that will fit. All of the pockets have ergonomic pull toggles, a feature that helps the backpacker get to the gear without the frustration of fumbling for the zipper. You know what you have when you feel it. The outer pocket is 8&#8221; across x 11&#8221; high and free forms to the object that is placed in its pocket. This pocket is secured by a single buckle directly above the pocket. The first interior pocket is approximately 8&#8221; wide x 10&#8221; high x 5&#8221; deep. The first interior pocket for me held several smaller items. I had at one time a bag of various strike indicators, and a few Cliff bars. Also, in the pocket was an 8&#8221;x2&#8221;x4&#8221; water proof box with my digital camera in it for easy access. Even with all these items there was still ample room to store more. 

There are two possible places to put a hydration bladder. The main pocket stores my 80 ounce hydration bladder with no problem. Conversely, a smaller bladder could be placed in-between the frame and the back panel of the pack. The main compartment is the full width (10.5&#8221, depth (6&#8221;-10&#8221, and height (22.5&#8221 of the pack. The main compartment was loaded on my last trip. I had 2 spare spools, one spare reel, 6 fly boxes ranging in sizes 10&#8221;x2x6&#8221; to 6&#8221;x2&#8221;4&#8221;, a water proofed bag that was holding a fleece that was 6&#8221; in diameter and 8&#8221; long. All of this loaded very well, and was extremely accessible while on the trip. 

The final pocket is at the top of the back and closest to your neck. This is the pocket that would hold items like keys, lighters, cigars, or any other items you do not want (potentially) immersed in water or mud. This pocket is 10&#8221;x6&#8221;x4&#8221; and is made of mesh. The high wear areas are made of codura material. This material allows you to set the pack where you want and does not show wear easily. The breathability of the pack is just about in every part of the pack. While walking countless river miles my shoulders and the middle of my back never felt fatigued. The shoulder straps and hip belt are made of waffle foam, and the mesh back panel is made to transfer heat away from the body. The Osprey Airspeed suspension frame utilizes materials such as aluminum. The flexibility of the aluminum can handle heavy loads, and all the torque you can put on the pack while carrying it. This pack does have removable sleeping pad straps that I used to conveniently to hold my rain jacket. The side panels of the pack make for great rod holders. The multi piece fly rod and spinning rod I brought on the trip was well protected. The weight of the pack is 2 pounds, and 9 ounces made of nylon and has a 2100 cubic inche volume." Fly Fish Ohio - Author Tom Gribble


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