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Top Rated Product
Gale Force Backpack
Gale Force packs are designed to handle the worst weather, a dunk in the river, or a trip overboard. Unique polyurethane-coated nylon fabric is heat/RF welded and combined with water-resistant, noncorrosive YKK zippers to produce the Gale Force line of packs and bags. All bags are highly weather resistant and very durable, ideal for use where exposure to water is inevitable—such as every time you go fishing. Fish the backcountry rain or shine with the Gale Force® fishing backpack. Contoured, padded shoulder straps adjust for perfect fit and an adjustable sternum strap for secure fit. Two compartments with interior pockets for ample storage and organization of your gear. Thick foam-padded back panel with built-in channels for air ventilation. Buckle attachments for chest-pack compatibility—attach a chest pack to the front shoulder strap for use while fishing or haul it on back panel. Compatible with Gale Force Chest Pack (4H1L), Safe Passage® Micro Chest Pack (3H6X), Safe Passage Vertical Chest Pack (3H6Y), and Safe Passage Large Capacity Chest Pack (3H60). Carry handle with comfortable rubber grip. Fishing backpack in gray. 19½"H x 11"W x 9"D; 1,930 cu. in. Weighs 1.9 pounds. Imported. (NOTE: The Gale Force Backpack is designed to protect against any normal water event, but is not airtight and not intended for prolonged submersion.)
Average Customer Rating:
Rating Snapshot (22 reviews)
5 stars
16
4 stars
5
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
21 of 22(95%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Gale Force Backpack
Review 1 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Zip placement,
April 17, 2013
By: WelcomeFlyfisher
"What I would love to see would be this pack with the main compartment zip going from the bottom corner all the way around to the other bottom corner, so that one could open the whole thing without having to pull everything out of the top of the pack first in order to get to the stuff at the bottom!"
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Review 2 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Great All Weather Pack!,
February 11, 2013
By: FlybumMedia
from Cleveland, OH
"I have had this pack since it came out. I can say with confidence that this backpack is a perfect fit for those who plan on fishing whenever they want regardless of weather. Rain, snow, sleet...you name it, this pack will handle it. With a TON of room in the main compartment and a zipper that allows great access to the whole thing, it will carry as much gear as a pack mule! The little added features such as pull tabs, sternum strap, waist belt and much more are well thought through. This is a well rounded pack that will get it done in the good or bad side of weather!"
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Review 3 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Backpack,
February 5, 2013
By: BillFromMichigan
from Michigan
"This bag is very simple with very few pockets but it is very easy to access. It has a big zipper that really opens up. To me this is the best feature of the bag. It doesn't have many internal pockets but that is ok.
I used to use a northface full frame backpack and it was just too much bag and it opened from the top making it difficult move things in and out."
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Review 4 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Good Backpack,
January 25, 2013
By: NNCC
from San Jose, CA
"I swapped my gale force sling for this backpack for a little more cargo room for winter steelhead trips. The front pocket is very spacious and the main compartment will hold pretty much anything you want to bring with you on the water. There is also a zipper pocket and mesh pocket inside the main compartment to keep valuables and various other things. It has also gone for a couple of swims and everything has stayed dry. My only complaint: the shoulder straps dig into the inside of my arms, which hurts a little. It also makes casting my switch rods a little more difficult because it restricts my arms' range of motion. Just tweak the shoulder straps to be a bit more ergonomic and this is definitely a 5-star bag."
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Review 5 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Great Bag,
December 12, 2012
By: jf2025
from Alabama
"Haven't had a chance to really put it through the ringer yet, but the construction and design of this bag is exactly what I wanted. Got tired of trying to keep a standard backpack dry in the occasional rainstorm while fishing from the boat. This solves that problem. And it's large enough to store pretty much all of my gear. The lack of a ton of internal storage pockets is not an issue for me. All of my gear, as with most fisherman these days, is in the small Plano-type tackle boxes. The main compartment will hold several comfortably with room for a packable rain jacket and extra socks, hat, etc. on top. Front pocket is good for stuff you may need to get to more often. I keep my pliers and a couple spools of line in there. Great bag so far. Will know more about it a year from now but I see no reason it won't hold up with the way it's put together. FYI - the material is not the usual dry-bag rubber/vinyl. At least not on the outside. It's a much more attractive and flexible "hard" cloth. Would have no problem using this as an airline carry-on bag."
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Review 6 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
tuff enough,
September 25, 2012
By: sway
"great pack. best I've used.
Needs to have more rigid side pockets for rod holder, but straps, water proofing are really good."
Needs to have more rigid side pockets for rod holder, but straps, water proofing are really good."
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Review 7 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Excellent boat bag,
September 18, 2012
By: Captfly
from Bristol RI
"I have been able to use this as my new gear bag for the past several months and like the ability to pack what I need for the days charter in one bag, keep it on my seat no matter what the weather is and have easy access to my items. All Items are as dry as the time I put them inside each and every time. If it holds up to saltwater it will surely be reliable in fresh water."
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Review 8 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Labrador Tested Rainproof,
September 7, 2012
By: DrunkenBear
from Riverkeep Lodge, Labrador
"Used this bag for a week of fishing at Labrador's Riverkeep Lodge. The day we arrived and the day we left were sunny and mild. The other five days we had lots of rain. I used the bag to stow fly boxes, dry clothes, and back up spools/reels. In between wading stops it sat in the boat and I backpacked on shore. Lots of rain and never a leak! Separate compartments and pockets helped me keep my gear straight and accessible .. and dry!"
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Review 9 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Good pack,
August 16, 2012
By: WorkingMan
from Seattle
"I bought this pack for use as a boat bag. The size is perfect for my application. It is very well made and the arrangements are well thought out. I would like to see a few more exterior pockets to save me having to go into the main compartment during a downpour. The clips/buckles for accessory bags are different from many earlier hang-on bags and different from other clips on the pack. Standardization of hardware with earlier packs and with other buckles on this pack would have been nice. An excellent bag regardless!"
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Review 10 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Great Buy,
May 21, 2012
By: shotawisky
from Chciago
"This is the largest of the waterproof backpacks that are made for fly fishermen. Great for holding gear and rod tubes. It's perfect for those extended canoe trips where everything ends up on the bottom of the canoe floating in water. May as well get the attachable front pack too."
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Review 11 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
great purchase,
March 30, 2012
By: redfish65
from texas
"this bag is great used it seveal times and contents stayed dry,lots of room and lightweight."
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Review 12 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Very well suited for it's purpose,
March 13, 2012
By: Billyray
from Atlanta, GA
"This pack hits the mark on several fronts, light in weight but able to hold lots of gear, stands up when you sit it down at airport or in the boat. Broad straps for backpacking and totally waterproof.
Worth the cost in my view."
Worth the cost in my view."
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Review 13 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
the pack for rivers and rainforests,
February 29, 2012
By: Pangolin
from On the road
"I put this pack to the test on a recent trip to Chile where it survived a boat trip in a real gale on the Corcovado Gulf. It also stayed dry in the bottom of a drift boat while fishing in a steady drizzle on the Rio Palena and while hiking through the rainforest at Melimoyu Nature Reserve searching for rare Darwin's frogs in bogs. The ultimate test was tossing it into a helicopter's exposed storage basket and flying through a rainstorm for 20 minutes - camera, phone, and everything else in the pack were dry when we landed in a muddy field at Raoul Marin..
It's a little bigger than most packs I carry - sort of a small duffle with shoulder straps - and the fabric is on the stiff side, but it's the best pack for seriously wet climates that I've used."
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Review 14 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Excellent backpack,
February 7, 2012
By: Nutbeam
from Nova Scotia, Canada
"Perfect waterproof protection for cameras, cellphones, etc., as well as peanut butter sandwiches.
Shoulder straps and back panel really comfortable."
Shoulder straps and back panel really comfortable."
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Review 15 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Serves The Purpose,
January 5, 2012
By: ChazOR
from Portland, OR
"This bag, for the intended use, is waterproof but probably can't be submerged. I initially tested it out by putting it in the shower for a few minutes. No water leaked in whatsoever.
I like the rod straps. They work great when you're steelhead fishing and have to hike quite a ways so you don't have to hand hold your rod the entire way. I also like the rings on the outside that can be used to hook additional gear to.
This is not a 5 star product for a few reasons. It needs more internal organization. There is 1 main compartment and 1 front compartment. The front compartment is great, but the main compartment is mainly just a big open space with only a small zipper pocket and a mesh pocket. For the most part, all your stuff just sits loose inside, which is really inconvenient when you're trying to find something.
This pack also doesn't seem very durable. I have concerns about it holding up long term. No matter how gentle you are when setting it down on the rocks, it still seems to mark the outer coating on the pack. I wish Orvis had put a tough rubber bottom on the pack to protect it when you set it down.
Finally, if you are moderately tall (I'm 6ft), this may not be the pack for you. It seems to be designed for somewhat shorter people. The waist strap is not low enough for me and comes across my belly and not my waist, which doesn't work very well. They should have different sizes like most high end backpacks do.
Overall it works as advertised, but could go from a decent bag to a great one with a few improvements."
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Review 16 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Great bag!,
December 29, 2011
By: TMAC1
"It's a great bag that's just the right size for travelling or a day on the river. It's wonderful to know that your extra stuff will be dry."
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Review 17 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
keeps things dry,
December 29, 2011
By: ellie0727
from South Alabama
"I bought this for my son - he fishes alot and this really protects his gear."
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Review 18 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
backpack,
December 17, 2011
By: flyfisherjr
from Coeur d'Alene, ID
"The only truly waterproof back pack I could find on the market. It's very compact, lightweight, and very comfortable. The price was excellent."
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Review 19 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
Let it rain , let it pour!,
October 22, 2011
By: Docjim
"Excellent bag! I have used when fly fishing in the rain as well as in the duck blind. The bag is great, stores a ton of stuff easy access to all compartments and inside dry as a bone. Can't wait to use bag in the Bahamas when Bonefishing."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Gale Force Backpack
Overall Rating:
A great weatherproof bag,
September 17, 2011
By: fishcap
"The pack is light weight, and weatherproof. After a day of steelhead fishing in the rain it was nice to reach into the pack and find all of my spare clothes nice and dry. It also has a second zippered storage aera that is great for staching a wet wadding jacket or other garments keeping them seperate from your dry items. The pack has ample storage capacity for its size and carrys well. The chest pack attachment is an added bonus. A couple of D rings or loops on the inside and outside of the pack would be handy but other than that this is the pack I've been looking for , for my fall and winter steelhead fishing. Thanks Orvis"
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