With summer temperatures starting to pick up, many of us are upgrading our gear and heading for the nearest river or lake. Whether you’re a seasoned angler, casual trout fisherman, or a novice with a rod, navigating the myriad gear bags, vests, packs and accessories available for a fly fisherman can be quite a task. We recently sat down with some of the team from Fishpond to discuss fishing gear, upcycling materials, and conservation. We were happily surprised to see how far recycled fabrics and gear have come, and to see how their company is collaborating in the industry to keep our waterways pristine.
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Fishpond has an entire collection of packs, bags, and gear storage accessories devoted to up-cycling old materials. Almost everything they build features Cyclepond fabric, that is recycled from commercial fishing nets. We were especially excited about the Westwater collection, which is built with a TPU-coating on the fabric to ensure durability and waterproofing for many seasons to come.
Westwater Rolltop Backpack
This backpack is built as a functional drybag, keeping your essentials safe from a dip in the river or a downpour. The pack fabric is strong enough to withstand years of abuse on bushwhacks along your favorite rivers or getting soaked in rafts and fishing boats. The waist and shoulder straps are open mesh against your body, helping to wick sweat away on hikes in, and drain quickly when wet.
Westwater Rolling Duffel
The Duffel is your weapon of choice when hauling gear for a couple of weeks of fishing on the coast or mountains. When you absolutely have to keep everything dry from the airport to the lodge, you won’t find a better solution. Burly 420 denier Cyclepond fabric has the same TPU welded construction as the backpack, along with reinforced zippers and rugged wheels.
Chaco Collaboration
Fishpond doesn’t stop at the recycling though. They have teamed up with Chaco Sandals and the Western Rivers Conservancy to produce limited edition runs of two popular Chaco models, the Z2 and Flip. Featuring Vibram Megagrip rubber soles, these sandals are perfect for summer river adventures. Each pair sold benefits the Conservancy by protecting fragile ecosystems through outreach and land acquisition programs. It’s not often you can sport gear that is functional and will help you be able to share your favorite fishing spots with the next generation.
