I've tried a couple sling packs and hip packs and finally decided to give a vest a try. I should have started here. This vest is perfect. The pockets hold all my fly boxes, floatant, etc. and they are easy to get to. Tools are right in front where I need them and it's somehow low-profile enough that it doesn't interfere with my cast ... Read Moreat all. There's plenty of attachment points and I keep finding new things (why hello there key holder!). A liter water bottle slips easily into and out of the back reach-through pocket and the fully loaded vest sits comfortably and isn't fatiguing at all. Great work design team!
I have an older version which is outstanding. 10 years of heavy use and it is still like new. Great front pockets hold multiple boxes, and accessories. Large back compartment very roomy. Can also be configured to wear under a small pack for long days or hiking in extra gear.
I run hot and cold on vests, slings, hip packs, you name it. Ive tried a bunch and I continue my Goldilocks quest for just right.
My go to over the years has been a Patagonia combination pack and vest system. It's a solid setup, allowing me to have what I needed, when I needed it. During the summer, when I don't need to carry extra layer... Read Mores, I might switch to the Stealth Sling.
I'm a big fan of the vertical pocket design of the vest portion and there it has a ton of well-organized storage in the pack section. The challenge with the combination pack and vest system is it is load capacity overkill many times. The challenge with the sling is its not roomy enough for multiple layers like the pack is.
I have been eyeing this vest for a while, wondering if it might be worth a try. I recently pulled the trigger and bought one, and I readly like what I see.
It's made it with a rugged recycled polyester mesh body and recycled nylon ripstop pockets. The design has the vertical pockets I like and two overlapping (small over large) back storage pockets. The back pockets are roomy enough for spare layers and include a detachable, zippered waterproof pouch for the "do not get wet" stuff. I may add a Stealth Work Station for organization.
While I haven't fished with it yet, it fits comfortably. I loaded it with all the stuff I normally have in the vest portion of the pack-vest with no problem.
The suspension system is new and comes from their trail running world Slope Runner Endurance Vest. I'm enamored with the padded straps of my pack vest; well see how it feels after a full day of guiding or fishing. The suspension system helps snug up the vest to your torso, keeping it from flopping around and getting in the way when casting and landing fish.
Stretchy side panels encircle the lower part of the vest for additional, albeit unsecured, storage. This may turn out to be my favorite and most useful design element of the vest. Im amazed how often stuff migrates to random pockets in my waders or pants pocket while Im guiding or fishing. Being able to stow something quickly and easily in one place is going to be very handy. The pocket is big enough to stow my usual water bottle. It rides in the middle of the back of the vest, balancing the load very effectively.
I will admit to not being a fan of the sheep skin fly patch that comes with it. It's reminiscent of a bygone era and not particularly useful in my experience. I quickly relegated it to my fly-tying table and replaced it with a foam patch from my other vest.
Now if the weather would straighten out, I could go field test it.
I purchased this vest from an online retailer as it was not available on the website at the time. It was a replacement for a lightweight Orvis vest that had completed it's life after ~25 years. This was a huge step for me as my vest was the most organized thing in my life. I knew exactly where everything was. The Stealth Pack has a place for e... Read Moreverything...except maybe floatant. I use gel and fumed silica and had to get an external holder. Pouches for boxes are perfectly sized. internal zipper compartments are great for things you will need but not all the time like backup floatant a thermometer, etc.. The hemo holder is clever and keeps the hemos out of the way. It is slightly awkward to reattach but always fish barbless so I don't use them that much anyway. The back compartments are well placed. I carried a raincoat and some food on a recent trip didn't notice them at all. The rod holder stows nicely out of the way until you need it. The vest sits high enough that it stays out of deep water. It worked well for me with tube fishing and wading. I'm on the border of L/XL and it is great with or without a jacket and an insulating layer. Padded yolk keeps your net holder from pressing into you neck and shoulders. Cleverly designed so nothing hangs up when stripping from a tube. I'm happy with the purchase.
Great vest. Really cool I use it for photography and it is almost perfect. It is light and has pockets for my 35mm films, filters and 2 extra lenses. It would be perfect when the straps in the front are in a way so you can tighten their the chest from the outside. Now the straps are going inside, which is not convenient when you want to loosen or t... Read Moreighten when walking. Maybe this is a manufacturing fault. Not sure. If this was fixed 5*.
Hi Patrick, thank you for posting this review. We're sorry the position of the straps isn't as good for you; the straps are indeed designed to adjust on the inside. We will share this feedback with our product team. If you want to [return](https://www.patagonia.com/returns.html) it we'll be happy to help. Please let us know if we can be of any assistance!
June 29, 2022
Almost Perfect!
First, I will say that I do love this vest. It's functionality and versatility are next level! I love the vertical pockets on the front of the vest (there are SO many!) which make grabbing fly boxes, floatant, and other accessories extremely easy. The larger pockets on the back allow me to pack snacks and extra layers when needed and I appreci... Read Moreate the waterproof sleeve for things such as keys and important items. Overall, the vest has so many small details and awesome features that I'm still discovering.
Now, the downsides - firstly, I can't get a precise fit on this vest. My upper body is quite small (chest: 31" / waist: 26") and without layers, this vest feels pretty large. The shoulders stick up (think like a football jersey) and I'm not able to get it closely conformed to my body despite adjusting it as small as it goes. The second downside is the reach-through pocket on the back. I found myself fiddling around with this and wasting time trying to get a water bottle in and out seamlessly, eventually having to take the vest off to get the water bottle in. I was originally using a 32oz water bottle but that was neither comfortable or practical, so I downsized to a 24oz bottle but even then I found the pocket to be difficult to use.
All-in-all, I'm going to keep using the vest and see how it goes this summer and hopefully get it dialed in a bit more!
After 15 years in the wilderness with slings, lanyards, hip packs, chest packs, etc. I decided to try this vest. Comfortable, everything is where I want it to be, enough storage for everything I need for a day on the water. Now just grab and go fish.