Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Gear Review - Orvis Safe Passage Carry-It-All Rod And Gear Case

Soon after I started to do presentations on fiberglass fly rods it was quickly evident that I needed to streamline what I was carrying to these meetings and shows and wanted to have everything in a backpack and a gear case for ease of travel.  I am also the type that when going on a fly fishing trip somewhere that I like to carry along a few extra fly rods and reels as well.

I did some serious looking around and soon came across the Orvis Safe Passage Carry-It-All Rod and Gear Case and was impressed with how it was laid out with removable dividers that can also be moved around to make spaces small or large for fly reels, fly boxes, or whatever else and still have the ability to carry quite a few fly rods whether using the divider or not.  


Having carried the Carry-It-All Rod and Gear Case on dozens of trips, both by vehicle and by plane, I can tell you that this case is perfect for the traveling angler that likes to carry everything in one place.  For several trips where I've needed to carry quite a few demo fly rods, I've removed the center divider and was able to stack thirty fly rods in their socks within in the case without a problem.  One most trips however I'll carry a half dozen fly reels on one side and still have room on the other to carry at least a dozen or more three and four piece fly rods.  This gear case eats it all up with room to spare.

A few other notes on this gear case is that it's clearly well thought out with pockets on the exterior and on the inside of the lid for more storage.  It's also impressive how well this gear case is built using heavy duty nylon fabrics with rubberized bumpers on the corners to keep them from fraying and falling apart.  After dozens of trips my large Carry-It-All gear case still looks brand new with almost zero wear.  This case also has a carry strap for over or across your shoulder and a comfortable rubber carry handle as well.

As far as sizing, I would mention that the medium case will hold four piece fly rods up to nine feet in length or three piece fly rods up to 7'6".  If you have three piece fly rods to 8'6" or four piece fly rods to eleven feet then the large gear case is going to be your best option.  When in doubt, order the large Carry-It-All gear case since it's nice to have the extra capacity.

A quick note or two on airline travel with the large Carry-It-All gear case is that I've only been hassled once for declining to gate check and have almost always walked onto the plane without a word.  This gear case always fits easily in the overhead bin, typically in front of or behind other people's carry-on bags, without an issue.  On most flights I carry the large Carry-It-All gear case along with either a Patagonia MLC or backpack without any trouble.  One goes in the overhead bin and the other under the seat in front of me.

PROS:
- Carries EVERYTHING and then some.
- Built to last.
- Available in two sizes and two color choices.
- Priced right at $159 (medium) and $179 (large).

CONS:
- The medium size isn't as useful as the large sized case.

The Safe Passage Carry-It-All Rod and Gear Case is a great choice for traveling anglers that want to carry multiple fly rods, reels, and other gear carefully organized and protected in one place. 

Check out the Orvis website for more information and other reviews on the Safe Passage Carry-It-All Rod and Gear Case

7 comments:

The Sasquatch said...

Man you post a lot of stuff I drool over (mostly rods that I could never afford) but this here is one item I think I'm going to pull the trigger on. It beats lugging around 6 rod tubes and a bunch of reels tossed in an old kreel!

Anonymous said...

How convenient that you reviewed this today. I was looking at exactly this last night and wondering about a few things, which you mostly answered.

I assume you have the medium case? Since I have a couple 3 piece rods that would require the larger case, I wonder if it would fit in overhead bins as well.

Unknown said...

Hey Cameron,
Do the airlines let you take this on along with another carry on bag? Or just this?
Thanks

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

That is a great bag! For years I have been using a FishPond of similar design for all of my saltwater airplane travel.

ribs1 Your mileage may vary on your success with the airlines but I have never been hassled. Just remember, always have a smile for them...

DBRob said...

I have this case, and have flown with it without hassle. Worst case scenario is that they would gate check it for you, but that hasn't happened to me.
Only issue W/ the case is that few of my rods actually came w/ rod socks, which is what this case was designed for, and Orvis does not sell them.

AR Reflections said...

I have thought about this case and also the similar fishpond. Anyone know the difference? Quality? Features?