Boat Bags (Patagonia vs. Simms vs. ???)

[scott donaghe]

Looking for suggestions on boat bags to carry my digital SLR as well as fishing gear (fly boxes, tools, etc.). I am currently looking at Patagoina’s Great Divider and Simms Dry Creek Boat Bag (in large). Are there any others you guys can suggest? Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

[Matt Jones]

I am going to get the patagonia great divider for Alaska.

www.mattjonesphotography.com

[malcolm robertson]

I bought the Simms bag a couple of years ago.

[nate hammond]

I bought the Simms bag a couple of years ago.  I like it, but it’s just too big.  On some planes you can’t fit in the overhead bins, so you have to stuff it under the seat.  It also won’t fit through some of the narrow hatches you find on flats boats.  I bought a Great Divider and like it much better.

Malcolm –

What size was your Simms bag? S, M, or L?

[malcolm robertson]

Nate,
I bought the Large before they offered Med and Small.

[Zach Matthews]

My Patagonia Great Divider bag is one of the best pieces of gear I have ever owned.

[Matt Tucker]

I use the William Joseph Gear Bag, but after checking out thier new site — it doesn’t appear that they offer it any longer.

[scott donaghe]

Thanks gentlemen, the Great Divider it is.

[Eric DeWitt]

For those that have a GD, how do you think this bag would work vs. a pelican for riding in a Landcruiser across some remote part of africa hunting cape buffalo?

[nate hammond]

I’ve narrowed it down to either the GD or the Simms Dry Creek Boat Bag.

[Ian Crabtree]

I have the small Dry Creek Duffel Bag, and haven’t had a problem with any leakage after a season in Alaska and various other travels. It doesn’t have any padding, which I think is a good thing to be honest. I’ll pad my camera and lenses in their own cases, and throw them in the duffel. Without a rigid shell on the bag, you can stuff it into corners and get it out of the way in small boats.

I don’t trust waterproof zippers, which makes the great divider and simms boat bag a no-go for me from the start.

Were I buying one of these types of bags now, I’d probably go for the Simms waterproof backpack.

[Buzz Bryson]

Eric,

Having both, and liking both for different purposes, I’d always pick the Pelican over the Great Divider for a “true” camera box.

[Ian Crabtree]

I use the William Joseph Gear Bag, but after checking out thier new site — it doesn’t appear that they offer it any longer.  It is a pretty well thought out bag that floats if dropped in the water (yup…i tested it, with my camera in it).

–tucker

Just ran across this on closeout. Not a bad deal.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/4302,72763_William-Joseph-Fishing-Gear-Bag.html

[malcolm robertson]

I’ve narrowed it down to either the GD or the Simms Dry Creek Boat Bag.  It seems like Zach had bad luck with the Simms DC Duffel, so that sort of leads me away from that.  But then again, it doesn’t seem rigid like the boat bag.

Malcolm – did you have any other issues with the Simms other than the size?  It seems like it would be a great product.  Any holes like Zach experienced?

Anyone else have a Simms bag and wish to share?

Nate,
I have been in the Keys the last four days and just saw this.

[Steve K.]

Ya know…I’ve bought way too many camera bags and packs in search of the perfect one. I needed something I could take backpacking and was indestructible. I finally stumbled across the Pelican case.

[scott donaghe]

Guys, thanks for all of the responses. 1 question, what model of Pelican cases do you guys use? Do you check them when flying or do you carry them on? Thanks again.

[Author]

Posts