MidCurrent Tested and Trusted: Orvis Guide Sling Pack
Image courtesy of Orvis.
As a fly fishing guide, I go into the wilderness and float down the rivers of Montana encumbered with all manner of leaders, tippet, fly boxes, strike indicators, split shot, nippers, crimpers, and the like. And I need every ounce of it. I carry everything but the kitchen sink so I can be ready for whatever the trout may throw at me. Of course, needing all this gear creates its own issue—how the hell am I supposed to carry it?
I considered some crazy ideas like stuffing it all in a waterproof gym bag and a plastic tote, but I still couldn’t find a way to bring everything I needed in any sort of organized fashion. Then I found the Orvis Guide Sling Pack.
Convenient and Cavernous
The first thing I noticed about the Orvis Guide Sling pack was its size. With an 18-liter carrying capacity spread through both a large main pocket and a smaller back pocket, I felt like I’d stumbled across Mary Poppins magic carpet bag—if she was a fly angler. I can easily fit all my flies, from my giant hopper box to my petite spring creek box, into the bag. The screened interior pockets are perfect for leaders, floatant, and even another small midge box. In the second smaller pocket I can carry all my nymphs, split shot, tippet rings, and strike indicators. And after the fishing gear is packed, there’s still room for an extra bottle of water, rain jacket, and (most importantly) snacks.
The Orvis Guide Sling Pack has an exterior water bottle side pocket, a stretch stash spot, a zippered pocket with a key fob for carrying all sorts of extra odds and ends, and handy dandy net-carrying capabilities. I can also fit six spools on the tippet bar and hook around a dozen extra flies to the attached fly patch where they can dry out for later use but usually remain for the rest of the season because I forget that they’re there. With all of this capacity you’d think that the Guide Sling Pack would weigh an absolute ton, but it checks in at only 1.76 pounds.
Durably Stylish and Comfortable
Made of 100% recycled CORDURA fabric, the pack takes a licking and keeps on ticking. From dense, pricker-bush filled swamps, to tossing it around on the inside of my drift boat, to constantly freezing and thawing the bag during winter steelhead adventures, I haven’t had a tear, rip, or even a broken zipper on my Orvis Guide Sling Pack in all the years I’ve used it. It still looks brand new, which is awesome because it also makes me look good or at least like I know what I’m doing.
A lot of sling packs sort of hang off your shoulder like a cheap purse or trendy hipster briefcase. They spin around as you move, getting in the way of your casting. Many are also bulky. The Orvis Guide Sling Pack is a slick design with a left-shoulder strap system that can be tightened and loosened easily to free up your casting arm and a rigid back panel that sits on both your back or love-handles with equal comfort.
A Light Price
While many Orvis products can hit you in the wallet pretty hard, the Orvis Guide Sling Pack is incredibly affordable at around $16o. Its more than worth it because this pack will last for years. The Orvis Guide Sling Pack will ensure that you always have what you need so you’re not out there with a bunch of rising fish in front of your eyes and the wrong equipment in your hands.
