Packs, Vests & Nets · Brand Review
Umpqua Fishing Packs
Umpqua builds packs around one idea: nothing on the outside for your fly line to catch on. That is what ZS2 means, and on a brushy creek where every loose strap is a tangle waiting to happen, it is the most useful feature in the category. Here is which model to buy.
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Quick picks at a glance
Tap a pick to read the full write-up, or the price button to check it on Amazon.
- 1
The right size for small water and the best introduction to the range. It carries two boxes, tippet, tools and a rain shell stuffed on top, rotates to the front to work out of, and has no external webbing for your line to find. On a creek where you wade thigh-deep, cinch it high.
Best for: Best Umpqua pack overall — the creek-sized waist pack9.3 - 2
The same pack with another 150 cubic inches, which in practice is the difference between a rain shell squeezed on top and a rain shell that fits. If you carry lunch, a camera or flies for two people, buy this size and skip the 500.
Best for: Best for anglers who carry more — the bigger waist pack9.1 - 3
The pack to buy if you wade past your waist or walk a long way in. A sling rides high on your back out of the water, swings forward to work out of, and at 1200 cubic inches carries a full day including a shell and water. The most versatile Umpqua if you only own one pack.
Best for: Best Umpqua sling — for long walk-ins and deep wading9.2 - 4
The entry point to the brand and the cheapest Umpqua sling on the shelf. You lose the ZS2 layout and some of the finish, and you keep the shape and the shoulder comfort that makes a sling worth owning. For somebody buying a first pack, this is the honest starting price.
Best for: Best cheap Umpqua — the sling under $1008.9 - 5
The top of the range and the only Umpqua here aimed at replacing a vest. It sits high on the chest, so it stays dry in the deepest water, and the SWIFTLINK system lets you clip extra modules on as your gear grows. It is the most expensive pack on this page by a wide margin.
Best for: Best vest alternative — the modular chest pack9.0
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umpqua Ledges ZS2 500 Waist Pack The right size for small water and the best introduction to the range. It carries two boxes, tippet, tools and a rain shell stuffed on top, rotates to the front to work out of, and has no external webbing for your line to find. On a creek where you wade thigh-deep, cinch it high. | Best Umpqua pack overall — the creek-sized waist pack | 9.3 | $119.99View on Amazon#ad |
| 2 | Umpqua Ledges ZS2 650 Waist Pack The same pack with another 150 cubic inches, which in practice is the difference between a rain shell squeezed on top and a rain shell that fits. If you carry lunch, a camera or flies for two people, buy this size and skip the 500. | Best for anglers who carry more — the bigger waist pack | 9.1 | $139.99View on Amazon#ad |
| 3 | Umpqua Steamboat ZS2 1200 Sling Pack The pack to buy if you wade past your waist or walk a long way in. A sling rides high on your back out of the water, swings forward to work out of, and at 1200 cubic inches carries a full day including a shell and water. The most versatile Umpqua if you only own one pack. | Best Umpqua sling — for long walk-ins and deep wading | 9.2 | $149.99View on Amazon#ad |
| 4 | Umpqua Northfork Sling Pack The entry point to the brand and the cheapest Umpqua sling on the shelf. You lose the ZS2 layout and some of the finish, and you keep the shape and the shoulder comfort that makes a sling worth owning. For somebody buying a first pack, this is the honest starting price. | Best cheap Umpqua — the sling under $100 | 8.9 | $99.99View on Amazon#ad |
| 5 | Umpqua SWIFTLINK Overlook Chest Pack The top of the range and the only Umpqua here aimed at replacing a vest. It sits high on the chest, so it stays dry in the deepest water, and the SWIFTLINK system lets you clip extra modules on as your gear grows. It is the most expensive pack on this page by a wide margin. | Best vest alternative — the modular chest pack | 9.0 | $229.99View on Amazon#ad |
Buy the Ledges ZS2 500 waist pack for creek fishing, or the Steamboat ZS2 1200 sling if you wade deep and walk far. Those two cover almost everybody. The Northfork sling is the honest answer under $100, and the SWIFTLINK Overlook chest pack is the one to look at if you want a modular system instead of a vest.
This is a range review built from Umpqua's real retailer listings. We compile published specifications — capacities, layouts and systems — and do not claim to have field-tested these packs.
What ZS2 / Zero Sweep actually means
It means the outside of the pack has nothing for fly line to catch on. Umpqua recesses the zippers, docks the tool attachments and removes the dangling webbing and D-rings that most packs hang off their exterior. ZS2 is the second generation of that layout and it is on every pack in the line except the entry models.
That sounds like marketing until you have stripped line into a pack. Stripping a streamer back, the loose coils land against your body — and on a conventional pack they find a buckle. On small water you are stripping line constantly and standing in brush at the same time, so a snag-free exterior is the feature with the highest number of daily uses.
It is not a reason to buy a pack you otherwise do not want.A ZS2 waist pack is still a waist pack, with a waist pack's wet-in-deep-water problem. Choose the style first and the layout second — the style decision is laid out in fly fishing vest vs pack.
The range, compared
| Model | Style | Capacity | ZS2 | Buy it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ledges ZS2 500 | Waist | 500 cu in | Yes | You fish small water and carry little |
| Ledges ZS2 650 | Waist | 650 cu in | Yes | You want a rain shell to fit properly |
| Steamboat ZS2 1200 | Sling | 1200 cu in | Yes | You wade deep or walk a long way |
| Northfork Sling | Sling | Entry | No | You want the cheapest Umpqua sling |
| SWIFTLINK Overlook | Chest, modular | Expandable | Yes | You want a vest replacement you can grow |
Which Umpqua should you buy?
Small creeks, short sessions: the Ledges ZS2 500. Two fly boxes, a spool or two of tippet, nippers and forceps is the whole kit for stream trout, and the 500 holds it without tempting you to carry more. Cinch the belt above your hips so it rides high when you wade.
All-day trips and deep water: the Steamboat ZS2 1200 sling. It is the one pack here that solves both problems at once — it stays out of the water and it carries a jacket. If you are choosing between it and a competitor, the field is in the sling pack roundup.
First pack, tight budget: the Northfork. It is a proper sling at under $100 and it will tell you whether you like the format. The equivalents from other brands sit in the chest pack roundup and the fishing backpack roundup.
Capacity in cubic inches, translated
What small water changes
Brush punishes anything that sticks out. Pushing through willow and alder, every exterior strap catches. This is where ZS2 earns its keep — and where a bulky 1200-inch sling becomes a liability on the tightest creeks even though it is the better pack on paper.
Wading depth decides waist vs sling. If you regularly wade past your waist, a waist pack is the wrong tool no matter how good it is, because it goes under. Hip and waist packs are for creeks you cross rather than creeks you stand in.
And on small water you need less than you think. The real small-stream kit — a handful of patterns, one spool of 5X and a pair of nippers — is listed in the fly fishing accessories guide, and the net question is answered in the landing net roundup.
The alternatives
Simms, for the closest head-to-head. The Tributary sling, hip and chest packs sit at similar prices with a similar design philosophy — our read on the range is in Simms fishing packs.
Fishpond, for recycled fabrics and a lighter build. The Summit sling and Canyon Creek chest pack are the premium comparison, and Patagonia fishing packs are the other sustainability-led option.
Or a vest, if you would rather not own a bag at all. A vest keeps everything in front of you with nothing to swing — the field is in the fly fishing vest roundup.
The picks in detail
Umpqua Ledges ZS2 500 Waist Pack
9.3/10Best for: Best Umpqua pack overall — the creek-sized waist pack
The right size for small water and the best introduction to the range. It carries two boxes, tippet, tools and a rain shell stuffed on top, rotates to the front to work out of, and has no external webbing for your line to find. On a creek where you wade thigh-deep, cinch it high.
- Style
- Waist pack
- Layout
- ZS2 Zero Sweep
- Capacity
- 500 cubic inches
- No external snag points for fly line
- Right size for a day on small water
- Rotates front to back in one motion
- Waist packs get wet first in deep water
- No shoulder strap in the box
Umpqua Ledges ZS2 650 Waist Pack
9.1/10Best for: Best for anglers who carry more — the bigger waist pack
The same pack with another 150 cubic inches, which in practice is the difference between a rain shell squeezed on top and a rain shell that fits. If you carry lunch, a camera or flies for two people, buy this size and skip the 500.
- Style
- Waist pack
- Layout
- ZS2 Zero Sweep
- Capacity
- 650 cubic inches
- Room for a shell and lunch
- Same snag-free layout
- Still rotates easily when loaded
- Bulkier on your hip when wading
- More weight on the belt than the 500
Umpqua Steamboat ZS2 1200 Sling Pack
9.2/10Best for: Best Umpqua sling — for long walk-ins and deep wading
The pack to buy if you wade past your waist or walk a long way in. A sling rides high on your back out of the water, swings forward to work out of, and at 1200 cubic inches carries a full day including a shell and water. The most versatile Umpqua if you only own one pack.
- Style
- Sling
- Layout
- ZS2 Zero Sweep
- Capacity
- 1200 cubic inches
- Stays dry when you wade deep
- Largest capacity here
- Back is uncovered, so you run cooler
- All the load on one shoulder
- Overkill for a two-hour evening on a creek
Umpqua Northfork Sling Pack
8.9/10Best for: Best cheap Umpqua — the sling under $100
The entry point to the brand and the cheapest Umpqua sling on the shelf. You lose the ZS2 layout and some of the finish, and you keep the shape and the shoulder comfort that makes a sling worth owning. For somebody buying a first pack, this is the honest starting price.
- Style
- Sling
- Range position
- Entry
- Access
- Swing to front
- Lowest price in the line
- Proper sling shape and strap
- Light when empty
- Not the ZS2 snag-free layout
- Less structured than the Steamboat
Umpqua SWIFTLINK Overlook Chest Pack
9.0/10Best for: Best vest alternative — the modular chest pack
The top of the range and the only Umpqua here aimed at replacing a vest. It sits high on the chest, so it stays dry in the deepest water, and the SWIFTLINK system lets you clip extra modules on as your gear grows. It is the most expensive pack on this page by a wide margin.
- Style
- Chest pack, modular
- System
- SWIFTLINK modules
- Position
- Premium
- Stays dry no matter how deep you wade
- Expandable rather than replaceable
- Working surface right under your chin
- By far the highest price here
- Modules are a further spend
Prices shown are from Amazon as of October 20, 2026 and change often — the button always goes to the current listing. Some links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.
Frequently asked questions
Which Umpqua fishing pack should I buy?
The Ledges ZS2 500 waist pack for small creeks and short sessions, or the Steamboat ZS2 1200 sling if you wade deep or walk a long way in. Buy the Northfork sling if you want the cheapest Umpqua, and the SWIFTLINK Overlook chest pack if you want a modular vest replacement.
What does ZS2 mean on Umpqua packs?
ZS2 is the second generation of Umpqua's Zero Sweep layout: recessed zippers, docked tool attachments and no dangling webbing or D-rings on the outside of the pack, so stripped fly line has nothing to catch on. It is on every pack in the line except the entry models.
Are Umpqua packs worth the money?
If you strip line by hand and fish brushy water, yes - the snag-free exterior is the feature you use most often in a day, and the ZS2 packs are built around it. If you fish open water from a boat and never strip into your pack, a cheaper pack of the same capacity does the same job.
Is the Umpqua Ledges 500 or 650 better?
The 500 for small water and a light kit - two boxes, tools and a stuffed rain shell. The 650 if you want the shell to fit properly and to carry lunch or a camera. The 650 is bulkier on your hip in the water, which is the only real reason to prefer the smaller one.
Is a waist pack or a sling better for creek fishing?
A sling if you wade past your waist or walk a long way in, because it rides high on your back and stays dry. A waist pack if your creek is shallow enough to cross and you want the fastest access - rotate it to the front and it is open in one motion.
Sources
Keep reading
Not sure where to start?
The beginner gear guide walks you through exactly what a new stream angler needs — the six essentials first, nice-to-haves later, with one safe-default pick per category.