[SERE Nate]

I have been using a full fishing vest with backpack and I find that I'm just carrying too much stuff with me. I'm looking to downsize.
I've ruled out a sling as a like to hang my net off the back of my pack and it seems like it would be a pain to spin the sling around and have the net in the way. I also don't want a hip pack because I don't want to get the contents wet.

I'm leaning towards a waterproof chest harness that will hold 1 large fly box, cell phone, tippet, and a few other miscellaneous items. I prefer something that has dedicated pockets vs just an opening for a bunch of junk to get mixed up.

What should I look at?

 

[Cal I. Baetis]

I love my chest pack. Holds all my leaders, tippet, tools, and two or three boxes of flies. I also carry a full on back pack with food and water all my extra fly boxes and just throw it on the bank with my extra rod as I carry a dry fly rod and a rod rigged for wets and streamers. I don't carry a net anymore as I do not feel the need to touch or net everything I hook. I have heard stories of old elk, deer and duck hunters that just call the animals in to see how close they can get. I am not there yet but I am past the net. This is what works for me. I would just find a chest pack with decent capacity. You don't need your cell phone in your chest pack. Disconnect it's healthy. You don't need a picture of everything you do. Live in the moment. Phone=emergency. btw my pack is llbean.

 

[SpudFly]

I love my chest pack. Holds all my leaders, tippet, tools, and two or three boxes of flies. I also carry a full on back pack with food and water all my extra fly boxes and just throw it on the bank with my extra rod as I carry a dry fly rod and a rod rigged for wets and streamers. I don't carry a net anymore as I do not feel the need to touch or net everything I hook. I have heard stories of old elk, deer and duck hunters that just call the animals in to see how close they can get. I am not there yet but I am past the net. This is what works for me. I would just find a chest pack with decent capacity. You don't need your cell phone in your chest pack. Disconnect it's healthy. You don't need a picture of everything you do. Live in the moment. Phone=emergency. btw my pack is llbean.

I went with an Umqua zero sweep chest pack. The zero sweep part is that there is nothing to snag your line....and it works. I'm not sure of all of the sizes available, but I went with a big one. You can pair it up with their small backpack or go without. It has been a really nice addition to my fishing gear. A lot of thought went into that zero sweep idea and it has been greatly appreciated by me.

 

[Old Man]

I was going to ask, why do you need a cellphone when you fish or hike. There is no coverage in the woods or hills. I turn mine off when I get to the water. I go into the hills to get away from humanity. Don't want to hear all phones ringing and disrupting the quiet of nature.

 

[SERE Nate]

Does anyone use the William Joseph Confluence pack?

 

[SERE Nate]

I bring my phone for pictures, and I use it as a GPS with Google earth. Plus in case of an emergency it would be nice to be able to call for help. I turn it off while fishing.

 

[Kfish]

I've tried out a few recently as I too was looking for a chest pack.
Fishpond savage creek: really like the compartment layout, just the right size too, but the neck strap became a pain in the neck after a while.
Simms waypoint chest pack. The compartments are roomy and have good layout, but I felt I needed to balance it out with a net hanging in the back. Ultimately it felt awkward with a swinging net behind me as I walk.
I settled on a Unmqua zero sweep bandolier sling pack.
It's compact and light, hold everything I would need for the local river and can be worn either left or right shoulder.

 

[generic]

I was going to ask, why do you need a cellphone when you fish or hike. There is no coverage in the woods or hills. I turn mine off when I get to the water. I go into the hills to get away from humanity. Don't want to hear all phones ringing and disrupting the quiet of nature.

Not everywhere you go, is out of cell coverage.

Plus, there is a law now (passed a while back), that even if your carrier doesn't reach where you are at, 911 calls are allowed through other carriers.

 

[SERE Nate]

Where are you putting your net on the sling pack?

 

[Kfish]

Where are you putting your net on the sling pack?

If I carry a net then I would just tuck the net behind my back in the belt.
Mine is a wooden one and somewhat heavy, planning to get a lighter composite one next year.

 

[Old Man]

Not everywhere you go, is out of cell coverage.

Plus, there is a law now (passed a while back), that even if your carrier doesn't reach where you are at, 911 calls are allowed through other carriers.

You get out in the mountains here in Montana and you lose all coverage. Some places they will work But get behind a big tree or a big rock and your beyond cell range.

But here's one for you I can be at Barretts Park and lose coverage and then go to Pipe Organ access and have coverage.That's about 5 miles up a canyon.