Gear Review: Patagonia Stealth Switch 9L Pack
The Patagonia Stealth Switch 9L Pack offers a lot of features in a reasonably small package. Photo: Rick Mikesell
New for 2025, Patagonia’s Stealth Switch 9L Pack is all about versatility. With multiple carry styles built into one design, you can set it up how you like—and change it later if your needs shift. It’s clean, well-thought-out, and built to hold up to heavy use.
Materials & Durability
The pack is constructed from a tough polyester with a Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) coating that shrugs off scratches, moisture, and wear. I’ve had it rolling around in the back of my truck, scraping under bridges, and dragging through brush along the South Platte. So far, not a tear or scuff.
The padded strap and back panel breathe well enough. They’re not the most ventilated out there, but they’ve done a solid job keeping me from sweating through my shirt on hot days. More importantly, the pack wears comfortably when fully loaded. True to Patagonia form, it’s made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials, which adds a little peace of mind on the environmental front. The zippers are smooth, feel high quality, and are easy to open even one-handed.
It’s not a pack for an all-day, hike-in expedition, but it holds what you need for a short outing. Photo: Rick Mikesell
Size & Layout
Patagonia got the sizing right, at least for how I fish. On carp trips around Denver, I carry a few compartment boxes, fly pucks for fresh ties, tippet spools, and spare leader material, with room left for sunscreen and some extras. This pack handles that setup perfectly. It’s not a hike-in rig or a pack for the angler who brings a dedicated box for every stage of every hatch, but for most single-day missions within range of the car, it’s spot-on.
Tool Storage & Features
There are tool ports and tie-downs everywhere, and they’re well placed—easy to reach but not in the way. The docking stations don’t snag or become annoying. While I generally don’t trust magnets for tool storage, the magnetic shoulder patch is handy for drying flies after a change. For my tools, if it’s not clamped down or on a zinger, I’m not betting on it.
The dual-sided stretch water-bottle holder is one of the better ones I’ve seen. It fits larger bottles easily, holds them securely, and doesn’t eat into the pack’s storage. It also makes a great stash spot for a rain shell or light jacket.
The net-carry system works with even a large carp net, and you can wear the net over either shoulder. Photo: Rick Mikesell
Net Carry
The net ports are a smart part of the design. I carry a very large net for carp, and this pack accommodates it easily. The crisscross layout lets you orient the net away from your backcast or out of the wind—important for avoiding midday untangling sessions. The only downside? With so many options, I sometimes forget which port to thread through to keep the net on the correct side. A “put net here!” Sharpie mark might be the solution.
Carry Styles
I’ve been a sling-pack fan for a while now, and this one works really well in that configuration. It’s comfortable on either shoulder, doesn’t bounce around when you bend over to land a fish, and the cross-body stabilizer keeps it from swinging around. Weight distribution is solid, with no obvious pressure points.
I gave the hip pack setup a try, but that’s where I think the design falls a bit short. The waist strap is basic webbing with a center buckle, with no real padding or structure. It pulled down uncomfortably when fully loaded, and it wasn’t all that easy to rotate for access. There’s a shoulder strap to help with support, but I didn’t find it added much in terms of comfort or functionality.
From a design standpoint, the Stealth Switch 9L Pack reflects a lot of thought and field-testing.
Final Take
This is a well-built, versatile pack for anglers who don’t feel the need to carry a small fly shop with them. The multiple carry options are a great concept and allow a lot of flexibility, though hip pack users may find the comfort lacking in that mode. As a sling pack, though, this one really stands out—and may be the closest to my ideal pack I’ve used.
Add Patagonia’s recycled materials, fair-trade manufacturing, and their solid warranty and repair program, and you’ve got a pack that not only performs but feels good to wear. Once I dialed-in the layout—and it did take a bit of tinkering—it has become one of my favorite pieces of new gear for the season.
