Editor’s note: As we ask today’s gear to do more, last longer, and come in at a price that makes sense for a quality gear investment, it can be difficult for consumers in search of specialty items in the fly-fishing space to find the right piece of equipment for the right set of circumstances. Such is the case for waterproof backpacks. We’re launching a multi-part series on these items that are asked to do much more than just “keep stuff dry.” Below is our second review in the series.
In our first installment, I wrote about the importance of waterproof backpacks being able to do more for the traveling angler than just keep stuff dry. Of course, that’s my own particular set of circumstances, and for anglers who aren’t constantly on and off planes or aboard strange boats in new places, the functionality for a waterproof backpack is going to start and stop with the product’s ability to keep water out, and keep its contents safe.
But for others, like me, who spend serious time in airports and on remote trails, a pack that’s waterproof just isn’t enough. This is when things like ergonomics and efficiency come into play. Not only must the backpack keep its contents dry, but it also mustn’t be an absolute chore to lug onto planes or to pack into pickup tracks and transfer vans, let alone aboard pangas, skiffs, and on the back on a two-mile long slog through the muskeg to a remote brook trout pond. Comfort and wearability matter. Anglers should think “big picture” when it comes to seeking out a waterproof backpack — keeping things dry is but part of the pack’s overall purpose. With that in mind, here’s our second installment.
Patagonia Guidewater backpack
I took the Patagonia Guidewater Backpack with me on an early-season trip to Manitoba, where, for the most part, we were going to fish from a boat for plus-sized northern pike. Of the packs I tested, the Guidewater was the most straight-forward in the “everything you need, nothing that you don’t” department, and it served me well, both en route to the far-flung boreal north and while I was on the boat gearing up to cast big streamers, poppers, and gurglers to pike.
The Guidewater sports 29 liters of interior space (making it the roomiest of the packs I tested). It has an interior laptop compartment and a removable/adjustable Velcro pouch with three pockets (including a zippered pocket that’s ideal for passports, wallets, cash, and the like, when you’re on the go, and great for fly boxes, tippet spools, tools, etc., on the water). The exterior of the pack is loaded with fabric loops to make attaching tools easy, and a pair of adjustable rod-tube holders that tighten nicely and easily secure an aluminum or fabric rod tube.
The shoulder straps are padded and comfortable, as in the cushioned back of the pack. The padded back also includes a net holster. The straps include a chest fastener to tighten the fit, several fabric loops for tool attachments and a pair of handy D-rings.
Interior storage
Very good. The laptop pocket is snug for a small to average-sized computer or tablet — it won’t handle a larger machine. The removable pouch is a nice touch, as well. The best feature of the pack, though, is its deep well — it can easily hold a pair of tightly folded waders, a stuffed-in rain jacket, an extra hat, a water bottle, larger fly boxes, bigger cameras and other gear for anglers on the water, or on the road.
Waterproof material
The body and webbing of the pack are made of 100-percent recycled Nylon, waterproofed to an IPX-7 rating, which means it can withstand full immersion in water up to three feet deep for up to half an hour.
Exterior storage and features
There is none, really, save for the D-rings and the fabric loops that work with other Patagonia accessories, like the Stealth Workstation, for instance. There are no external pockets, which means you’ll be reaching into the pack more frequently for items you need more often.
Zipper
In my mind, this is the Patagonia Guidewater Backpack’s best feature — it’s a simple, waterproof and corrosion-proof YKK zipper that Patagonia has used over the years, and uses on a number of its products, like waders and rain gear. It sports real zipper teeth, and zips open or closed without a hitch. If this matters (and to me, it does), it “feels” durable and dependable. I can’t say that about all waterproof zippers out there.
Durability
The Nylon construction is solid and sturdy, and, on my trip to Canada, I tortured it with heavy loads, including fishing gear and camera gear. The adjustable straps are simple, and held heavy carry-on loads that included extra camera and drone batteries and a change of clothes — we had an overnight in Winnipeg, so the extra room came in handy.
Comfort
It balances nicely and the padded shoulder straps are great. There are no hip straps, but it does have a waist belt to help secure the pack, both on the trail and while walking through airport terminals.
Final word
As you might suspect, Patagonia’s Guidewater Backpack is a rock solid product — something we have come to expect from the brand. It’s easy to love this pack for its size and simple design, but I’m more excited knowing that, no matter how beat it up over time, the company will back it, and do its level best to ensure this product’s life span is as long as possible. We’d all be hard-pressed to find a company that stands behind its products the way Patagonia does.
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