Vest

[dr korn]

Folks, I'm looking to buy a new fly fishing vest.... I want the best.... If you could get any vest you wanted what would it be?... If you have one now you love, what is it?

[PRM]

Doug,
I've owned alot of them, and my favorite (by far) is the Simms G3 GUIDE VEST. There's something about the suspension in the shoulders that makes the vest feel very light. And I load it up pretty full...
Paul

[montana mike]

I would second PRM's words. Just bought the Simm's G3 vest. Well made and designed by a thinking fisherman. Worth the cost.

[herefishy]

I have a Patagonia, the best thing about it is the vertical pockets - I hate to have things fall out when I forget to re-zip. It's the one that comes with a pack that can be connected, but it is really only a back pocket and two front sections connected with straps - very light yet carries a lot.

[Eight Thumbs]

I've got Simms vest that has served me very well over the years. Top quality and design. 8T

[WarrenP]

Filson Strap Vest - My favorite

[Jayatwork]

I will second the Filson Strap vest. It holds just the right amount of stuff.

[Longs for Cutts]

Doug:

I have a G3. I've had to sew the net holder back on (after they did it once) and had to restitch all the main pockets at least once. I've had it since 2007 and it will be done after this season; you know how often I actually wear a vest, since I guide out of the boat so much more than on foot.

[Buddy Sanders]

I don't think the 'brand' is as important as how it's layed out.

The purpose of such a tool is to hold your stuff securely and with some semblance of organization and access.

Before I bought my last vest, having been dispointed with a couplebefore it, I took several of my fly boxes and stuff that I usually carry with me to the store and made sure that things would FIT and wouldn't fall out or be hard to get out of the pockets.

Suprisingly, none of the name brand vests would hold my boxes.

Now, if I'd been willing to buy all new fly boxes that would have fit the Simms, I'd have bought one, but wasn't going to do that, so I didn't.

So, I went to the local miltary surplus store and found a G.I. photographers vest...pricey at $99 but it holds tons of stuff, is very comfortable to wear, and I only had to make very few modifications to it to make it an ideal fly fishing tool (add a hole for tippet to pass through, sew on a fly patch and sew a seam to segment one of the bigger pockets into two). This one will last the rest of my life.

Good Luck!

Buddy

[dr korn]

But Wally, what would you buy? ..... I put it off last year but this year I gotta get one ..... I can get the Simm's Guide Vest here for $80..... http://www.wyomingflyfishing.com/Sim...ale-P1720.aspx a big difference from the G3 @ $200......

How about this one? http://www.wyomingflyfishing.com/Pat...ale-P1670.aspx

The Filson strap vest is not a bad idea..... it's simple, but I worry about the open type back pocket and stuff falling out....

The other thing I hate is that we are always carrying at least 2 bottles of water with us and the vest rides up in front because of the weight in back......