Hot Pockets! L.L. Bean Rapid River Fishing Vest Review

L.L. Bean Rapid River Vest Pack

River smallmouth fishermen share a lot in common with their trout-loving brethren.  Wading in rivers  searching for elusive fish, we all like to have all our gear at our fingertips instead of lugging around a tackle box that's parked on shore.  

However, one thing that stands out among the differences between us (heathen smallmouth fishermen) and them (snooty fly-tying trout fishermen) is the size of our equipment.  Whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm talking about fishing tackle!  Where did you think I was going with this?  Let's get back on track -- smallmouth fishermen are going to have an arsenal of larger lures -- spinnerbaits, hardbaits (crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwaters), and jigs and small plastics that dwarf the size of of usual trout flies.

A few years ago I searched the interwebs for a fishing vest like what trout fisherman had but what could accommodate larger bass lures.  I bought a fishing vest that looked "right" as advertised on the web, but after trying it a few times concluded it was not functional for smallmouth fishing -- pockets were too small and didn't hold much tackle.  Christmas time was rolling around and I searched again online for an ideal fishing vest and came across L.L. Bean's Rapid River Vest Pack -- looked to be a good size with lots of storage space.  I put it on my Christmas list and Karen got it for me!

After two years of use, it has held up really well, so I thought I'd highlight some of the features and benefits.

The front pockets are ideal for storing
plastic containers for hardbaits and spinnerbaits

First off, it has a lot of pockets, so many that when I first started using the vest, I would forget where things were.  "Oh my Z-Man worms are in this pocket ... nope ... maybe this one ... nope ... oh here they are."  Or maybe I'm just getting old.  There are two zippered pouches on either side on the front, a zippered pouch on either side of those, and above each of them, a larger zippered pocket.  On the waistband, there are two more zippered pockets.  That makes 10 storage areas just on the front of the vest.

I finally have figured out how to keep track of where everything is -- pockets on the right have jigs and soft plastics, and on the left are larger spinnerbaits and hardbaits.  Or maybe it's the other way around?

But wait, there's more!

Flipping the vest reveals inside pockets with
soft mesh ideal for bulkier items like a cell phone,
small camera or extra spools.

On each inner flap on the front is another zippered pouch with stretchy mesh material that is ideal for holding bulkier items like cell phones, cameras and extra spools. One pouch has a heavy duty "ziplock" bag for keeping those electronic items dry. I use one pocket for a stringer with a thermometer attached for checking water temperature.

We're not done yet!

Even more storage space on the
back of the vest!

On the back of the vest are three -- yes, count 'em, three -- zippered pouches.  This is ideal for storing stuff in between fishing trips.  No need to hunt around the house for sunglasses or a fishing license or pliers or whatever -- I tuck those away in a pocket after each trip.

One of the pouches is suited for a water reservoir like a Camelbak (not included), and it has an opening for the "straw" to slide through for easy access to the front of the vest.

The vest is equipped for a bladder so you can stay
hydrated.

The L.L. Bean vest is lightweight with plenty of storage for river anglers. At $149, it's great for smallmouth fishermen and maybe even trout fishermen, and it comes in any color as long as it's green.