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Typically a sling pac user. But first time out with this was awesome. For lite and just basic need's I typically euro nymph. This pack has me covered. Love the magnetic strap on top, also the bottom strap is great for my fishpond tippet holder. Love the pack!!
Perfect for carrying a box of articulated streamers and tippets.
I was looking for a small pack that I could attach to the front of my waders that could carry a fly box with five (5) large articulated streamers, tippet spools, extra leaders, hook sharpener, and my cell phone that I could access easily and quickly. I purchased the Stealth Work Station and it has worked perfect. I was able to easily attach it to t... Read Morehe front of my waders and carry what I needed without having to take-off and go through my main backpack. The magnet on the top is a perfect addition as it enabled me to keep the streamers in place while selecting a streamer, without having to hook the flies to a patch, and also holding the streamer in place while attaching it to the tippet with a non-slip loop knot. So far, it has worked perfectly and still had additional room after I put in all the items I needed.
I bought this for my boyfriend to strap on the front handlebars of his bike and it was the perfect fit. The top zipper makes it easy to grab something while you're on a long bike ride and all the pockets and loops and stuff make it great for holding sunglasses or whatever. He loves it.
I have, in the past, tried fishing vests, backpacks, and other tackle holders for fly fishing. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. But most have the disadvantage of having your gear not front and center. The workstation solves this in an elegant manner. The bag is light, functional, and attaches easily to your wader suspenders. I found it pe... Read Morerfect for salmon fly fishing in Alaska.
A few key benefits:
1. Puts your gear front and center so you can work on things in the river.
2. Attaches easily to waders.
3. It's small and light. This forces you to prioritize your fly fishing gear needs and anything else you can leave on shore in a waterproof bag.
One (minor) suggested improvement: The buckles did not fail me...but they're small and I worried about them breaking. I wish the buckle seemed a bit more robust.
I go surf fishing and this was my upgrade to my full small tackle bag that I used for bait fishing. This bag now stores 4 bait bags, 2 small leader spools, 5 different hook bags, a small container with various swivels & clips,a few weights, tape measure, and scissors. The magnet works fantastically holding my scissors in between jobs.
I cant ... Read Moreforget to let you know that I love the connection points on this little over achiever. I have it connected to my yeti bag with the top clips and love the idea that I can always loop it on my surf belt if I ever wanted.
I have had three chest packs and still have my Umpqua sling pack. Had almost thought I'd never find what I really wanted for a few hours on the water until I got this one. PERFECT size.
First, product description:
"Details include a large zippered main pocket, two zippered accessory pockets, a rear security pocket, fly patch and tool doc... Read Moreking stations"
There is no rear security pocket and only two zippered pockets, not three. I'd love the rear security pocket as my other packs have them and it is a convenient place for fishing license or car keys.
As others have mentioned, a drop down 'workshelf' would be a great bonus. You could make the front zippered pocket with the shelf instead of mesh (mesh tends to attract flies and get torn a lot).
These two are why I only gave it 4 of 5.
But, as an extra bonus the price is outstanding!!! So, rating goes back up to 5! Almost half the cost of other options and much slimmer profile.
Thanks for the review, Vernon. We appreciate you pointing out those issues with the product description. We're working with our product team to confirm and fix these mistakes on the website. We're happy to hear that you're enjoying the bag otherwise. If anything comes up along the way, feel free to connect with [customer service](https://help.patagonia.com/s/?_gl=1*1jysyrp*_ga*NjQ4MDAzMDY0LjE2ODI5NTAxOTA.*_ga_1SYPSJZYJ5*MTY4OTY4NTEwNC4xNzQuMS4xNjg5Njg2NjY4LjYwLjAuMA..).
April 29, 2023
Decent fit
The organizer pockets are amazing. But the fit isnt perfect with the connection points on the backpack being vertical the Velcro doesnt sit properly when attached. Overall, I enjoy this product on the outside of my bag.
The Patagonia Work Station is ideal for avid fly anglers. The more we fly fish the better we get at it. The better we get at it the more we realize how little stuff we really need at hand to be successful.
This small and compact chest pack is just the right size and configuration to hold the key items of flies and terminal tackle I need to provide... Read More successful fly fishing for my guests as a professional full-time fly fishing guide.
Well constructed and easy to access.
I actually bought this for hiking and backpacking. Detachable chest bags were commonly used for a variety of outdoor activities around 1900. Most notably developed during the fur trade as a counterweight to the heavy backpacks worn during portage, folks soon realized the value of this accessory. Why it dropped out of the "indispensable" c... Read Moreategory for outdoor gear is a mystery. For myself, this chest bag straps onto loops attached to my backpack. It rests comfortably snug on my sternum and stays in place unless I need to bend forward. Inside, I keep my notepad, keys, phone, gopro, and accessories. Incredibly useful, works great!!! My partner tried it out and liked it so much that I had to get myself a new one!
When you only need essentials for fly fishing and need to keep your sack out of the water. This is the perfect pack to have a lot of excess bulk and a pack that stays out of your way. Double thumbs up.
This little front facing work station fits nicely on a day pack or bigger back pack. Doesn't work with a sling. It has interior dividers to keep things organized. It can hold two small fly boxes, plus leaders, nippers, indicators, and other essentials. Or, it can hold one beer can. It looks to be good good for holding gear when your bulkier ve... Read Morest or fishing pack won't do.
I realize this pack is intended to be minimalistic and that's why I bought it, but a drop down work shelf would be nice and the compartment divider looks like it would accommodate it.
There are days when you want to hit the river with minimalist gear and a handful of your confidence flies. This pack has enough room for all of the essentials was easy access hanging right in the front of your waders.
Great bag for fishing with as little gear as possible. I use for wet wading in warm conditions. Not wearing waders, I rig a shoulder strap and carry crossbody. If the wader attachment set up allowed a strap hook up, it would be perfect.
I love this pack. I own several other packs, including a sling, a hip pack and a chest pack but I find myself reaching for this one the most. It encourages minimalism but still manages to carry everything I need. I wear it on my waders most often, but sometimes strap it through a belt if I'm wearing a wading jacket in the surf or rain. I'... Read Moreve recommended it to several people and all have been happy. I really do think it's the best little pack, especially for the price.
I really love using this little chest pack. I keep my daily fly box, tippet pre-rigs, an extra leader, floatant, and other accoutrements, maybe a snack bar. When Im super organized, I can leave behind my hip pack. The only improvement I could suggest is a zippered, fold down tray (like on the hip pack), instead of the expanding fabric pocket. I do ... Read Moresnag my line a little on it the little pack, but I think thats just me learning how to work with it. Overall its a great improvement on my evolving fishing system.
Perfect size on the water. I often carry more gear in a backpack but this is usually all I need so I often leave the backpack on the shore and just fish with this minimalist pack.
I recently picked this up from a vendor at a Spey Clave. I love the simplicity of it as it has enough room for a couple of fly boxes, sink tips and another shooting head along with some tippets and leaders. I love the attachments for my hemostats to the outside. The velcro is great for attaching some flies to change out. The last time out I wore my... Read More wading pants and I able to loop it through my wading belt. It is light enough where I didn't feel like it was sagging my belt or wading pants. It's out of the way of my casting and I no longer have the neck pain that I got using a pack or sling. I have yet to try it on the front of my full length waders but I plan too soon. Awesome little pack!
I noticed one reviewer only gave it one star because it wasn't big enough for their medical pack! Well I believe it was designed for fly fishing, not as a medical pack. Maybe find another bigger Patagonia pack on the site and keep the poor review to yourself!
I used the previous generation of this product for the past couple of seasons. Overall, this version is much better. It holds a lot more, has more attachments options, and the magnet is very useful. The only thing I really miss from the old version is the rectangular velcro patch. I'd love to use a velcro-backed fly patch (I use one of those s... Read Moremall Simms velcro fly box patches), but it's impossible on this pack. In fact, I don't think the velcro patches on this pack are all that useful. I am afraid to use them to hold flies, particularly barbless flies and small flies. Also, because they are relatively small areas of velcro and are sort of curved, I can't attach many useful velcro-back accessories to them. So they sort of sit there unused. I would gladly trade them for the old rectangular velcro patch, but I'm not sure where that would go with the new, stretchy pocket in front. As I said, overall, it's a big improvement, but it would be five stars with better fly-drying options.
This bag is promoted as being appropriate when you want to bring just enough with you when you go fly fishing. This is exactly what it has been to me. I fly fish from my paddle board so I try to travel super light. This little bag holds 2 fly boxes, extra leaders, tippet and has place to hang all my tools. I have so far just used it with a belt. Ve... Read Morery easy to get things in and out, even when standing on the board with rod and paddle. I have used it about 15 times so far and just love it. So much so, that I just bought another one for my oldest son!
Unexpectedly high utility in a concise package. The flexible attachment points allow pairing with Nine Trails backpack, lumbar pack, and bike handlebars for longer than usual outings. Internal dividers help organize small items with minimum of shifting and mixing.
If your looking to travel light this is an awesome small lightweight pack just to carry one and your essentials. First time I saw this was the this review ( 10 Slept On Fly Fishing Items Under $50 AvidMax Gear Reviews )
This is a great little pouch, thoughtfully designed. Large enough to hold the essentials. Love the magnet and various attachment points for all the required doodads (surgical clamp, snips, tippet roll, etc.).
This is exactly what I've been looking for! Something slick & lightweight that you can attach to anything. If you go super lightweight just attach it to your waders or belt. If you need more gear attach to the outside of a backpack and you still have quick access to your tackle. Build quality is excellent as with most Patagonia gear.
Love the engineering of how this utility pack can be added or subtracted as needed. I use it for frequently used items while guideing (hemos, phone/camera, fly box de jour). Well done, strong work.
I bought this pack to use as a new medical pack, as the one I have now is getting to be too small at 2 liters. I liked that this pack was "5 liters" and has attachment points on the outside and some organization inside.
The pack came in today, but it's the same size as the pouch I was using before, 2 liters. I don't know if th... Read Moreis was a dud, but I can't recommend this pack as a "5 liter" solution.
I am using the wader workstation attached to a Patagonia waterproof sling. It is a great addition and gives me easier access to all my essentials/most used items. The workstation has enough room for a few fly boxes and has attachment points for tools. One improvement may be to add a dedicated external spot for tippet as I need access to that freque... Read Morently and do not like putting it inside the zipper. This is not a big problem though because I attached a tippet holder to the remaining attachment points on the sling pack.
So it seems like the longer I fish the less I want to take into the water with me. I have transitioned from a vest filled with everything, to a chest pack filled with everything, to finally this workstation that attaches directly to my waders filled with all I need. I've pretty much managed now to have everything I need in my workstation and o... Read Moren the lanyard around my neck (and at times a few things in my pockets). I'm very happy with the work station and feel I may now be as lean on the water as I can be.
So it seems like the longer I fish the less I want to take into the water with me. I have transitioned from a vest filled with everything, to a chest pack filled with everything, to finally this workstation that attaches directly to my waders filled with all I need. I've pretty much managed now to have everything I need in my workstation and o... Read Moren the lanyard around my neck (and at times a few things in my pockets0. I'm very happy with the work station and feel I may now be as lean on the water as I can be.
Perfect solution when only a couple small fly boxes are needed. Room for tippet, floatant, nippers as well. Unlike some chest packs, this one doesnt stick out too far.
I continually try to become more minimalist in my fishing. Ive tried other packs and havent been that successful. This pack really helped me focus on only the things I need on the water. I love the design and size of the pack. I had a small fly box, a few tippets, leader, stringer, indicators and fly floatant in there with lots more room if needed.... Read More The magnet is great when Im swapping out flies. Highly recommend if you want a great solution to be more minimalist.
I'm relatively new to fly fishing and in an attempt to keep costs down I've been using a sling bag that was designed for other activities as my fly fishing bag. Eventually, it got too frustrating to keep adapting to equipment for designed for other uses (getting my phone out without dropping it in the stream was especially tricky). The St... Read Moreealth Work Station is such a big improvement in this regard because it allows me to keep my gear profile (and costs) low, but also really accessible. Because I'm trying to keep the gear to a minimum, the Work Station is a perfect size and allows me to pack both my tacky fly box and a smaller nymph box as well as my phone, leaders, and maybe some snacks, a small water purifier, or a flask. I also have my tippets and tools tied to the many anchor points on the outside and appreciate the mesh pocket on the front for less frequently used tools and my desiccant. I especially like the magnet on the front for holding my nipper from swinging around making noise. I've only secured the bag to my wader suspenders and haven't experimented with the belt option but so far I'm very satisfied with how low profile it stays in front of me. My main concern when I bought it was that my stripped line would tangle with the bag or the stuff hanging off of it, but so far I haven't had that problem. The only things I would like are a waterproof pocket and a place to secure a water bottle. I think I can figure out a way to secure a small nalgene with a carbiner, but it does seem possible to have a small sleeve on the bottom like the Stealth Sling bag. I know that would help me, because when I forgo water while fishing, I always regret it and sometimes find myself leaving the stream earlier than I'd like. My overall review of the Work Station is overwhelmingly positive. The first time I had it on the water was the best fishing day I've ever had. I'm not saying it was the bag that caught the fish, but I certainly had a fun time fishing and using it.
I bought this as a waist-pack without an integrated belt. I clip it to my real belt, or my dog's leash handle, while hiking. I use this bag almost daily, and am overall extremely happy with the purchase.
I wish that this had the bottle tube that the other stealth packs have. The fabric on the front pocket is nice, but stains very easily. Woul... Read Mored prefer if the stealth products were made from the Black Hole material. I think the inside back wall of the pack could be improved with elastic straps for horizontally securing pens / pocket knives / flash lights, as well as an interior loop at the top for clipping things inside the bag. The black plastic clips are hard to trust. When not in use, these straps are often in the way. I learned to clip them into the opposite ends in order to keep the straps laying flat.
Thank you for the detailed feedback and the suggestions. We'll pass them along to our designers.
September 7, 2021
This is one of those things you dont think you really need until you have it.
I've always liked the front pouch of my waders for keeping things handy, but they are limited in their carrying capacity. The Stealth Work Station puts all the essentials front and center where you need them. Right now, I use it as a front pouch while wet wading. Better than pockets in my shorts or pants and more convenient then swinging my St... Read Moreealth Sling around for a quick fly change. I added a foam patch to my off-hand side to keep fly secure.
The fact that I can easily attach it to my waders or sling makes it an essential piece of gear that I can transfer from kit to kit as needed. Yup, didn't know I needed it, but sure glad I have it.
I own every possible piece of fly fishing product you make and have been teased by Mr. Chouinard for being overly equipped.
Mr. Minimal is rubbing off on me and the new Wader Work Station is just the ticket and very well designed for someone who wants just the bare essentials or an extra pocket for your waders!
i was going to retrofit this with a cross body strap as the shape is so perfect. shallow compartments so one isnt digging in their bag as so much just falls to the bottom. but i neglected to read the weight. and it was too heavy. really enlightened product, but all the structure makes it heavier. returned it.
Hi Ann, thank you for taking the time to write a review. The Stealth Work Station - Fly Fishing Wader Bag is a technical fishing bag and made to be more durable for its function making it heavier than other bags. Try taking a look a look at the Ultralight Black Hole® Sling 8L. It's slightly lighter and is made specifically for crossbody wear, https://www.patagonia.com/product/ultralight-black-hole-sling-backpack-8-liters/49020.html?dwvar_49020_color=BLK.
August 26, 2021
Does What's Expected
I use this small work station for fly fishing. It's attached to a FishPond belt. I prefer not to carry a lot of gear and this small pouch has enough space to hold backup flies and tippet and more. It's got plenty of space. Well made too. I may have to get another...
I was a big fan of the older version of the Wader Work Station and was very intrigued to see what improvements have been made with the newer Stealth version.
The Stealth Work Station is slightly larger than before, and more comfortably accommodates the double sided Tacky fly boxes I use most of the time when trout fishing. Fortunately it hasn'... Read More;t swollen to the point where it starts to obscure your feet and is still significantly slimmer than the average chest pack.
The stretchy front pocket is a nice replacement for the older style's two pockets, which as well as being less versatile, tended to look pretty goofy if they were remotely full.
My main issue with the newer version is/are the fly patch(es). The foam patch on the older version was a key piece of the puzzle for me, the hook & loop replacement only works if you use barbed hooks, which no self respecting trout angler ought to. Barbless hooks fall off almost immediately. I was skeptical of this new feature but decided to give it a go, sure enough I lost every single fly I placed there throughout a half day of fishing. Part of the issue is the fact that they're located on the sides of the pack, any time you bring your arms in front of you and slightly to the side, whether to cast, or access the pack, your arms rub against the fly patch. This is an extremely poor choice of material and location and frankly makes the pack unusable for its intended purpose in my opinion.
Of course, this can largely be remedied by using larger barbed hooks, but frankly I'd expected better from Patagonia than to design an item around something like that.
Hi Rob, thank you for taking the time to write us such a detailed review. We're really sorry to hear about the disappointment that you've experienced with the bag. This is super helpful feedback and we'll pass it along to our design crew. Your satisfaction is always guaranteed so you're welcome to [return](https://www.patagonia.com/returns.html) it.
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