I HAVE been testing the Yondy Remora adventure backpack for the past month. My goal was to trial the pack in a variety of settings to experience the versatility and give an honest perspective of the quality of the design, manufacturing and application in the field. I was really excited by this product. The Remora 34L Backpack is designed to adapt to suit various styles of fishing, travelling, the daily grind and adventure. I was really interested to see how this product could facilitate a disorganised and time-poor person like myself, to be better prepared to tackle anything.
Design brief
The modular design of the pack labelled, the “Remora System”, allows the setup to be individualised for the adventure, target species and individual needs. There is a range of extras and packages that you can purchase to suit your needs. Yondy has bundled a variety of sets with different price points to choose from. I tested the “All-rounder kit” which involves the following components:
- The Remora™ 34L Travel Backpack
- 2.5L Submersible Pouch
- 4L Gear Pouch
- Packing cube set
- Gear Roll
- Pro-Tect Cube
- 1.5L Water Store
Remora 34L travel bag
The main pack, the Remora, is a 34L water-resistant pack with top-of-the-range YKK Aquaguard Zippers that are anti-corrosion, dust and water resistant. The term water resistant isn’t used loosely. This option is not only much more affordable than a fully waterproof/air-tight pack, but the stitched construction also allows a huge amount of functional features to be added to the design. To be honest, this bag did not let any water penetrate when I put the hose to it. Having a good inspection of the zips shows how well they have been manufactured. The shell of the bag is made with resilient 450D TPU-Ripstop, which Yondy labelled as Hydraguard. The shell material is fully waterproof and provides abrasive resistance. The zip and the odd stitch seam is the only aspect where there could be potential seepage; I trust it. Layered insulation provides added insurance from temperatures and impact.
The design of the Remora pack has a number of external easy-access pockets for your phone, valuables, passports and even a convenient side-access laptop pocket. The main compartment provides the owner plenty of space to adapt the inserts based on their needs. The blank canvas is clearly designed to maximise space, allowing versatility depending on the activity. So if you were going on a weekend away or to work, there is plenty of room for clothes and luggage, you can be confident that they will be protected. When it comes time to go fishing, simply grab the Yondy pouches and Cubes with the relevant equipment pre-packed and organised, away you go.
I was interested to feel the comfort of this pack when loaded for hiking. I did a day walk with plenty of gear and felt like the weight was distributed evenly over my back. The padding is suitable for a 34L adventurer without being bulky. The removable waist belt makes a huge difference. A very clever piece of design that helps take weight from the shoulders and is transferable to the submersible pouch.
The modular setup of the backpack has a range of external pieces that can be attached to the pack to expand your storage. This is a great concept as it does not eat into the 34L space of the main pack. When the 2 pouches are attached to the pack, you upgrade your storage to over 40L. If you are only travelling light, you can easily remove some of the bulk of the bag. The Remora™ system comprises of tough, anti-rust alloy G-hooks, these lock into webbing loops on the main pack as a quick connect system. The system is secure, and the clips fit tightly in place, which gives me confidence that they aren’t going anywhere unless you want them to.
One side of the bag has a pocket for a large water bottle and the other side, dedicated to secure fishing rod straps. I packed x2 Samurai Cruiser travel rods for my bass walk each has 4 different sections and they fitted easily. The tiny addition of the rod straps makes the Remora so much easier for hiking into fishing locations. It means you get to keep one of your hands free that you would usually be too worried about navigating through shrubbery to avoid snapping a rod tip.
2.5L Submersible Pouch
This is one of my favourite features. Welded seams and a 100% Air-Tight / Waterproof zipper to give you complete confidence that your gear will stay dry. I found that this pack improved the way I fished. The reason is, I packed all the bare essentials for the fishing outing I was going on in this 2.5L bag. I knew this was going to be handy when doing a short bass walk. Sometimes a river crossing means additional concern for your equipment, there was no worries with the waterproof pouch. I had a variety of different hard bodies to interchange between deeper pools and tighter snags. Easily accessible and meant I didn’t need to lug in a larger bag for a short session.
I didn’t realise how much I would benefit when using it on the boat. I can be a little lazy and will tend to persist with a lure or technique potentially longer advised. Having everything on my hip in the Yondy Submersible Pouch, gave accessibility to change a lure based on a situation at the drop of a hat. I didn’t need to open any hatches or even bend down. It is game-changing for a lazy angler. We fished into the night which also aided my knowledge of where everything was located.
Here is a list of what I packed as essentials on the mid north coast, fishing a local estuary where there were possibilities of mulloway, topwater GT, Jacks and flathead were all realistic:
- 3 sizes of leader
- Snips
- 4-5 hard bodies (sugar pens x2, slim twitcher, vibes x2)
- 2 packets of plazos (4’ prong, 6’ jerk minnow)
- Packet of Gamakatsu weedless EWG weedless for the jerk minnows and jigheads for prongs
- Torch
It all fitted neatly, I account the Mulloway to changing to and from surface to vibe fishing at a whim.
4L Gear Pouch
Made with the same technology as the Remora pack, this is a way of adding an additional 4L of space to the pack. Just like the 2.5L submersible, this pack attaches with the G clips to the back of the pack. If I was going to choose two essential pieces to get with the main pack, it is both of these ad ons. They both fit into the remora bag if going through carry on, and are both versatile for your adventure.
I used this to pack a wet-weather jacket, sunscreen, bug spray, knife, Iki Jime set and a small survival first aid kit. When I took this on the boat, I was able to break it down to save deck space by detaching the pouches from the pack and stashing them away in the gunnels.
Packing Cube Set
One of the main features of this bag that makes it fishing friendly is the Anti-Snag lining which is inside all the packing cubes, pouches and the lure roll. I know that I am not the only one who has had to use scissors to cut a perfectly good bag to remove bastard trebles that have sunk into the fabric. I placed lures loosely in the Yondy cubes with trebels, they have not caused me any troubles in the month of testing.
The cubes are ideal for making the transition from ‘at home’ storage to ‘packed ready for adventure’ organised and seamless. There are 3 ascending sizes. I packed each with the bulk of my lures, terminal, leaders, braid etc. I have my fishing section of the garage at home which is not able to fit in any backpack. But I used these 3 packing cubes to be organised for 3 different scenarios. So that if I was headed out, I could have one of the cubes stocked with additional gear that didn’t fit in the 2.5L pouch that could come in handy. Here is how I set mine up:
- Smallest pouch – Bass
- Middle – Estuary
- Largest – Inshore
If I was going to be doing something similar to any of those fishing types such as rock hopping headlands, I would throw the estuary and inshore packs into the Remora. Adding specifics to the lure role and 4L Gear Pouch.
The clear-view windows on the pouches make it very easy to see when it needs restocking and what needs to be added before departure.
Gear Roll
This is another unique aspect of the modular system that Yondy offers. The gear roll has velcro strips that secure it to the inside lid of the Remora™ pack. This gives you instant access to your lures when you flip open the full hatch opening of the pack. The Gear Roll is also constructed from the Hydraguard TPU with the Anti-Snag lining. The gear roll has 3 pockets, 1 being slightly larger.
I think lure rolls are a great way to store gear. You can see what is in there and access it easily. I put my split ring pliers, topwater lures and deep water jigs in these pouches. I think that if you bought Remora as a fisho, you would be silly not to get this add on. When I was on the boat and getting set up for the day, I took the roll out of the bag to make it easier to access.
Don’t confuse this bag as a lure roll like you would see for avid game fishos. There is limited space in comparison, which is deliberate to maintain the structure of the bag. I found it very useful.
Pro-Tect Cube
When I went out fishing for the day, I usually had 2 of the cubes in the bag and the Pro-tect cube. I kept my valuables safe in the padded cell walls of this cube. Camera gear, reels and a small drone would find their home here. Perfect for days on the boat, hiking or travelling. I fitted my Canon R50, GoPro, Slammer 7500 and Slammer 4500 with a little bit of room to spare.
1.5L Water Store
BPA-free, this bottle is soft and collapsable, sealed with welded seams. The idea is that as you drink from the vessel the volume shrinks. On big days out, this is a great secondary bottle. I was fortunate enough to hike streams that you could drink straight from the creek. So I only needed the Yondy water store, which is a much lighter alternative to the unbreakable insulated metal vessels that have become popular in recent years.
8L Dry Bag
There are straps at the bottom of the Remora for this bag to attach to. Dry bags are very handy, especially for camping/fishing trips. Things get dirty or wet and need to be kept separate from the main storage. That’s how I used it anyway.
Yondy
I tested the Yondy Remora Kit on the boat, estuary fishing and offshore, casting off the headlands and walking for bass. The bag is excellent. I have now kept it stocked and it lives in the car, so that wherever I go, I know I have the gear on hand that can catch most fish that I would be targeting in my local region. I have always wanted to have 1 bag, for everything. Now it is here. All of the separate cubes and pouches fit inside or outside this back simultaneously which is why this thing always needs to be close by.
The “Fishing & Adventure Kit” RRP is close to $700. This may seem expensive but it is extensive. The Remora pack is closer to $300. Hopefully, people have the opportunity to build on their packs as their adventures grow, and they figure out what accessories they need along the way.
The Yondy backpack has had an overwhelming success in its first week on Kickstarter. Check them out:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1716676600/remora-34l-adaptable-travel-backpack
Visit the @yondy.co Instagram page for more information.
