Tuesday, April 8, 2014

To Update or Not To Update

That may not be THE question, but it can be A question sometimes. It's been on my mind for a long time now. I'm not talking weeks or months; I'm talking years.

What is it that I should maybe update? My fishing vest. I've had the same vest for something like seven years now. It is an amazing hand-sewn work of art with wonderfully well put-together pockets and storage spaces, and is made of the finest and most durable materials known to man. No, I'm joking. It's a $35 special from Bass Pro or some other big box store; I can't remember exactly where.

I am fully aware that the cool kids no longer wear vests, but that's not why it's been on my mind. I'm sometimes a bit counter-cultural and shun fads until they are no longer cool. Hence why I have not moved away from the vest to the chest pack. The other reason I haven't updated is because I have a system: I know exactly where in my vest each and every item I require is located. But I can't help occasionally wondering if I should get a new one since what I've got is so old and cheap.

Newer vests have nicer pockets, waterproof sections, zippers that aren't broken, velcro that still works, and padded neck areas to avoid rubbing your neck raw. This vest, however, has character. It's got seven years of fish goo, sunscreen, dirt, and other nefarious chemical elements soaked into its every nook and cranny. It may have been a piece of garbage when I bought it, but it has become a work of art over time.

So of course I won't be updating this multi-faceted tool. I will continue to rock this eyesore until something structural irreparably breaks. My apologies to those I meet on the river and even more so to those who get stuck fishing with me. But it's all about enjoying the time on the water, catching some fish, and drinking some beers; it's not about looking good. Luckily for me...


3 comments:

  1. I replaced my old vest with a new one a couple years ago. Nothing wrong with the old one except I could never get the damn thing off. See I wear a 2XL and the vest (which I've had for probably 30 years) was a large. The one I got was from Cabela's and has pretty much the same layout and the padding on the neck. Much more comfortable and much easier to get off.

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    1. I actually have the opposite problem; this one's very very slightly too big. But I added a safety pin to make the front clasp short enough to keep it from falling off my shoulders. Classy, I know.

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  2. I gave up the vest quite a few years ago for various slings. Some bought some rigged from chest packs. Last year I did a review of the Vedavoo sling pack and bought one after reviewing. I love it and will never wear a bulky vest again.

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