fishpond’s Westwater Collection

FishPond rolled out it’s Westwater Collection at the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show in Reno this past August and I decided that I had to have the Westwater Guide Lumbar Pack.

Here’s why: Since I wore a Patagonia hiking-specific fanny pack back in the 1990s and early 2000s I haven’t found a pack that offers great lumbar support and is large enough to carry multiple fly boxes, a flask, tippet spools, and so, so importantly, my 35 millimeter Nikon with an attached lens and, possibly, a backup lens.

That’s why this pack attracted my eye; it’s cavernous, simple and water resistant. It only weighs 1.4 pounds and, yet, it offers 460 cubic inches of space. With its water repellent shell and welded seams this thing is pretty kind to my camera, especially when I have it sealed up in a ziplock bag. Rain, rain go away …

I also like the way this pack wears—it’s comfortable and doesn’t slip around much, meaning you’re not yanking it onto the top of “yer ass” when you’re supposed to be casting to chrome. I also like the shoulder strap it comes with so that I can unlatched the waist belt and swing the pack forward when I really need to dig. This is what I would describe as a minimalist pack with lots of features and capacity. That it is highly water resistant and wears comfortably are added bonuses.

Casting to chromey silvers with the Westwater on my back.

 

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