REI Flash 22*

Everyone needs a lightweight day pack and here is why:

Traveling: When flying, I hate checking bags so I need to fit everything into two carryons. It is easier said than done when traveling with fishing and camera gear. One bag has my clothes and camera gear and the other has fishing rods, reels, and flies. In order to adhere to the two bag policy, I compress my Flash 22 to the size of a grapefruit and stuff it in my carryon. When I arrive to my destination (or sometimes after boarding the plane), I pull it out, load it up with water, food, gear, and have a perfect day pack!

Hiking: Standard day packs are way too big. They are great overnight packs or specialty packs (if you’re hiking in winter or need more gear for some reason), but for most day hikes, a small pack is more than sufficient while minimizing weight. I do many fly fishing day trips and my Flash 22 holds water/water filter, food, an extra layer, sunscreen, and my fly boxes.

Commuting: I use my pack almost daily for bike commuting. It is light and comfortable and more breathable than my other packs. It easily holds water, bike patch kit and spare tube, a change of clothes, and the removeable back base prevents my 5lb Kryptonite U-lock from digging into my back.

* The REI Flash 22 model I like is discontinued. I chose this model almost solely for the deep mesh side pockets for quick access to water, food, rain gear.

Sawyer Mini Water Filter

Sawyer Mini Water Filter

This thing is cool. REALLY cool. I’m sold and here is why:

It is tiny and extremely light. When I know I will be near a creek, I don’t even bring a water bottle anymore because filtering for immediate drinking is so easy. Often with hand pumps, it can be difficult to find a comfortable position to pump while managing the hoses. With the Sawyer Mini filter, I fill the squeezable bag and then find a comfortable spot to filter the water. The soft bag that comes with the filter is a little too rigid for my liking, but the filter will screw on most water bottles and is especially effective with my Platypus bladder. Seriously, the versatility of this filter is amazing. I use it mostly for hiking, but next time I visit a country with questionable tap water, it will be in my bag. It is also cheap enough to buy two if you wanted to keep one in a go bag for emergency use.

Specs:

Cost: $25

Size: 1 x 5 inches

Weight: 2 ounces

Filters: up to 100,000 gallons with 99.99999% efficiency

ULA Catalyst 75L (4600cu)

ULA Catalyst 75L (4600cu)
The ULA Catalyst is a phenomenal backpack both for ultralight enthusiasts and conventional hikers. I know because I own one, my brother owns one, my father owns one, and my Boy Scoutmaster owns one. Between us, this pack has seen hundreds of miles throughout the Sierra Nevadas, comfortably handling heavy loads, bear canisters, and thick brush. What distinguishes this pack from others is the weight. At exactly 3 pounds, this pack is half the weight of it’s competitors; a feat ULA accomplishes without sacrificing durability. The pack has one large interior pocket accompanied by a small removable mesh pouch, exterior mesh pockets, and hip belt pockets. This design minimizes weight while allowing space for bulky items. The drawback being that one interior pocket means organization is essential, otherwise you may need to empty the packs contents to find that one pair of dry socks. The top of the pack has a rolltop closing feature enabling you to maintain a compact load even when the pack is not at capacity. Compression straps on either side of the pack can hold fly rod tubes or a tripod. A cinch cord on the exterior of the pack is perfect for storing easy access rain gear. Overall, this is a light, comfortable, and durable pack best suited for multi-day backpacking - ULA Catalyst $250

Fishpond Vest

Is the vest obsolete?

Some say the fishing vest is no longer necessary, yielding utility to the hip pack, chest pack, or sling. While each of these packs provide gear storing capabilities along with pros and cons, it boils down to personal preference. That being said, I have a strong bias towards the vest. Through years of Boy Scouts, the scout motto, Be Prepared, has become instilled in my mind and translated to my fishing practices. My vest allows me all the storage capacity I need with even weight distribution, which is essential when spending long days fishing for trout. With other species of fish, I find that I am able to get away with much less gear. When striper fishing, all I have is a lanyard around my neck and a fly box or two in my pocket. It is the unpredictable nature of trout coupled with the remote areas in which they are found which drives the necessity of having the right equipment. I like to have everything on hand. Boxes of nymphs, dries, and streamers, split shot, sink tips, indicators, spools of tippet all adorn my vest. When hiking in remote areas where a trip back to the car is not an option, my vest holds water, food, raincoat, headlamp, net and anything else I need to Be Prepared.

Precious fishing time is saved when my next fly is in a pocket on my chest. A net magnetically attached to my back is there when I need it, strung to my vest so it will not be lost. These features a vest provides in addition to the unquantifiable fish centered mindset that occurs when a fully loaded vest graces my shoulders.

There are many options for portable gear storage and personal preference reigns supreme. For now, my preference is a Fishpond vest.  

Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 Kayak

Nothing has expanded the reach of my fly rod more than the acquisition of a kayak. Places that were previously out of reach wading, are now open for adventure.

My criteria for purchasing this kayak was simple: portability, versatility, and cost. I chose the Tarpon 100 model because, at 10ft long and 55lbs, I can easily lift it in and out of my car by myself and it fits nicely in the corner of the yard. I chose a ‘sit on top’ model opposed to an enclosed model as I often combine wading with kayaking and require easy in and out access with the ability to drain unwanted water. Buying used off of craigslist fulfilled the cost criteria. Upon using this kayak for three years on rivers, lakes, and the ocean, the following are my observations:

• Capable all around kayak, most ideal for river floats and still water

• Large amount of storage space (two hatches open the entire hull for storage, rear exterior straps for cinching down gear

• Comfortable seat, vertical adjusting backrest and reclinable

• Adjustable foot rests, good for extra paddling torque 

• Light and durable, but unsturdy for stand up casting

• Highly maneuverable, but not as fast tracking as longer kayaks

• Scupper holes great for drainage

• Useful straps although occasional fly line snags are an inevitability

• Highly customizable for rod holders, anchor rigs, ect.  

Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 Kayak $700 MSRP