Gear Review: Simms Headwaters Sling Pack

Everything in its place and easy to find. Photo courtesy of Simms

Carrying your fly-fishing gear on the water has always been a problem. Back in the day, it was all about the vest, with companies frequently coming out with different models and styles, which basically just featured more or fewer pockets. Eventually, to get away from the pocket-digging chaos, fly-fishing manufacturers introduced a veritable menagerie of different fishing packs.

I’m a big fan of packs and have accumulated quite a collection. I’ve got small hip packs for spring creeks and small-stream fishing, as well as chest backs and backpack combos for long backcountry trips. But my favorites have got to be my sling packs. I’ve got a couple different brands and sizes of sling packs that I use for both my boat bags and for guiding, but the one that I now use for almost all of my personal fishing is the new Simms Headwaters Sling Pack.

The Headwaters Sling fits comfortably between your shoulder blades, yet keeps everything easily accessible.

A Strategic Pack

I like the Headwaters Sling pack because it’s tactical. While other sling backs have giant pockets that you can cram full of everything so you have a ball of tackle to pick apart, the Headwaters is more compact and easy to organize. Its large main pocket has a central divider, turning the big pocket into two medium-size ones, allowing you to arrange your gear and still carry everything you need for a day of fishing. This makes the Headwaters Sling Pack a sort of specialist pack that’s perfect for when you’re going after one species or when you’re fishing a favorite river where you know exactly what you need to make your assault.

Aside from its organizational potential, the other thing that makes the Headwaters Sling Pack different from others is its material. The durable and water-resistant nylon fabric has a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating on the front and a polyurethane coating on the back, so it can stand up to anything the weather or conditions throws at you. It’s light yet tough, making it perfect for carrying along brush-filled riverbanks or along snaggy backcountry trails.

The inside divider and pockets keep your gear organized, while the fold-down workstation provides a great base for changing flies or building leaders.

Dividing to Conquer

One of the biggest issues I’ve had with other sling packs is that, while they could fit a ton of equipment, it would eventually become more disorganized than my grandmother’s purse. With tons of little pockets and deep corners, I always feel like I’m on a scavenger hunt trying to find exactly what I need. However, the Headwaters Sling Pack is easy-to-organize, featuring a divided main pocket and side pocket each with its own small pockets, giving every piece of equipment you carry its own home.

In addition to the zippered pockets, the Headwaters Sling Pack also has a large, compression-molded workstation with a magnetic closure, featuring a fly patch and drop-in pockets behind the work station. This makes changing flies on the water incredibly easy, as you have a secure place to tie knots and leave unproductive flies to dry, as well as a convenient spot to leave extra lengths of line and tippet while you do. Finally, the Headwaters Sling Pack also comes with a built-in net holster to ensure you don’t have to run back to shore to get your net when you’re tied into a big one.

The comfort and convenience of the sling pack allows you to focus on your fishing. Photo courtesy of Simms

On Your Back

The Simms Headwaters Sling Pack is also extremely comfortable to wear. With a form-fitting shape that rests in the center of your shoulders and webbing on the backside of the shoulder strap that both offers premium comfort as well as multiple attachment points for doohickies, the Headwaters Pack never feels cumbersome or heavy on your shoulders. In addition, the chest strap and shoulder strap include a side-release buckle, which allows you to remove the pack easily, preventing those frustrating bank-side struggles. An even better feature is that it’s adjustable to be worn over either shoulder, so you lefties don’t have to struggle with a pack designed for right-handed anglers.

The Headwaters Pack isn’t cheap at $200, but it’s worth the price as it’s a pack that will last as long as you can. It’s the perfect fly fishing bag for both weekend warriors and seasoned anglers.

Click here to check out all the features
of the Simms Headwaters Sling Pack