LL Bean – Rapid River Vest Pack ?

[David Anderson]

Hi Dudes,

Anyone use an L.L. Bean Rapid River vest pack ?

I’ve looked at them on-line (we have no Bean shops here) with a view to using one to carry a photo and fishing gear.

The front cargo pockets look big enough for a lens each side and the back pocket should fit my small tri-pod and a jacket.

The whole rig looks like it would fit under my long raincoat.

I also note that they make a long size for us guys that are more orc than hobbit.. 😉

Any opinions ?

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[dusty montgomery]

David,
I own L.L. Bean, Orvis, and Fishpond pacs. I just bought my newest Fishpond yesterday, one to carry my gear and DSLR. My opinion, Fishpond! Their pacs offer far more utilities than any other, but you have to pay for it. It also depends on whether you prefer a hip mount or shoulder mount, plus how much gear you plan to carry. Personally, I would rather grow into a pac rather than leave gear at home.

[David Anderson]

Dusty, I like the look of the LL Bean for the proper waist belt and the two large cargo pockets on the front.

My camera gear is heavy and I carry a tri-pod as well.

I need something where I have a camera around my neck and quick access to a couple other lenses and a flash, plus filters and stuff.
My new tripod is carbon and very small, but still weights a couple pounds with the head.
It’s only 16′ inches long when folded.

I have looked at the Fishpond Double Haul and like the look of it, though I wonder how much support you get without a waist belt..

With waterproofing I now just carry 3 smallish soft roll top dry bags and can put stuff in them if it rains.

I think the Rapid river would fit under my rain coat if it pissed down.

One other feature it has that I like is a tall size where it’s a couple inches longer than standard.
LL bean seems to be one of the few stores that does tall sizes anymore and I’ve just ordered one of their wading jackets because of it.

I really wish there was a LL Bean shop here in OZ, that would make all this much easier !

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[Anonymous]

I really wish there was a LL Bean shop here in OZ, that would make all this much easier !  😉

Dont worry…they will take care of you no matter where you live.

[David Anderson]

I really wish there was a LL Bean shop here in OZ, that would make all this much easier !  😉

Dont worry…they will take care of you no matter where you live.

Ordered some shirts from them a while back and they didn’t show up after three weeks, so I emailed them and they sent another order out straight away and it arrived a few days later.

Then of course the original showed up..

So I sent it back at their expense..

I like they way they answer emails right away and answer questions in such detail.

I asked recently about the pocket sizes on the Rapid River vest pack and got a great response.

Also, as I said, they do a tall size in almost everything and it’s very hard to get tall sizes here..

So far all is well with LL Bean & me ..  🙂

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[Rich Kovars]

Hey Guys,

The Rapid River is a great vest.  I’m not sure a tripod would fit in the back compartment.  I’ll check it out tonight and post back.  It is made for a hydration bladder but it does have a zipper that allows it to expand.    

A lens would fit in the front pockets.  I think the inside large pockets are mesh on the backside.  I’ll have to check that out to verify.  I’ll post some pics too.

The vest has a suspension system like a backpack.  You hardly notice the weight you are carrying.  

They stand behind the 100% guarantee for sure.

[David Anderson]

Thanks Rich,

The tripod is 15 1/2 inches long and around 10 or 11 inches around.
(it’s a beautiful little thing – I take back everything I ever said about the french ;))
From the picture on their website I was wanting to put the tripod and maybe a light rain jacket in the back pocket or a flat water bottle.

If the cargo pockets are mesh it might be a problem for keeping them dry ?

Any pics would help a lot !

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[Rich Kovars]

Well,  My bigger tripod wouldn’t work too well.  I’m not sure of the dimensions but I would say folded it is a tad bit over 15 inches.  I can do the measurements tonight and post back.  The smaller tripod looked like it would work okay.

Large Tripod

Small Tripod

Vest Open

Big Mesh Pocket (Inside)

Showing all three pockets – Fly patch, fly box pocket (both on the outside), large mesh pocket on inside (by my fingers)

Lens in fly box pocket.  Note that there is a drain gasket in the bottom of this pocket so it is definitely not waterproof.  None of the pockets are.

I really should have thrown some rulers in there for scale sorry.  I’ll get some measurements tonight.

–R

[John Bennett]

David how much “gear” are you talking about?
I could try to figure out a way to post of a pic of me loaded but heres what I use and a typical load for a day on the river.

Lowepro Vertex 300.
http://products.lowepro.com/product/Vertex-300-AW,2074,16.htm

1DMKIIN + 400 f5,6 L + 180 3.5 + 24-70 f2.8 + 85 f1.8 + Flash + RRS 87B + Gary Fong LS + Spare Batts for the 1D and flash and asorted other stuff and sometimes the Manfrotto 190 PRo. Some days Im pushing 40-50pds. Granted I dont slug it all day and put it on the bank but suffice to say it does the job and I abuse it pretty hard.

Like..lots of room, carrys and distributes the weight really well, rubber seals on the zippers..enough to prtect vs a quick dip but not a swim and a rain jacket. I’ve spent the better part of a day in moderate to heavy rain a few times and thus far no moisture has gotten in except when I’ve opened it.

Like.. The note book section. Somedays I want to concentrate on photpgraphy and just want my reel, rod a small box a wee bit of terminal etc incase I see risers or cant anything to shoot. It all fits in there. Rod tube (4 peice) extends out the top of the note book pocket and rides like a 2nd tripod.

Also has neat system for add ons like think tank single len bags, pod carriers etc.

Dislikes
The weight. The bag empty is hefty but it needs to be. Take the good with the bad I guess.also dislike leaving it on the bank so I can fish. Would like something that I could sling while fishing but to do that means 1 lens only and no flash. Reality is anyone picking it up aint outrunning me despite being in waders and boots;)
Like any back pack it can be slow getting into and set up. Missed an Osprey taking a 12inch Brown 20 feet from me two weeks ago as I couldnt get to the bag, get the 400 mounted and out in time.

When fully loaded ( gear + fly gear)
I use Sages Lumbar “fanny pack”.. Have to. I gave up on trad vest 2 years ago and chest packs as a result. Back and shoulders just couldnt take the weight/strain of everything, let alone the discomfort of a camera pack weighing down on the straps of a vest/chest pack. Great thing about the fanny pack is I can swing it into any posiotn,front/back/left right hips. Hips take all the weight, if one side gets tired or chaffed I rest it on the other. When walking, I position it on my lower back, directly under the LowePro, providing more support from the shoulder to my lower back all in. Tons of room for stuff
http://www.sageflyfish.com/dyn_prodlist.php?k=83813
Dislikes.
No rea way to hook up my net, a big 19inch mouth. Typically I clip the bungee to the fanny pack and either clip to the fanny via Carbiner+magnet or stuff the handle down my waist belt.

Taken all together its a flexible system that allows me to carry as much or as little as I might possibly want without killing myself and handle the weight. Much better than any other combo of things I tried while looking for a solution.

[David Anderson]

Rich, thanks for the photos !
LL Bean should have more like that on their website…

It looks like it might work – I think I should just get one and try it..
🙂

A measure of the long back pocket would be very helpful..

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[David Anderson]

Thanks for the info John,

I use a Rover pack from Lowe with a Utility pouch and a bottle holder on the belt and a small pouch on one of the shoulder straps.
The utility pouch holds the fly gear and one lens that’s not to hard to get at.

I’ve lined the bottom compartment with a lightweight dry bag that can be rolled down around the padded section and then pulled up and closed if it rains.
I also have a couple smaller dry bags for lenses and flash if I need to put them away in the pack.
My rain jacket lives in one and a jumper in the other.

The whole set-up is light and isn’t uncomfortable for the long walks I do in the mountains while fishing.
Unlike some packs it has a fully padded and wide waist belt that helps with the weight.

My fishing gear is minimum – just a couple small fly boxes and a few spare leader & tipett ect.

I also have a Dryzone pack, but hate it for it’s weight and the fact that the design is so poor – it’s hard to use.

I find all packs take to long to get stuff out of when you want a quick shot..

While I’m, fairly happy with my pack set-up, I’m used to working from a photo vest with a couple lenses in big front pockets.

A few times I’ve worn a vest under the pack, but it all gets a bit hot..

There’s heaps of vests on the market, but none have a way of carrying the tripod and aren’t really much chop for fishing.

The Rapid river looks good because it does have the harness and the big front pockets and the back pocket.
If the tripod fits it might be perfect for what I want.

My camera set-up changes a lot – on some days I travel very light with just the 1DsIII, a flash and a couple lenses.
(16-35 and 100 macro)

On other days I carry two bodies and 4 or 5 lenses and no fishing gear..

The Rapid river looks from the photos like a cross between a camera vest and a fishing vest with the support of a pack.

People that have them seem to think they’re comfortable as well..

Besides $100 what have I got to loose ??

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[John Bennett]

Sounds alot like my experience David. Some days I want to concentrate on fishing an only bring the 24-70 and 180 3.5 incase I get into some bugs. Other days Im hoping to concentrate on photogrpahy inwhich case I go loaded for bear, not knowing what will end up in the viewfinder.

Finding a flexible system that makes it all possible inlcuding carrying a pod has been a chore.

And yeah te dry zone back packs look bad. Really heavy especially for their size, and I can only imagine how hot one gets lugging that on the back on a hot day due to all the rubber. Looks great as a boat/travel dry pack but not a pack to use if hiking or bushwhacking.

J

[David Anderson]

The worst thing about dryzones is the zippers, they pull apart unless you baby them 24-7..

Crappiest thing I ever bought..

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[John Bennett]

What we need is an engineer from Lowepro to get hooked on fly fishing so they understand the needs of an angler out for a day and on the water.

or

An engineer from Simms/Sage/LL Bean to get into photography so they understand the needs of a photographer.

Something that combines both elements of conveneince, storage capacity, weight distribution, lumber support, weather sealing, shock absorbtion, etc

Honestly, its shock and absorbtion and weather sealing thats kept me from looking too seriously at any of the packs designed by fishing/outdoors manufactors and thus I look at stuff designed for photographers that can be made to work on stream.

Yeah, you can zip lock spare CF cards, spare batteries, lenses etc but it just adds to the inconvenience and weight and does naught for shock absorbtion.

What Id love to see is something like a chest pack with “battle harness” includingd web belt for a completely modular system with back pack for main storage……but designed for the photogrpaher.

Id put all the fishing related pockets on the waist belt w/ lumber support. That way Im free to unclip the uppers and put them down yet stil wade into the water or sit on my butt for a low angle fish/bug shot.
Zingers, pig tails, tools on the straps etc.

Fragile and heavy stuff like body/lenses/cards/batts, etc into/on the chest/back thats weather sealed, water resistant, shock proof etc. All of it modular so you can pack for bear and still take the weight, or remove stuff for light excursions.

[David Anderson]

Morsie and I sent emails to Lowe and Thinktank telling them what we needed and how we thought the right product would sell well.
How many photographers are there now running around shooting outdoor stuff ?

Lots !

We suggested a bag like the Simms Dry creek with it’s simple roll top, but set out for camera gear.
It also needs a proper waist belt with the option of external add ons.

Here’s a link for Thinktank – IMO they make the best sized bags & pouches for modern sized AF lenses and DSLR’s.
They also have a good looking belt system like you mentioned.
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/

Wasn’t it 39 years ago that a man walked on the moon ?

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[John Bennett]

yeah Ive been putting thought towards just creating my own, based on Think Tank parts. Problem there largely is weather sealing.

The rain cover included in the lowpro packs like the vertex 100 to 300 series has saved my bacon 3 times this year.

Did a turkey hunt in May. Near zero temps, light, moderate and freezing rain at different times. 5+ hrs with my back to a tree trunk soaking it in. I was miserable, my gear was warm and comfy.

[Rich Kovars]

Rich, thanks for the photos !
LL Bean should have more like that on their website…

It looks like it might work – I think I should just get one and try it..
🙂

A measure of the long back pocket would be very helpful..

I’ll grab one tonight.

[Rich Kovars]

Mountainsmith has some nice camera oriented packs
http://www.mountainsmith.com/products.asp?subCategoryId=14&categoryId=13

They also have waist style packs:
http://www.mountainsmith.com/products.asp?subCategoryId=27&categoryId=13

These look interesting as well:
http://www.mountainsmith.com/products.asp?productId=155&categoryId=13&subCategoryId=13&subCategory2Id=0

I might have to pick one of those up.

[John Bennett]

Thanks wil look at those.
The problem with waist stuff designed for cameras is that they don’t consider/allow you get in the water. Think Tanks modules while great are largely designed to be carried on waist belts.

90% of my fish shots and alot of ofther I’m in knee deep water, squating getting my butt wet, or sitting on my butt to get as low as possible to water level. My Sage fanny pack that I use for my fly gear and stuff constantly gets soaked as a result.

So basically to me, the ideal system distributes any weight around the waist on to the hips that can get wet. I dont want to remove or put that back on ad naseum as I get in the water for low angle shots..

Sensitive and heavier stuff goes higher up, front and back that gets distributed to the shoulders and back and can be easily removed as desired.

[john michael white]

For what it’s worth, I just went through this trying to get a pack set up for fishing/photography, although it sounds pretty similar to the Rover setup David already mentioned.  I ended up going with the Naneu Pro Alpha Military Ops Pack.  http://www.naneupro.com/products/mo-a/

It is comfortable, lightweight, and carry on size for the airlines.  It has a rain cover, and a tripod holder.  It has a concealed camera gear compartment, which is easy to access.  I am very pleased with it.  I too was thinking of adding a thin waterproof bag around the camera compartment.  The entire camera gear foam box comes out as one piece, so it would be easy to put a waterproof liner around this.  The camera gear padding is very nice, so I feel like the lenses and camra are secure.  The little compass on the back is kind of cheesy, because it doesn’t work, but the rest of the pack is well built, sturdy, and functional.

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