Patagonia Sling Pack

I've been fishing with a Simms sling pack for the last three years, and while it has worked okay, there were a couple of annoying issues I was constantly dealing with on the stream. When I would slide the pack around to the front, either my water bottle or net would fall out. The water bottle holder is positioned on the bottom of the pack and backwards to me...It was darn impossible to retrieve the bottle. And, when I would slide the pack around to the front to pull out the water bottle, the net would fall out. It finally got too irritating and I began looking for something new.

In January, I found a pre-owned Patagonia sling pack at a bargain price on the big auction site. The pack looked new and I don't believe it ever went fishing. Patagonia discontinued these models long ago, but it seemed to have all the features I liked in a sling. And, my search for new packs on today's market aren't built even close for my needs. After taking this Patagonia to the stream a few times, I wished I'd picked one up long ago.

This sling pack fixed the issues I was having with the Simms pack, and added a few more features I really like:

• Pockets built into the front sling keep small fly boxes and other stuff handy for access while on the stream. No need to slide the pack around in front for a fly box.
• Water bottle holder is on the side of the pack allowing easy access without having to slide the pack around front to retrieve.
• Plenty of gadget fixtures in various places on the sling and pack...makes for plenty of options regarding where to keep accessories like forceps, nippers, and floatant.

After a few fishing trips, I'm finding this Patagonia sling pack really convenient and comfortable. Access to fishing essentials are intuitive too. Maybe this pack is the answer. I should know after fishing with it throughout this year.