Simms Headwaters sling pack

Six-Gun

Six-Gun

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Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
427
Anyone have experience with either last year's version or, preferably, the 2014 large version? I'm strongly considering getting the large pack for hike-in fishing this season.

I have a very nice Fishpond Nimbus chestpack but have grown to hate how frequently line/flies gets hung up on stuff out in front when fishing.

Thanks for your feedback.
 
I love Simms products, but I just bought an Orvis Guide Sling Pack... and I LOVE IT!!! If you have a shop nearby, go in and check it out.
 
That was the other one I was looking into. I like they layout on both. I may just throw a dart at a map and pick one. The Simms is a little bigger, which would work out well for the trip I planned for May where a buddy and I will be hiking into some alpine lakes in Utah.
 
A larger capacity sling pack would work better I think. As long as it's not to the point of cumbersome. I have a William & Joseph model and really like it, sling packs in general are a nice design for what they are.
 
lv2nymph -

I agree and think I may just go ahead and give it a shot. The shop I'm ordering from does a 10% military discount and will gladly take and exchange or return if I don't like it when it gets here. From the shots I've seen of it, it doesn't look too insanely big where you can't get under low branches and such, but once it's in my hands I'll know for sure. Still, if anyone has any immediate experience with the Simms sling packs, I'd love to hear it.
 
Six, I'm thinking of a different sling pack apparently. This is like the one I have but mine is a much older model, think I've had it at least 13-15 yrs.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/william-joseph-equinox-fly-fishing-sling-pack~p~1505f/
 
Pretty good write up and comp here:
http://www.centerpintalk.com/forum/showthread.php?1914-Simms-Large-Headwaters-Sling-(2014)-vs-Orvis-Guide-Sling
 
I REALLY liked the new Simms Large Headwaters Sling Pack....way more than the Orvis. The Simms just seemed made better and with better materials.

It can sure hold a tone too. My only issue with the Simms was not water bottle pocket.
 
lv2nymph wrote:
Six, I'm thinking of a different sling pack apparently. This is like the one I have but mine is a much older model, think I've had it at least 13-15 yrs.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/william-joseph-equinox-fly-fishing-sling-pack~p~1505f/
Click to expand...

Oh, I see. I realize I just raised some confusion by not being clear in my last post: I'm actually fairly sure I'm going to try that Simms Large Headwaters pack first. The WJ is a nice-looking minimalist pack, but the more I look at it, the more I realize that it may suffer from the same problems I presently have with stuff catching on the front of it. At a glance, it looks like there's no position where a large part of the pack isn't protruding from the chest and that's where my chest pack has become an annoyance.

jrmyln wrote:
Pretty good write up and comp here:
http://www.centerpintalk.com/forum/showthread.php?1914-Simms-Large-Headwaters-Sling-(2014)-vs-Orvis-Guide-Sling
Click to expand...

jrmyln - that looks like a good read. I'm going to hit it up shortly. That's exactly what I was after.

thebassman wrote:
I REALLY liked the new Simms Large Headwaters Sling Pack....way more than the Orvis. The Simms just seemed made better and with better materials.

It can sure hold a tone too. My only issue with the Simms was not water bottle pocket.
Click to expand...

The addition of the water bottle pocket to the new/large pack is exactly what made me start looking that way after originally favoring the Orvis pack. I like what I saw in the Orvis pack over the smaller Simms sling pack, particularly the fact that Orvis added a water bottle pocket, but the 2014 Large Headwaters from Simms took care of that inequity and also has more overall space. Still, I'm going to read that review posted above and see if there's anything I'm missing.

Thanks for all of your help, guys.

EDIT: nevermind about the water bottle. Apparently, that's only a feature of the smaller pack. The larger one has the main compartment space to hold a water bottle, but doesn't have a dedicated pocket.
 
Yep, the one I have is much more streamlined than that model. ( the big pouch on the front is not on the one I have)I've never had a problem slipping through thick stuff, I'm sure they made the change to hold more gear. But that's not why I wanted it.
 
I have been looking for a good breakdown of the interior compartments on the Simms offering. I found an excellent video on YouTube...completely in Russian. The guy does such a good job of demoing the pack that I really didn't care that I couldn't understand a word he said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdr9YXzS5fc
 
That's too funny, and that's a nice pack six. Get it? pack six, six pack... Ok it's early, been working nights and not sleeping much. :-D
 
Hah! Funny indeed. I may even name the thing now that you've got it all sorted out for me.

But, ya gotta admit, that's a damned fine video, isn't it? Just goes to show you, sometimes, even a Belarusian can teach you a thing or two about gear!
 
Oh, and I do like that you can fit a water bottle and a raincoat in there as needed.
 
I have the 2014 simms large sling pack, great pack, well laid out. Only complaint is the lack of d rings on the bottom of the pack for hanging accessories like a tippet-T. I do not like the tippet and floatant holders that come with it. IMO the velcro system is pretty poorly thought out. When fishing there's enough stuff I'm worried about losing: flies, net, etc. I don't need to add 4 spools of seaguar gmax and the same number of spools of varivas to that list. For now, I just keep them inside the pack.

I'm partial to sling packs, rarely use anything else.
 
Yea six, that's a dandy.
 
BFazz wrote:
I have the 2014 simms large sling pack, great pack, well laid out. Only complaint is the lack of d rings on the bottom of the pack for hanging accessories like a tippet-T. I do not like the tippet and floatant holders that come with it. IMO the velcro system is pretty poorly thought out. When fishing there's enough stuff I'm worried about losing: flies, net, etc. I don't need to add 4 spools of seaguar gmax and the same number of spools of varivas to that list. For now, I just keep them inside the pack.

I'm partial to sling packs, rarely use anything else.
Click to expand...

That's definitely a valid complaint and I thought he same thing as you: no way I'm keeping $30+ worth of tippet on a Velcro-attached tippet-T, especially not in the places I fish (breaking branches to pass through quite often). I'll be keeping it inside the pouch, for sure, though I do wish they offered a D-ring option, too.

Also, important question: what do you do about your net? I love my magnetic rig, but I can't see where it would fit in with a sling pack like this.
 
Six, the pack does have one D ring at the top, the large sling pack anyways. I attach my magnetic release to that. I definitely notice my net doesn't get caught up on branches nearly as much with the sling pack vs having it attached to my old waist pack where it was hanging much lower.
 
BFazz wrote:
Six, the pack does have one D ring at the top, the large sling pack anyways. I attach my magnetic release to that. I definitely notice my net doesn't get caught up on branches nearly as much with the sling pack vs having it attached to my old waist pack where it was hanging much lower.
Click to expand...

Bfazz - that's good info. I wasn't sure the net would behave it self on a magnetic rig given the need to swing it around, but it sounds like you have it figured out.

Consider the trigger is pulled on this Simms pack.
 
Simms does make excellent products, but for my needs, I think the Orvis guide sling pack was the better fit. I love the layout of it and the fact that it has an attachment ready to hold my tippet spools.

My only complaint about the Orvis pack is that it doesn't really give me a place to attach my net and ensure I have ready access to it as it would hang off of my right shoulder and I would need to reach behind with my left hand to get it while holding my rod with my right hand. Just not the most convenient location.

I'm also afraid with the larger capacity of the Simms pack that I'd just end up carrying more crap I don't need, which is why I went with a sling pack over a day pack in the first place... to keep from hauling stuff around I didn't need.

Hope you enjoy your new pack! I know I will.
 
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