Best Fly Fishing Chest Packs


If you’re interested in fly fishing, there are a few essentials you’ll need beyond the rod and flies! One of the most important pieces of gear you’ll need is a chest pack to carry the various supplies you need for a fishing trip. But there are so many products and brands that it can be hard to know which one to choose.

8 of the Best Fly Fishing Chest Packs:

  1. Anglatech Backpack/Vest Combo
  2. Maxcatch Lightweight Chest Pack
  3. Allen Bear Fishing Vest
  4. Aventik Fly Fishing Chest Bag
  5. Umpqua Compact Chest Pack Kit
  6. Autumn Ridge Outdoor Vest
  7. Piscifun Adjustable Vest Pack
  8. FishPond Thunderhead Chest Pack

Different vest setups will work better for different people. However, these chest packs are all good general products which have been well received and well reviewed by those who have bought them. We’ll look into the details and benefits of each model, as well as what makes a good chest pack, further down.

Anglatech Backpack/Vest Combo

This chest pack is a popular choice for Amazon users and is made from lightweight, sturdy materials.

The Anglatech Vest is relatively compact and has four large pockets, plus a few additional pouches. It may not be the best fit for you if you want to pack a lot of gear, though it will keep whatever you bring with you safe!

The Anglatech is also designed to distribute the weight of the pack between your shoulders, chest, and back so there won’t be too much strain on any one area.

In addition, the Anglatech vest is made with light, breathable materials that will enable you to move freely. It also comes equipped with a 1.5 liter water bladder and mouthpiece so you can stay hydrated on the river without packing extra water bottles.

Check out this combo on Amazon!! Here is a link to the page.

Maxcatch Lightweight Chest Pack

The Maxcatch chest pack is recommended for its simple, efficient design. It has one large pouch with plenty of areas to store flies and additional gear. There are a few smaller pouches and pockets as well, but the design is condensed and easily accessible.

This pack is designed to hang off of the neck, with straps around the torso to prevent it from swinging around loosely. Your movement will not be limited with the Maxcatch chest pack. Every pocket and pouch are gathered in the same area too, keeping everything close together and easy to locate.

The Maxcatch is designed for comfort as well, with padding around the neck and additional straps. This is meant to prevent any rubbing or slipping while you’re on the river.

Here is a link to Amazon to view this product!

Allen Bear Fishing Vest

The Allen fishing vest is a medium sized, lightweight pack that is designed to hang off of the neck and one shoulder. It is padded and designed to allow for a comfortable, free range of motion.

The pockets are also easy to access with this item and there are several interior pouches, zippers, and sections to organize gear. The Allen vest is sized to hold a medium sized box of flies, as well as additional other items and small kits.

As an additional feature, the Allen fishing vest offers a small, zip down work station with a fly patch and tippet tenders. This can be useful if you need to do fly maintenance, or frequently switch out lures on the river.

This personal favorite of mine is a great deal on Amazon! Check it out here!

Aventik Fly Fishing Chest Bag

The Aventik chest bag is a compact fly fishing storage unit. It hangs from the neck, with straps around the torso to prevent unwanted loose movement. It’s small and light enough to move with the user without much effort.

The Aventik offers all the usual chest pack features, such as zippable pockets, pouches, and sections, but this particular product also comes with a variety of bonus materials! Upon purchasing this chest pack, you’ll also receive a set of fly fishing tools. These include a head pulling reel retractor, a knot tier, a stainless steel line cutter tool combo, and a few other small tools and items. The Aventik also provides a zip-down work station for minor fly maintenance and storage.

This is a fairly small chest pack, but it is designed to hold all of these tools and elements as well as basic supplies such as flies, fishing line, etc. The sections and pockets are well suited to storing different kinds of items.

This product also comes highly recommended from its customers, check it out on Here!! (On Amazon!)

Umpqua Compact Chest Pack Kit

The Umpqua chest pack is a small, sturdy pack that is designed with straps reaching over the shoulders and around the torso. The main section is easy to reach and access from the front. The whole pack is made of strong, water-resistant material as well.

This unit is fairly basic, offering only one main compartment with a couple of additional pockets. It’s a good size for essential equipment though and is designed to stay affixed even through tough conditions.

This is a fairly new product to the marketplace, but it has been extremely well liked by those who have purchased and reviewed it. The Umpqua comes highly recommended by many users. If you would like to give it a look, click this link to Amazon.com.

Autumn Ridge Outdoor Vest

This item is a lightweight, full vest that is perfect for a variety of outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking, and hunting. It’s made from sturdy, breathable materials and is highly versatile.

The Autumn Ridge vest features several pockets on the chest and sides. It is easy to take on and off and distributes the weight of items evenly across the back and shoulders. With a total of 16 pockets, it also has a considerable capacity to carry a wide variety of gear.

The Autumn Ridge vest was also designed with comfort and various temperature ranges in mind. It is made from light, water-resistant materials, which will keep the wearer comfortable and dry.

The back panel of the vest is also detachable and easy to fit into one of the pockets. When it is removed, the mesh underlayer is exposed, which allows for greater airflow and temperature regulation.

This product is a good, versatile piece of equipment. It’s perfect for the outdoorsman who enjoys a variety of hobbies, but it also works for the fisherman who wants a utility vest that can easily store all of their gear.

Here is a link to this product on Amazon.

Piscifun Adjustable Chest Pack

This chest pack is a solid, all-around piece of equipment. It fits over the back and shoulders, with several pockets and pouches that are easy to access from the front.

The Piscifun vest pack is made with light, water-resistant materials. The padded sections are covered with mesh, making the surface more breathable against clothes and skin.

The Piscifun also comes with 17 pockets, maximizing storage and providing a lot of space for fishing gear. In addition, this item comes with a water bladder for long trips, and a waterproof phone case. So even if you happen to fall, your phone will be sitting high and dry!

The Piscifun family of products have been popular for fisherman for a long time. This product can be found for a great price on Amazon!

FishPond Thunderhead Chest Pack

The FishPond chest pack utilizes a simple and streamlined design. It’s made from sturdy, eco-friendly materials and has straps that reach over the shoulders and back.

The layout of this product is basic, featuring one large main pocket in the front. There are a couple of outside zippers, but the main storage is found in the large pouch.

It is large and easily accessible. The main pocket is also segmented into specific areas for large and small gear. Furthermore, it is completely waterproof, meaning that electronics can safely be stored within.

The FishPond also has specialized straps and openings to carry a fishing net. It is an efficient and well-designed product that is well-liked by customers. If you haven’t guessed yet, I buy everything on Amazon. I love how fast and easy it is!

Best Chest Packs on a Budget

The products listed above fall across all areas of the price spectrum. Some of them are fancy and high-quality, while others are more basic. All of them are popular and well liked by their customers though!

However, sometimes you’ve got to save money where you can. And fly fishing chest packs might be one area where you’re looking for a cheaper option.

The chest packs listed above are all good products and many of them are under the $50 price range. But if you’re looking for a simpler list of some cheap options, here are 3 chest packs for under $50.

AnglerDream Outdoor Vest Pack

This is a large, one-size-fits-all vest that is perfect for a variety of outdoor activities. It is patterned in camouflage style to blend into natural environments and is designed to fit comfortably over the shoulders. It also features several easy access pockets.

This product is ranked with 3.5/5 stars

Kylebooker Mesh Multifunction Backpack

This product sports a classic vest-style design with supports that go over the shoulders and behind the back. It has several pockets of varying sizes and is designed to move easily with the wearer’s movements.

This product is ranked with 4.1/5 stars

FanBellFly Fishing Chest Pack

This is a simple, compact unit that hangs from the neck and is secured behind the back. It features one large pouch, with a few additional pockets and sections within. This makes equipment easy to access and simple to pack.

This product is ranked with 3.7/5 stars.

The Best Chest Pack for You

With all of these different products, designs, and options, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. There are a lot of choices when it comes to picking fishing equipment. And that’s a good thing!

But when it comes to choosing the chest pack that will be the best for you, it’s important to keep your specific fishing style and needs in mind. Don’t be tempted to go for the flashiest and fanciest option because it may not offer what you really need.

There are a variety of questions you’ll want to ask yourself as you look through each chest pack you’re considering.

Is this the right size?

This is important to know off the bat. If you’re not sure how much space you’ll need in a chest pack, try gathering and laying out all of your fishing gear, tools, flies, etc. If you’ve got a lot of equipment, a bigger vest with larger pockets is probably the way you’ll want to go.

Often a smaller size will work just fine. The pockets and pouches of most packs are designed to fit more than you would think!

Do I need a lot of pockets?

Again, this question depends on the kind of fishing that you do. If you try the trick listed above of laying out all of the things you want to bring, you should also look at the variety of things that you have.

If you’ve got a lot of different kinds of tools, hooks, flies, etc. then a chest pack with a lot of little pockets might be the best design for you. You don’t want to be digging around in one big pocket looking for one specific thing.

On the other hand, if you only use a couple of different fly hooks and don’t do a lot of equipment maintenance and replacement, then a more simple, compact design might be better for you. Extra pockets that stay empty will just waste money and space in your case.

Which design is easiest to wear?

There are a variety of different designs for fishing chest packs, and each one has pros and cons. For instance, many of the smaller chest packs hang from the neck with straps that clip around the torso. These are easy to take on and off, but they can also put the most weight and strain on the neck. If you have had issues with your neck in the past, this design could be painful to use.

Chest packs that are more vest-like usually have straps that reach over the shoulders and behind the back. These help to distribute the weight more evenly, but they can also be bulkier than other designs. They might make it more awkward to move, but less painful awkward to wear.

You’ll have to consider your movements and body strain as you select the best pack design for your circumstances.

Related Questions

Do I need a chest pack? Chest packs are hands-free fishing gear that can be used to store a variety of different equipment, tools, and other items. Although backpacks, utility belts, and shoulder bags can be used, chest packs are the safest and most efficient way to carry large amounts of fishing gear.

Are chest packs waterproof? Fishing vests and chest packs are made from sturdy, lightweight materials. Often they are resistant to sweat and water, but they are not always water-proof. Specifics will vary depending on the brand, design, and materials of each product.

Tim Butala

My name is Tim and I have been a fisherman my whole life. My favorite fish to go after is a Striped Bass.

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