sling pack

Patagonia Sling Bag Review

*Please note some of these products may no longer be available to purchase on the website*

When you are fishing on foot, you need to be smart about what gear you bring and how you carry it, and the fly fishing sling packs from Patagonia help you do just that. The Patagonia sling packs are designed to help all types of wade fishermen carry the right amount of tackle and gear in an organized, easy-to-use manner. Whether you are steelheading in the Pacific Northwest, casting to native trout high in the Rockies, or searching the Bahamian flats for bonefish, there is a Patagonia sling pack that will work perfectly for you.

Stealth Atom

The Stealth Atom Sling is the smallest of the Patagonia sling packs and is the ideal solution for the minimalist trout angler. It is loaded with features that keep your tools and tackle close at hand and help you stay organized. One of my favorite features of the Stealth Atom Sling is the molded drop-down work station. It gives you a convenient place to set things down while rigging and a good spot to stash used flies when the job is done. With a 7 liter capacity, the Stealth Atom is the smallest offering from Patagonia. Still, it can easily carry 3 standard sized trout boxes, a water bottle, rain shell, and all of your tippet, leaders, and tools for a full day on the water.

Vest Front Sling

If you are looking for a sling pack with a slightly larger carrying capacity than the Stealth Atom, but still want a bag that will not weigh you down, the Patagonia Vest Front Sling might be the one for you. The Vest Front Sling combines the accessibility and convenience of a vest with the storage capacity of a backpack so that you can carry everything you need for a day on the water.

The DWR coated polyester ripstop material is lightweight, yet extremely durable, which makes it perfect for long treks to and from the water through rugged terrain. What separates the Vest Front Sling from any other sling pack on the market is the vertical pocket configuration on the front. These small pockets allow you to gain access to tools, flies, and tackle without having to unclip the bag and swing it around every time you need to change flies or add splitshot.

Stormfront Sling

At 20 liters, the Stormfront Sling is the highest capacity offering from Patagonia. It is constructed from a PU coated nylon and held together with fully welded seams, making it completely waterproof. The Stormfront Sling is also the only sling pack on the market with a fully waterproof TIZIP zipper. This ensures that your gear stays dry in even the nastiest weather, making the Stormfront Sling the ideal choice for wet weather anglers all over the world.

The inside of the Stormfront is fairly simple so that you can fill it up however you like with large items like water bottles, lunch, and rain gear in addition to your fishing necessitates.

Sling packs are perfect for fly fishing because they allow you to carry more gear than a vest. And are easier to access than a backpack. They also place the load on your back so that you stay comfortable all day long. Allowing casting and fishing without anything in your way. Vail Valley Anglers carries a large collection of sling packs, so if you are not sure which one you like best. Feel free to stop by the fly shop in Edwards, Colorado and try a few of them on for yourself.

Andy “Otter” Smith, Guide and Content Writer