William Joseph or Fishpond

[bottomroller]

I've been looking for a new pack for Santa to get me and can't decide if I should go with Fishpond or WJ. Both companies packs look great, anyone have any expirience with either, good or bad?

 

[chstrcntyfish]

I have a william Joseph solo chest pack and the quality is really good, but all of the fishpond packs that I saw were really nice(and expensive)

 

[wetnet]

My son has both the Williams & Joseph Confluence and a fishpond pack with the hydration option and he uses part of the fish pond for hunting and put the hydration pack in his Williams & Joseph. He is tall and thin built and likes the W&J for comfort on his shoulders. The only down side was that the foam insert that holds the flies breaks down eventually. The flies start falling out. I will mention this kid has really used it. He resolved it after a ton of use by making his own insert with foam you buy at a hobby shop covered with neoprene. The pack is what he would consider perfect now, which shows there is no perfect pack for anyone person. They are both good packs. Wear them for an hour in the store and the one that creates pressure points leave there. I will add that the confluence is nice having a shelf to look thru your flies and if you drop one they aren't floating down the creek.
I have a Orvis pack which I like but it starts to give me pressure points on the top of my shoulder muscles as well.

 

[tomgamber]

I have a fishpond that I really like...never had a W&J but it sounds like wetnet has it covered. I think you should get the one with the most features that you will use and not worry about who makes it.

 

[wetnet]

Just to clarify. It's not like he didn't like the Fishpond but it is like a pair of your most comfortable shoes. You'll put new soles on them before you give them up. He just liked the convenience of the W&J and found it comfy. My Orvis pack has too many compartments that don't hold what I need them to. I've used vests as well. I've seen his pack and can't wait until he upgrades to the next best thing so I can steal it. I only fish with what he passes up. Not to say that it's not good. It just doesn't suit him. He competes he needs everything right there, right now and can't afford to have his shoulders pinching. And like I said he is thin and everything that has a pressure point will pinch him.

 

[salmonoid]

I have several of the older, I think 2005 model year, WJ packs and really like them. They are comfortable and functional and I can be tired from walking and fishing at the end of a day, but not because of lugging around a vest, which is what I used to use, but which made my shoulders incredibly tired because of the way the weight was not well distributed. Can't comment on Fishpond packs, but they do make good quality gear, as I do own one of their reel cases, which I'm pleased with.

 

[Crotalus]

You just have to try them out. both are high quality packs, they are just configured differently. I thought i wanted a Fishpond until i tried it on, to me the chest pack sticks out too far when fully loaded and i thought it would be difficulty to see ahead of me while waiding. But that is just a personal opinon, you may feel completely opposite.

you wont go wrong buying either one as long as you get the one that is configured the way you prefer.

Last year i took my WJ chest pack (just the front portion) and modified it to work with a Watermark (WJ lower priced line) backpack that i liked better than the backpack that came with the chestpack originally.