Fly Fishing 101

Fly Vest vs Sling Pack vs Chest Pack (and Hip Pack): Which Should You Carry?

Daniel Bowman Updated November 4, 2026 10 min read

If you fish on your own, you need somewhere to keep fly boxes, tippet, nippers and forceps while you wade. There are four common ways to carry it all, and each one makes a different tradeoff between room, reach and comfort.

This guide puts the four side by side, using numbers from the makers' own product pages: capacity in liters, weight, whether it's waterproof, and price. It then sorts out which style fits which kind of day, what to buy if it's a gift, and what you actually need on a guided trip. If you're not sure you'll fish enough to need any of this yet, our trip finder is a way to try it first, with the fishing gear supplied.

What are the four ways to carry fly fishing gear?

Vest, chest pack, hip pack and sling. Orvis's pack and bag guide sums them up in one line each: "Sling packs for easy access to tools and flies. Hip packs for simple carrying that's light and out of the way. Chest packs for the fastest access while we wade and fish." Its vest page covers the fourth: "You need a vest for fly fishing if you're not planning to carry a fishing pack or bag."

In plain terms:

One note on words: a "float vest" or "life vest" is a life jacket, not a fly vest. This guide is about the fishing kind.

How do the styles compare on capacity and price?

Here's a cross-section of each style from the makers' own pages, checked November 4, 2026. "Not listed" means the page didn't say.

Across a wider set of products we checked, chest packs ran from 2.5 liters (Fishpond's Canyon Creek) to 5.7 liters (Umpqua's ThunderCreek), hip packs from 3 liters (the Orvis Chest/Hip Pack) to 9 liters, and slings from 9 to 18. Few vests list liters at all.

What goes in a pack for a day on your own?

The makers' own descriptions give a good starting list. Orvis's pack guide says a sling has room for "water, snacks, extra tippet, and a light layer," and Fishpond's Canyon Creek chest pack holds "up to four of your favorite fly boxes." For a self-guided trout day in North Georgia, that becomes:

• Fly boxes, one or two for most days.
• Tippet spools, in the sizes you fish.
• Nippers and forceps, for cutting line and removing hooks.
• Water and a snack, if the pack has room.
• A light layer or rain shell, on days the weather could turn.
• Your license, a fishing license and, on trout water, a trout license.

Lay it all out on a table before you buy. If it fits in a chest pack, buy a chest pack. If the water bottle and shell won't fit, look at a sling or hip pack.

When is a vest the right choice?

When you like a place for everything and you mostly wade. Orvis says a vest "shines when you like lots of small items organized on your body and easy to grab without swinging or unclipping anything." It suggests "a minimum of eight pockets for your fly fishing vest, with a mix of Velcro and zip closures."

From the Orvis News comparison of vests and packs:

• Pros: "Everything you need is within easy grasp in front of your torso," and it "wears seamlessly over light layers like a fishing shirt or a shell."
• Cons: "Limited storage for bigger items," and it "can feel bulky when layered over winter clothing and a shell."

Orvis also says vests "are primarily for freshwater wade anglers," and you "won't need one if you're fishing from a boat." For water, Orvis suggests a pack instead: "we recommend using a fly fishing pack or bag to carry water."

When is a chest pack the right choice?

When you want the smallest kit and the fastest reach. Orvis says "a chest pack is a great choice for short wades and simple setups because everything stays right in front of you," and to "choose a chest pack if you want the quickest access to tools and flies while you're wading."

The tradeoffs, from the Orvis News comparison:

• Pros: "As accessible as a vest," it "can carry larger fly boxes," and the outside panel "usually act[s] as a convenient tray when opened."
• Cons: "Smaller capacity than other pack options," and it "can be uncomfortable when wading or walking longer distances."

A chest pack fits a short evening on a nearby creek: a fly box or two, tippet, nippers and forceps. The chest packs that list a weight come in at about a pound or less: 400 grams for the Orvis and 1 pound for Fishpond's Canyon Creek.

When is a hip pack the right choice?

When you want room without the weight on your shoulders. Orvis says "a hip pack is great when you want capacity without bulk, especially over layers," and to choose one "if you want a more open, less front-loaded feel."

From the Orvis News comparison:

• Pros: it "carries almost as much as a sling pack, while remaining less bulky."
• Cons: "Smaller capacity than a sling pack or backpack," and it "needs to be waterproof if you plan to wade past your waist."

That last point matters. A hip pack rides at your waist, so if you wade deep, it gets wet first.

When is a sling the right choice?

When you want the most room in a fishing pack. Orvis says "a sling pack carries more and is easier when you want room for water, snacks, extra tippet, and a light layer."

From the Orvis News comparison:

• Pros: it "fits a ton of gear, generally second only to a backpack," with "easy access to everything you need" when you swing the bag under your arm.
• Con: "Not as comfortable as a backpack for longer treks."

A sling fits a full day on your own, when you want a water bottle, lunch and a rain shell along with your flies.

What about a backpack, or fishing from a boat?

Both are different cases. Orvis lists backpacks "for when we need more capacity or extra layers," such as a long hike in to remote water. For most wading, a backpack is more than you need, and you have to take it off to reach anything.

From a boat, the carry question mostly goes away. Orvis says vests "are primarily for freshwater wade anglers," and that from a boat "you'd have a boat bag or box." On our drift boat floats, "no waders are needed," and "we provide all rods, reels, flies, and terminal gear."

Do you need a waterproof pack?

Only if you wade deep or fish in heavy rain often. Waterproof and water-resistant are different, and the price shows it. Water-resistant packs shed splashes and light rain. Waterproof ones are built to keep water out even if they go under.

The waterproof slings we found on the makers' pages:

Compare those to non-waterproof slings like the Simms Tributary at $130 and the Orvis standard sling at $139. Waterproofing roughly doubles the price, so it's worth buying only if you'll use it. If you mostly wade to your knees on small creeks, a water-resistant pack and a zip bag for your phone and license will usually do. If you wade deep, cross rivers often or fish all winter, the waterproof version earns its price.

Is there a pack that does more than one job?

Yes. A few makers sell packs that convert. Patagonia's Stealth Switch Pack 9L is "built for left- or right-shoulder wear and easily converts to a hip pack," at $155. Its smaller 5-liter version, at $99, can be worn as a chest, hip or sling pack.

Simms's Flyweight Vest Pack, at $161, is a vest with a pack on the back, listing 15 liters. It's the closest thing to not having to choose.

If you can't decide, a convertible pack lets you try more than one way of carrying before you settle.

How should a pack fit?

Comfortably, with the things you reach for most within reach. A few checks when you try one on:

1. Wear your waders or the layers you fish in, since a pack that fits over a T-shirt may not fit over a jacket.
2. Reach for a fly box and your nippers without looking. If you can't, the pack is in the wrong spot.
3. Walk around. Orvis's advice is to "walk around and see how they feel."
4. Check the strap. On a sling, it should sit across your chest without rubbing your neck.

Which one should you buy?

Match it to the day you fish most:

1. Short wades close to the car: a chest pack.
2. Long days on your own, with lunch and a layer: a sling.
3. Lots of layers, or you don't like weight on your shoulders: a hip pack, waterproof if you wade deep.
4. You like every tool in its own pocket: a vest.
5. Not sure yet: a convertible pack, or wait.

Orvis's last piece of advice in its comparison is practical: "Stop in a store and try some on. Walk around and see how they feel."

What should you buy as a gift?

If you don't know their style, ask what they carry now, or give something that doesn't depend on it. Pack styles are personal. Someone who loves a vest may never wear a sling, and the reverse. If you can, find out what they wear now, or how they fish: short evening wades point to a chest pack, long days on their own point to a sling.

Some options by budget, from the products above:

• Under $100: a small chest pack like Fishpond's San Juan ($49.95) or Canyon Creek ($89.95), or Patagonia's 5-liter Stealth Switch, which converts between styles.
• $100 to $200: a mid-size sling or hip pack, like the Simms Tributary Sling ($130) or Orvis Guide Hip Pack ($179).
• Over $250: a waterproof sling, for someone who wades deep or fishes in all weather.

Or give the trip. A gift certificate never expires, is good on any trip except the Dragonfly, and comes with all the gear. Our list of fly fishing gifts under $100 has more small gift ideas.

What do we provide on a guided trip?

The fishing gear. On our trips, we provide rods, reels, waders and boots, and your guide provides "all flies, leaders, and tippet." Our rates page lists "rods, reels, flies, waders, boots—everything you need. Bring your own if you prefer, but you don't have to."

What you bring is short: polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, layers for the weather and your fishing license. On Georgia trout water that means a fishing license and a trout license, sold at Go Outdoors Georgia. On Noontootla we add "an additional change of clothes, and any personal gear you prefer." Full-day trips include lunch.

Our guides to what to pack for a full day and what to wear on a guided trip cover the rest.

Daniel Bowman

Owner & Head Guide · Bowman Fly Fishing

Daniel has guided fly fishing trips in North Georgia for more than 10 years. He runs Bowman Fly Fishing with a team of 10 guides on the Toccoa, Soque, Etowah, Noontootla, and Tuckasegee — including private water access most anglers never get to fish.