Fly Fishing Best of 2024 List: Fishing Packs - Favorites From a Year of Testing

I put a lot of fly fishing gear through its paces every year, and this list highlights the standouts. The packs were tested in varied and sometimes harsh conditions. Just how we like to fish them.

Keeping it simple. / photo by Ken Baldwin

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Simms Tailwind Backpack

One last stop before the river. / photo by Jay D'Arpini

My intention was to use the Simms Tailwind Backpack for fly fishing. The color makes it stand out, so it's easy to find when it's piled onto a raft with a week's worth of supplies. I won't lose it in the woods, and the bright orange will keep me from being mistaken for a deer. On a trip to Montana, to save space in my luggage, I wore it through the airline terminal with my laptop, camera, Kindle, and other travel items. After one grueling day of layovers, delayed flights, and overbookings, the Tailwind Backpack earned its place as my everyday pack. I still use it as a fishing backpack, but it's so well-designed and lightweight that it outperforms any other backpack I own.

When not on the river. / photo by Ken Baldwin

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Kifaru Rogan Hip Pack

The Kifaru Rogan hip pack loaded up for some spey casting for Montana trout. / photo by Ken Baldwin

When I can get away with not having to carry a lot on the river, I'll go with a hip or sling pack. The less I have to carry the better. One day I hope to make it a regular habit of fishing with one box of flies, one pair of fishing pliers, and one spool of tippet. For right now I'm happy when I can get by with filling up a hip pack and making a day of it. My favorite hip pack I fished this year is the Rogan made by Kifaru.

Built by Anglers

The Rogan is100% made, sourced, and manufactured in the USA. The guys that design and build it are anglers so it passes the "Did someone even fish this before selling it?" test. The bag measures 11" across, 4" deep, and 7" tall. The main pockets have ample room for fly boxes and fly tools. Smaller pockets, dividers, and zippered mesh pockets are built-in to help keep other items separate and organized. On the bottom of the Rogan you will find mounting points for bear spray or water bottle holsters. Molle strips and a hook and loop patch allow for more setups. One extra-large pocket in the back is for additional gear, or a great space if you conceal carry a subcompact or compact firearm.

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Simms Tailwind Rod & Reel Vault

My idea of designer luggage. / photo by Ken Baldwin

When I have to fly to a fishing destination, I sometimes travel with up to five rods. Add to that a number of reels, fly lines, fly boxes, sunglasses, leader, tippet material, and tools. If I can travel with it all in one place, that makes my life easier. Simms has come up with an exceptional case called the Tailwind Rod and Reel Vault that allows exactly that. The inside of the Simms Vault is a functional layout with moveable panels to customize how you want to pack your gear. To make your traveling even easier, the Simms designers incorporated removable shoulder straps that make carrying the case through the airport effortless, like wearing a comfortable backpack. The straps detach easily when you don't need them and can be stored inside the case. I carry it on to planes and it fits easily into the upper luggage compartments.

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Bare Fishing Company

Sometimes a simple sling pack is all you need. / photo provided by Bare Fishing Company

It's a toss up on which I prefer more, a hip pack or a sling pack for when I'm fishing light. I usually base my decision on am I'm wading deep, and how light do I want to go? If I know I'm going about waist deep, or if I want to go extremely light, I'll go with a sling. When that is the case the Bare Fishing Company fly fishing sling is the one that I was most impressed with this year.

Made in the USA

The BFC sling is a made-in-the-usa, customizable pack that you can configure for your fly fishing needs. It is a small pack for minimal days.

Customize It to Your Fly Fishing Needs

The BFC sling features a removable fly patch that I like to fill up with my go-to patterns and a detachable pouch where I carry my fly box, leaders and a sinking tip kit. Other essential items like tippet spools, fly floatant, and fly fishing tools can be attached to the wide strap designed with MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) technology. You can attach the tools you know you will use, and because of the way the sling rides on your body, these tools are easy to access when needed.

Be Ready With Dedicated Pouches

I can easily take off the pouch and replace it with another. When spring rolls around and I'm headed to the river for smallmouth bass, instead of switching out the flies, leaders and such, I simply take off the 'Trout' pouch and replace it with my 'Bass' pouch, and I'm ready to go.

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An Important Piece of Gear

A good pack, whether it's a sling, hip, or backpack is worth the investment. If it's made and designed well it can simplify your fly fishing system and allow you to spend more time focused on the fish. KB

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Fly Fishing Best of 2024 List: Tech Clothing - Favorites From a Year of Testing

Geared up for weather. / photo by Ken Baldwin

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

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The gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.