I’m looking to pick up a hip/fanny pack and I’m not entirely sure which one to get. Right now I’m leaning towards the William Joseph Surge pack. But the Fishpond Waterdance Guide Pack and the Simms Drycreek hip pack all look like great options.
Does anyone have any of these? Any opinions on which one is better?
Also does anyone know if these can be used as a sling pack as well? My requirements were fairly simple. Something water resistance that can be used in the rain and or survive the occasional splashing and accidental dunking, and something with a water bottle pocket.
According to their website the Fishpond Waterdance Guide Pack is a chest or lumbar pack. I have the Blue River which is also advertised as a chest/lumbar pack but I have also used it as a sling pack on a few rare occasions. So I don’t see why you couldn’t wear the guide pack as a sling pack also. However, in all honesty I think both of these are designed as lumbar packs that can be worn as a chest or sling pack. I am not sure how water resistant they are. I did get caught out in a heavy rain and mine got wet and some of the contents did get damp.
I can only comment on the Fishpond, which I’ve owned for a number of years and like very much. The design has been tweaked a little bit since I bought mine but appears to be substantially the same. Right off the bat, you should know it is not waterproof. The nylon fabric will repel light rainfall, but it will not keep things dry if it’s dunked for a fair amount of time, nor would it presumably stand up to a sustained and/or heavy rain. That being said, it’s a great pack. Very, very roomy. I carry a ridiculously high number of fly boxes (some very large) and other gear and continue to be amazed at how much I can fit in that pack. One of the things I’ve always liked about it too is that it can be worn any number of ways: as a hip/fanny pack with the wide, built in “belt”, as a sling with the shoulder strap over the opposite shoulder, or as a chest pack with the shoulder strap behind my neck.
I was really leaning right now towards the William Joseph Surge lumber pack as I think the magnets are kinda cool, and I like the two camera pockets on the belt.
But the first one I was looking at was the Fishpond Waterdance guide. I really like the fishpond gear as they seem to have the most options and thought out. The Nimbus one looks awesome, but maybe a little too big. I don’t carry more than 2 fly boxes with me ever.
The Simms Dry Creek looked like the most waterproof of the bunch. The thing is, I fish in rough weather, rain or shine. and I boldly wade some stuff. And when out on the flats, I’ve had the bottom of my sling bag get slapped when wading deeper than normal. I usually just put my wallet, cellphone, camera, and keys in a ziplock and dump it in the bag, but I just wasn’t sure if there was a more sealed bag option.
Some other options for water resistant / waterproof waist packs are:
William Joseph Riptide : http://williamjoseph.net/products/product_47.aspx good value at $49.99 I waded too deep and things got damp inside, also after fishing for 10 hours in a steady rain some of my stuff got damp.
So I upgraded to this - LL Bean Waterproof Waist Pack : http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/68731?feat=500194-GN3 Main compartment is a roll-top and should be waterPROOF, small compartment is zippered. I just got this for Christmas and haven’t tried it out yet.
My wife went through the process of selecting a new large volume trout pack to replace her old JW Outfitters pack not long ago.
She also has hip/waist packs for salt flats & steelhead. She brought along her current pack and a few other items that she only occasionally carries in the pack, so that she could load up the new packs and try them on.
We hit five fly shops in order to do a side by side comparison with each of the models that would seemingly fit the bill. Our impressions, some of the big name packs when seen, handled & loaded with gear were amazingly spartan. Some had very few secure or accessory pockets, the stitching was ragged with way to much frayed & untrimmed excess material, the interiors looked very hastily put together. Overall, we felt that those that will remain nameless were highly overpriced for what they offered. Honesty, while the materials used were obviously quality, they offered little more in the way of organization than one of those nine dollar, sporting goods store, green canvas creels, yet these ran seventy five to a hundred bucks.
She bought the Fishpond Waterdance Guide Pack because of it’s quality of build, carrying capacity, abundant organizer pockets and just as importantly, how it feels when loaded and worn. She brought it home, zipped up all the compartments and shot the entire pack with spray on waterproofing ( which is something we’ve done every year to our packs for a couple of decades ), then set it aside for a day before loading it up.
If I were to replace any one of my large volume packs today, there are only two that I would consider, one is a William Joseph model and the Fishpond Waterdance Guide Pack and I already know which of the two I’d buy.
Go fill some packs with your gear, see if all of the items you wish to carry can be carried and kept in order - securely, then try them on. I guarantee you, if you do a side by side comparison with some of the big name offerings out there, you’ll quickly see the difference in build quality and thoughtful design.
I use the WJ Surge Pack. The pack is excellent and well thought out. The magnets in lieu of the zippers is a fantastic option for me because I wear it as a fanny pack and reach into it alot. I don’t have to swing it around to unzip or have any issues trying to open zippers around my back. At first I was concerned about the magnets, but they’re strong enough to not open accidentially.
The side pockets are actually very handy. I don’t load 'em up but I do have some items in there that I need to reach quickly. I use them more than I thought I would.
Size wise, it’s large enough for four medium size C/F boxes and incidentals. In the winter I put three C/F size boxes in it, with a spare hat and set of gloves, along with incidentals, snacks and it’s not too full. There are straps that I use on it on the bottom of the pack that allow me to remove a layer, roll it up, and strap it under the pack - another cool feature.
I wear it as a waist pack, but it can be worn as a chest pack and has an extra strap that goes around your neck. I wouldn’t consider it a sling pack but it could be worn up and away if needed.
It’s not waterproof. If you fish in a driving rain all day, your items will get damp but not soaked. I treat it as well so it repels water and it is lined inside. I have dunked it by wading too deep and it didn’t fill with water; but it is definitely not waterproof.
Can’t live without water bottle holders on my packs and it is easy to reach back and get them without any trouble and replace them without any trouble as well. A plus.
As you can tell, I love the pack. I agree with Dave, go try them on and fill them with what you want to carry on your standard days as well as what you might need to carry on your heavy days and see how they feel.
Thank you all for the very insightful posts this is just what I wanted to hear! I’m amazed at hearing how much you guys are stuffing into these packs! I usually leave with 3 - 4 spools of tippet. 1 maybe 2 fly boxes at MOST, pliers, strike indicators, nippers. The fact I can do that and bring along a place to stow a hat or an extra t shirt is really cool!
I’m really debating now between the William Joseph and the Fishpond Waterdance. I currently own several fishpond stuff and love their gear, but that William Joseph with the magnets and pockets look really nice too!!!
Waterproofing might be a stretch, increased water repellency of the fabric would be a closer explanation.
We’ve used Scotchguard Brand Fabric spray, but about two years ago we found this. It’s available at Wally World’s camping section for way less than Scotchguard. It’s worked well for us on our tent fly and outer covers on the uppers of our nylon/cordura style skins on our float tubes.
I had a Fishpond one, but can’t remember the model. I didn’t like it because it stuck out from my back so far as to make it uncomfortable when loaded. I switched over to a Wright & McGill that was more vertical and found it more comfortable. If you truly plan to pack light, though, this probably won’t be an issue for you. My Wright & McGill also has a rain fly stored on the bottom that can be pulled over the pack when needed. Check it out. http://www.wright-mcgill.com/fly-fishing/spring-creek-tackle-system
I’ve been using a Waterdance for several years and love it. It is extremely durable (more so than the WJ IMO). It holds plenty of gear – 4 fly boxes, the usual accessories, a small camera, a water bottle, and even a light lunch or packable rain jacket. It does come with a strap so you can use it like a sling pack. I do that on occasion, but my back does much better when I use the hip belt to get the weight on my hips rather than my shoulder and upper back.