My vest is too heavy....

[PennsylvaniaJesse]

It seems we never have enough stuff to carry along... My vest is very overweight. Its not very light to begin with, so I am looking to get something large (2x) that will fit me loosely (Im a 1x) so that it will be easy to put on and take off. I have shoulder issues, ask anyone who has had rotator cuff problems, they can tell you that simple things can be a real devil...

Im going to go through the vest, item by item, and see what I can either get rid of or go to something lighter.

At age 59, everything matters when wading...

 

[njk3395]

Have you considered something like a waist pack? It may serve you well in the weight/ease of use departments

 

[duckfoot]

Studies have shown time and time again that golfer, when asked to play a round with six, eight, or ten clubs instead of the legal fourteen, consistently shoot their personal best scores.

 

[poopdeck]

I've scaled all the way down to a small lanyard and a small lumbar pack. If your carrying so much gear that your getting sore I would think you should scale it way back. I learned a long time ago that I only used about 10% of the stuff I carried. Now I only carry the 10%. It's kind of fun picking out the 10% to carry. You will find that by simply carrying the 10% you will still be able to cover all the bases.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

This spring I went through my vest and cleaned out what I carried but did not use. It lightened it up quite a bit. I also decided to leave the vest at home on the small native streams. I now use a Mountain River lanyard and a small Fishpond waistpack on those streams instead of the vest and my Richardson chest fly box. What FREEDOM! I have not needed anything and not had it and it is much easier to cover ground without all that extra weight. I still use the vest on bigger streams but even it is alot lighter now.

 

[Machocheese]

I've also found over the last couple of seasons that I can usually get by with a lanyard and a couple of fly boxes in my pocket.

When I do feel the need to bring everything I own, the Umpqua Swiftwater vest has been a life saver. The backpack style waist belt lets your hips bear most of the weight, and the difference in how my back and shoulders feel at the end of the day is amazing. It wasn't cheap at $180, but it is very well made, and with two herniated discs in my back I justified it as a medical necessity.

 

[dsmith1427]

This year I lightened the load and switched from a vest to a chest pack. I started out with the chest pack and a lanyard but dumped the lanyard. It took a couple of trips to organize the content. It's amazing how little stuff you really need but then again, I rarely stray more then a mile or two from the car.

 

[Van_Cleaver]

For the last several years I have fished with a medium sized chest pack. After one outing I discovered that if I wore it on my left shoulder (right handed) and adjusted the waist strap to help I could fish all day without it killing my neck and back, and I'm in my sixties. BTW, I still carry way too many fly boxes!

 

[PennsylvaniaJesse]

I too, have 2 herniated discs and arthritis. I push myself pretty hard while fishing, but lightening the load will be a help. Everyone here has made great suggestions.

I am thinking about making my own custom vest, something light and airy, maybe with long sleeves. (I am an industrial sewing machine mechanic and I work at a mens dress shirt factory-I have the access to anything I need for such a project)

I will be on the hunt for a shoulder and/or fanny pack too. Years ago I made my own shoulder packs for my shorts and sneaker wading for bass fishing in the Susquehanna River.

There is a lot to be said for keeping it simple.... thanks to all.

 

[sandfly]

sew some loops on the back of vest, pass wading belt through will help with back. I know about that.

 

[krayfish2]

I'm with ya. My best is too heavy but I accept theck pain at the end of the day.

There are some mesh vests out there that should help reduce the starting weight. I'd then remove everything. Consider where you'll fish and the hatches you're likely to see. Get a box for dries and put a few of the patterns you might use in it. Do the same with a nymph box. 1-2 spare leaders, spool keeper for the tippet and you can go pretty light. I'd try the vest on first if possible since the cuts may differ between manufacturers.

 

[KeithS]

Looking at backpacks, I realized that the stiffer shoulder straps and waist strap split the weight between my shoulders and waist. I got a WJ Confluence to replace my vest and I have no back pain now. There's enough room for all of the tools and supplies, plenty of fly boxes, snack and I even have space for a rain jacket folded up in the large rear pocket.
I still have the heat problem but can live with that by wearing the right quick dry shirts.

 

[tomitrout]

If your vest is too 'heavy,' like others I'd suggest emptying it and seeing what fishing items you can eliminate. My kit only gets weighty when I bring along some extras, like the camera/rain jacket/lunch/etc. Otherwise the fishing bits are pretty basic (spare leaders/floatants/shot/tippet/inidcators/hemos/nippers/thermometer and a multitool + whichever flyboxes I want that day. Just cuz you have all of those pockets doesn't mean you have to use them. I've tried the satchels/lumbar packs & slings and came back to the vest, I like the versatility.

Also should add that I'm now using a newer Orvis mesh vest with nicely padded shoulders and some nice fit adjustments, so it wears pretty nice whether I'm loaded for bear on Penn's or out on a fast n light brookie excursion.

 

[outsider]

PennsylvaniaJesse:

Both my shoulders were reconstructed - 4 tears each shoulder rotator cuff plus bone fragments floating around (I think this was called debridement). The top of my shoulders are butt ugly to look at. Add spinal fusion (T12 thru L4) in my lower back and scoliosis in my upper back plus bone spurs and disc degeneration in my neck, I had to abandon my vest.

That being said, I made a sling pack out of a cheap K-Mart fanny pack and it has worked out very well for me. Room for 4 boxes of flies and all the other items needed to fly fish. My time on the stream is very limited.

 

[pcray1231]

I am vestless. I got a Richardson Chest box, though the Downs does the same thing. Best thing I ever did for my back or shoulders.

It holds roughly 5 sizable fly boxes worth of flies, which is plenty. It also holds my floatant, a leader wallet, forceps get clamped to the strap, and a set of nippers on a zinger.

Throw a shot wheel and a few spools of tippet in the chest pocket of the waders. That's it. That's all the fishing stuff I carry.

(keys & camera being considered non-fishing stuff, but they typically go along as well)

 

[Quent]

Like you I have a Richardson Flybox (all compartments). I had it built with the outermost tray modified for gear and it works extremely well.

However, for those who prefer packs I suggest dollar store waist packs. I prefer them over fishing packs because the dollar store packs have fewer but larger compartments than fishing packs and, overall, they normally are smaller. They are also less expensive than fishing packs. They work well slung over the shoulder or hung over the shoulder and around the neck.

 

[SteveG]

Do the Richardson boxes seem to pull on your necks, or are they well balanced?

I've been eyeballing, or thinking of duplicating, the new C&F chest pack that's similar.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

SteveG wrote:
Do the Richardson boxes seem to pull on your necks, or are they well balanced?

I've been eyeballing, or thinking of duplicating, the new C&F chest pack that's similar.

I hardly even notice my Richardson. I have never had any problem with it bothering me or pulling on my neck muscles. My Richardson 4 tray deluxe is the best money I have ever invested in flyfishing. The only time I don't use it is when I fish the small mountain streams. I keep several foam Morell flyboxes in a Fishpond waistpack for that.

 

[Quent]

A wide selection of vests/packs is not available where I live. Like many, I have problems with stiff neck and shoulders. I could tell pretty quickly that the packs/vests I tried on were likely to give me problems.

I learned about Richardson chest boxes on this forum, took a chance, ordered one, and have been very happy with it. I am pleased with the light weight and, wearing it, there is no strain on the neck or shoulders. I use the stock straps which came with the box. I had the outermost tray modified slightly to carry tippet, leaders and the little odds and ends of gear in one large compartment, with a second 6 in x 1 3/4 in. compartment for streamers. My other stuff hooks onto a couple of retractors attached to the straps. This setup works well for me.

However, there are a couple of long treads discussing chest flyboxes on this forum. Many experienced fishermen who have owned chest boxes absolutely can't stand them. Most on the forum seem to prefer waist or chest packs as vest alternatives.

 

[Skeet6]

I had posted/responded to some threads in the spring regarding buying an Orvis sling pack. As my competitive shooting season is dying down, I've had some time to try it. It's nice, and out of the way until needed, then it swings to the front. Its really nice when it's hot out... I *think* I prefer my vest so far, but will keep trying it. I always wore my vest so I feel funny without it.
(I haven't needed more than the sling can carry, it's just something I haven't adjusted to.)
Mike B