There is a lot of crossover between fly fishing and upland hunting which got me thinking about gear in the same way. Even though the original intent of this sling pack may be for fly fishing, the waterproof features and easy access to storage made it a great option for camera equipment and electronics in the backcountry. After successful test runs on a couple soggy day hikes, I permanently moved all my camera gear to this pack in preparation for the latest season of Way Upland. That might be one of the best gear decisions I’ve ever made.
Chaos ensued the kayak flipping in 25 mph winds on Lake Oahe. I was happy to make it to shore but terrified to learn how much gear was lost or destroyed. The Orvis Sling Pack stayed with the kayak, so I didn’t have to chase it down in the surf. BUT, that also meant it was fully submerged for an uncomfortably long period of time.
The Flexseal zipper did its job: my cameras, backup batteries and lenses were all bone dry. My lunch which was sealed in the outer, water-resistant pocket didn’t fare as well. Waterlogged trail mix felt like a huge victory on this day.
I’m still working on twisting some of the fly fishing features for backcountry adventure, but I’ll never worry about having a dry place for crucial gear ever again — $229.
