Anybody who has ever fished with me and tried
to lift my fly vest knows I carry too much gear.
I have considered ways to reduce the stuff I
carry, but can't force myself to do it. I just
believe I need all that stuff. However, a fly
vest is somewhat akin to an oven on a hot, sunny
summer day, so I'm always on the lookout for
something with better airflow that will carry
all my stuff.
I've spent hours digging through the pockets
of various strap type vests, chest packs and
such at fly shows, but nothing I looked at
had enough pockets to carry all my stuff.
Most of the time, the pockets were to small
or too few; or they didn't have pockets at
all but instead had two large pouches, one
in front and one in back. I needed something
bigger and more organized, but there wasn't
anything like it on the market.
In April, Jim Seigle (the product representative
for Wind River Products) sent me a couple of strap
style vests to try out and abuse for a while.
Right away I knew they were far different than
anything I had looked at in the past. Either
vest would probably fit my needs, but I needed
to compare them to see which one I liked the
most. I had a hard time finding someone to
model the vests. My neighbor (an avid flyfisher)
was willing, but he wanted to rummage through my
fly boxes to see what I had that he needed. I
also conned a new flyfisher into wearing it for
photos by telling him he needed to try it out to
see how different it feels. Castle Creek is a
nicer setting than my neighbor's front yard.
Before I describe each vest individually, let
me explain the things they both have in common.
Both vests have an identical large rear pack
with a built-in 1-liter hydration system (water
bag), complete with a hose from the water pouch
to the strap near your head. The hose has a bite
valve so getting a quick drink is as easy as
putting the valve in your mouth, biting and
drinking. Both vests convert to a smaller
fanny pack to keep minimalists happy or keep
you cool on the hottest days. In either
configuration, they have a d-ring to attach a
net to. In the strap vest configuration, they
both have a bungee style raincoat or jacket
holder on the rear pack. Both have built-in
zingers to attach forceps or other hardware to,
and both come with a real wool patch for drying
your flies.
The South Fork Vest has a large front pack with
three large, zippered pockets. It has specialized
inside pockets for leaders, tippets and other
useful stuff, so nothing gets lost in the jungle,
so to speak. It holds almost all the stuff my
regular vest holds, but came up two small boxes
worth of capacity shy of holding all my fly boxes
up front, so I used it for my bass fishing stuff.
With a single pack up front and a single pack on
back, it goes on like a sweater (you put it on
over your head). It isn't what I would call really
unique, but I would call it very well designed,
larger than most, and built as sturdy as a truck.
It will probably last a lifetime of regular use.
I like the fact that it isn't nearly as hot as
my regular vest.
I was able to empty my regular vest into the
Headwaters Vest (the one in the pictures), fill
the water bag, and still have room for a lunch
or a camera in the back. It has two roomy packs
in the front and the common hydration pack in
the back. Like its sibling, it has zippered
pockets and inside pockets for the small stuff
we always carry, but can rarely find without a
search of all the vest pockets. Combined, the
two front packs hold just about two small fly
boxes more than the single pack of the South
Fork. One thing I liked a lot about the Headwaters
Vest is the buckle between the two front packs,
so this vest you put on like any other vest
instead of over your head.
Both vest designs are very breathable and much
cooler in the summer heat. Both can be adjusted
to fit the biggest or smallest person. I think
the Headwaters Vest is a little more open to allow
more airflow, especially on that chubby belly of
mine. The heavy cordura fabric on all the packs
is waterproofed from the inside so all my stuff
stays dry in those unexpected thunderstorms that
pop up in the early summer afternoons. The inside
surfaces of the rear pack and the front packs of
the Headwaters vest that touch the fisherman are
mesh lined for breathability. The nylon web
material that goes over the shoulders is wide
enough to be comfortable when worn all day, even
with all the stuff I carry.
At first I thought the roughly $110 retail price
tag for the South Fork and the $130 tag for the
Headwaters vest were awfully steep, but then I
did some comparing. Filson offers a nice strap
vest without the hydration system similar to the
Headwaters Vest for about $40 more. They also
offer something similar to the South Fork without
the hydration system for about $15 more. Cabelas
offers something similar to the Headwaters Vest
with smaller front packs and fewer adjustments for
sizes (you have to buy the right size) for about
$120, but they sell the hydration system for it
separately (for another $15). Orvis offers something
nearly identical to the Cabelas system and includes
the hydration system for $95, but neither one will
come close to holding all my gear, and none of them
convert to a fanny pack. None of the offerings from
the competition are as breathable or hold as much stuff.
Considering size, features and price, I would say that
the Wind River strap type vests offer as much or more
for my money; and the Headwaters Vest is large enough
to hold all my stuff. I can't say that about any of
the offerings from their competition.
If you're in the market for something cooler
than that hot vest you've been wearing, but you
won't compromise on the amount of gear you want
to carry, one of these vests might be what you
have been looking for. After nearly four months
of testing, I'm pleased with both, and especially
the Headwaters vest for my everyday fishing needs.
If you are a retailer, you can obtain either
vest by contacting Wind River at:
Wind River
(company contact person is: Jim Siegle - siegles@chaffee.net)
5610 County Road 1
Erie, CO 80516
Ph: (303) 652-0648
Fax: (303) 652-0653
Or you can visit them on the web at www.windrivergear.com
~ Al Campbell
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