Sling, Back, Vest, Waist: Which Pack is Best?

April 2025

In a perfect world, one where shoulder fatigue doesn't exist, the sling pack is the ideal design for fly fishing packs. You can carry lots of gear, taking the best qualities of a backpack, while still compressed in a sleek design that doesn't bulge outwards like the worst qualities of a hip pack. It can swing from back to front for easy gear access (like a vest), and then swings right back out of the way (unlike a vest) preventing snags while casting. It really does everything perfectly... except for that one issue...

Alas, the inequal weight distribution of carrying everything on one shoulder, counter balanced with the heavy use of another shoulder for casting, mending, and high-sticking, inevitably leading to shoulder pain that compromises longevity. Shoulders aren't really something you can work around in fly fishing either, they're kind of essential to the whole process. So if that's an issue, like it is for me, we're left to assess the alternatives to find a suitable fishing pack that can carry all the fly boxes you desire, without undue fatigue. How do the alternatives stack up?

Alternative 1: The Vest

To be a vest guy, first assign each pocket its contents. Study the layout to develop a functional use for each pocket. Then memorize it, otherwise you'll be zipping and unzipping, twisting, and fumbling, forgetfully reminding yourself where you're splitshot is tucked away. Unlike a sling pack where things are essentially centralized into one big opening, vest's disperse your gear. But you can't keep all your boxes in one place, pockets are too small, so one box goes over here, another over there. Don't carry too much, pocket space is limited, and the thin chassis can still lead to shoulder strain. Plus dangling a net off the back too? Also, try not to hike or scramble over rocks without fully closed pockets, or you might lose contents. Still, vest's might good for minimalists, or advantageous for re-rigging on boats.

Alternative 2: The Backpack

Maybe you want to bring everything with you, tons of boxes, extra lines, reels... stuff it all into a backpack, there's room. Only one problem, if you need access to anything, you'd better find yourself a good place to set up basecamp to unpack everything and root out that one item you're searching for, which is inevitably buried at the bottom. If you're lucky, your backpack may have shoulder strap compartments for things like pliers or floatant, but even a simply fly change will need you to flip that backpack around. It usually goes like this if your in the middle of the river: flip the backpack to a front pack, (in my case also dodging the net keeper which will be wholly in the way), unzip, dig, find the box, close the backpack, flip the backpack, replace the flies in a delicate balancing act, and then repeat the process in reverse. A clumsy process on a bulky frame. Trust me, it's a whole ordeal. You may decide to keep a box of flies in your waders or pocket to ease the fly change maneuver. But if that's the way to go, maybe the backpack isn't the right solution to begin with. What would make more sense is a deployable fanny pack (or chest pack) to complement the backpack. Nonetheless, sometimes you need to bring everything, so you might as well stuff that fanny pack in there while your at it.

Alternative 3: The Hip Pack

Finally an option with no shoulder use at all. This should work great right? Stuff a hip pack full of boxes, accessories, net, and before long you'll realize your carrying around an expanding accordion strapped to your belt. It grows outward, sags, slides off, and the only alternative to keeping it propped up at waist level is to wrench down on the straps and squeeze it to your body. Unfortunately, when the time comes to change flies, you'll have to twist the hip pack around from back to front and your waders will come along for the ride like a sideways wedgie. Fortunately, like a sling pack, everything is visible right in front of you, once you push the net out of your face. You also have the option to add a sling style harness to supplement the waist belt. This helps things stay propped up, but gets us back into sling pack territory, except you've compromised all the advantages of a sling pack... slim profile, easily slides out of the way, etc. Another consideration: be prepared for wet gear. If you wade deep enough, and your hip pack sags enough (it will), everything will get dunked at some point. If you're flies are consistently soaked, that might mean rusty hooks and replacing flies. Not fun, I've been there. Hip packs are best with light gear, when you don't need to deploy the shoulder harness or wade too deep.

Alternative 4: Chest Pack

Here's another option to supplement with a backpack, but this isn't a tactical deployment, you're just going fishing. I like to carry lots of stuff, but a backpack and chest pack seems like overkill even for me. Fishing a chest pack alone is like fishing with a vest concentrated down into one dangling pocket. You're better off feeding one arm through the strap and fishing it like a sling pack. Some chest packs are designed only as chest packs, and here everything sits right below your chin, so I hope your nearsighted or carry glasses. At least it means you won't have a gopro strapped to your chest.

Flawed Designs, All of Them

I've tried all of these. Every style of pack was supposed to fix a problem from the pack I left behind, and the cycle goes round and round. They all make sense for storing things but somehow don't always work for common fishing situations. Unfortunately that means the best pack is whatever is right for you... or, to put it bluntly, which is least wrong for your style of fishing.

Sling packs are the ideal design, at least in principle. In practicality, after a week of hard fishing, that last day is going to be a rough one. Maybe have an alternative handy, or test out a couple options. If I had to pick a favorite alternative, it would be this Patagonia Blackhole 5L waist pack. I use it in warmwater, when I float tube, and have taken it with me in the salt for day trips. I still need bigger packs for trout fishing, and do use others, but I don't really love any of the options. When I have to pack heavier, I'm currently working with a waist/sling pack that's forcing me to carry less. It's best for wading, but off a boat, I find waist and sling packs cumbersome from a seated position. If I have to pack really heavy, maybe I'd pair a backpack with my waist pack. That way I can leave the backpack in a boat, or along a trail, and then wade off with a smaller pack. Experimentation continues. Hopefully pack designers do too.