There’s a lot of debate about throw bags. If I had to choose one throw bag it would be the 15 Meter WWTC Pro. It’s a short rope which limits it’s distance but also makes it easy to throw and therefore generally more accurate. I’m starting to wear a waist belt and this one I hardly notice. The longer throw bags make bulkier waist belts which is a bit annoying.
I agree with Zach on brand but I use the 18m WWTC pro. I don’t find the belt particularly cumbersome and I like having the little bit of extra length. The 18m feels like the longest rope I can comfortably throw overhand and I love the modern wide mouth closure which makes stuffing easier and also allows the bag to be thrown like a tomahawk.
1 Like
I still like my good old NRS Pro throw bags. If you want one that is easy to throw, the compact is great and still has a pretty strong line. If I’m rafting I like the standard sized NRS Pro Rescue as the line is strong enough (5000+ lbs) and long enough to be used in multiple situations and I find I’m usually using a throw bag to pull on a stuck raft rather than rescue a swimmer.
If I’m someplace I’m worried about rescuing swimmers with a bag I’m a big fan of waist throw bags as it is always easy to access. Once again I’ve had good luck with the nrs pro version which is fairly low profile, easy to access and throw (I like how light the bag is) and pretty strong rope for the diameter. There are some great European ones and ones made by smaller companies but they seem harder to find consistently - the one Zach linked to is currently out of stock… I’m not a fan of the hip bags where you are throwing the waist strap with the bag like the old Salamander bags which are awkward to throw and kind of dangerous since you are throwing them at someone’s face.
And yes, I still knot the end of my throw bags, because I want to be able to find the end easily and quickly and I feel it significantly decreases the probability that I’ll ended up loosing the whole throw bag in the river. With or without a knot on one end of a throw bags I don’t want to be that person that left a throw bag in the river.
I use a shorter length River Station Gear throw bag, maybe 50’. It fits my ability to throw and most of my potential throw bag usage is generally 20-30’ max.
1 Like
My current favorite is the WWTC 18m; I love having a waist mounted rope and, depending on the river, an additional rope in my raft. I don’t find it to be too big or cumbersome and I do enjoy the length of the rope. Using it on courses, teaching first year guides, and day to day on rivers that demand pretty regular rope usage - I have found that the tapered bag throws extremely well, the rope is great quality for client handling, it’s extremely easy to dial in repacking, and I have seen countless other ropes give guides issues when time matters.
We use ropes regularly on the Tongariro in NZ, mostly for quick pulls on slightly pinned/wrapped boats. I have found the WWTC bag to be much easier to deploy and use than waist bags with attached belts. We also do a lot of shallow water wading to set up through technical rapids to assist with these pins, not having your rope on your person takes up time during setup and doesn’t allow you to have 2 hands free.
I am against loops and knots in the end of throw bags, having a clean end is great and I’ve seen clients put fingers in even the smallest loops and damage skin. Instead I wrap about 2-3 inches of the end of my rope in electrical tape, it creates a rigid end that is easy to find, no knot that might get stuck between shallow rocks or debris, no loops so clients are less likely to hurt themselves, and the top of the bag cinches around it to keep it at the top every single time.
1 Like
Stay tuned! There hasn’t been much innovation in throwbags over the past 20 years or so. CMC rescue has just invested in WRS International. Their Chaos Throwbags have some unique and innovative features such as a hidden caribiner pocket, glow stick pocket, side (rather than front)
quick release, comfortable sleeve where the bag molds “flat” to the shape of your back.
I got mine “bag only” and added my own rope. I went all out using Sterling Canyonlux canyoneering rope so it can be used for throwing, hauling as well as raising/lowering. I have a sewn eye at the end of my rope so that the bag is “clipped onto” the end of the rope so that if I want to shed the bag (for a cleaner rope usage) I just uncllip it.
It comes in 2 sizes… I have 20m of rope in it which just fits in the smaller bag but after testing it in both I am using the larger bag for ease of stuffing.
comes in red with yellow and silver reflective.
The WRS bag looks really cool but also pretty similar to the WWTC and Morice throw bags. How is it different from those?
Depends on usage 
General usage: WWTC 18m - Good harness, strong rope for ropework, pocket for carabiner, throws well, loops for night work.
Throws : HF Paddlepeople classic - Throws really well and the best rope for the swimmer. Rope has no core so it’s really easy to hold onto.
All time favorite
1 Like
I like waist bags, I always have it on and end up pulling more customers out of the water than others guides because it is always there. I like that it is extra padding for the back if I slip and fall helping a stuck boat or take a swim in a shallow rapid. The primary use is pulling customers out of the water, I do not intend on using a light weight waist bag for a pin. I keep a larger rope in a throw bag in the raft for that.
I used my old NRS Pro waist throw bag for 20 years. The rope bag in the waste belts did take a few seconds to deploy, and I usually twisted the belt, from my back to my front before unzipping and getting the bag out. But, I became very accurate with that bag, so I stayed with it.
At the beginning of this season I switched to a River Station waist throw bag. It is much easier to deploy and put back in the waste belt. I can pull the rope out when the bag is on my back very quickly, not need to bring it to the front. I have gotten almost as accurate with my throws as the season went on and I am now comfortable throwing it. The belt for the waist bag is a bit thin and folds over, bunches up, it should be a thicker material.
I have been tossing throwbags for a while, starting with nylon polypro rope with massive loops in it, and a dubious breaking strength at best. I then migrated to the NRS bucket style, and it too was loop o riffic, with a hand grabbing loop on the bottom, on the buckle on the top, on the draw strings, and on the end of the rope too. I tried some of the OG salamander waist bags, but did not like how the whole belt assembly was thrown too. As of July, I have 3 different bags that I bring depending on the water, I have an old fat eddy bag that I restuffed with 5/16 sterling, that is great, a Salamander river dart that is probably my longest range bag, (can be thrown like a football) but it is rough to restuff, and a older NRS rescue bag stuffed with new 3/8 spectra as a pin line, (tends not to be thrown). I was in Canon CIty, and stopped by river station, and tried on one of their waist throw bags, and it is super well thought out, and very easy to deploy, and checks all the boxes for me, no loops, easy to stuff, and can be thrown a variety of ways. It will be on me when I am boating this saturday.
One thing I will say is that throw ropes really ought to be flaked out and dried after every trip, I think more modern ropes are better(ish) for moisture, but I have seen a mildew rope fail during a pull, and that was pretty spectacular in a bad way. Make sure your ropes are dry and clean! Grit, dirt and sand are not your friends! Flaking the rope out on dryland gives you a chance to look at the entire rope, and see if there is any problems. About 25 years ago I had a throwbag that had been hot spliced 3/4 of the way into the bag. That got returned with a bit of rage. I hope no one would try that again, but pays to check.
For commercial outfits it is pretty hard to find the time to flake every bag and restuff, but the bags can be hung with lots of airflow, and that can help too, not as good as a full air dry, but better then stuffed in a damp dark corner till the next trip.
1 Like
As someone who has paddles a few rivers around the world and thrown a few ropes. I have my favorites. I can say that I have spent many years using Gaspars WWTC throwbags and sharing the love for these bags around the world. For a personal waist bag I am with Zach its the WWTC 15M the bag throws well it has Gaspars own blend of rope sits perfectly in the waist system. For a boat bag I made a frankenstein bag it this bar far has been my go too for years. I like to have 20m of Palm equipment rescue rope packed into a WWTC craft bag I have sused this set up to bag swimmers daily whilst working as a raft guide.
2 Likes
Hey everyone- Cristian Morice here, creator/inventor of my company Morice Equipment. I’d like to share a bit about my throwbag/belt system… I created the first throwbag/waist belt system on the market back in 2003 in Italy.
I have been experimenting with this design and evolving with feedback and experience from rescue professionals, guides, and instructors for over two decades now since that original throw bag/belt system I made in 03. My model today is available in 18m or 20m, (with a smaller compact 15m model relaunching next year). Made from 8mm high float polypropylene rope with a polypropylene core. This rope is very friendly on your hands, and quite comfortable to hold on to, and rates 7kn. I’ve upgraded my throwbag to include a glowstick attachment, and the fabric to 900 Cordura. My belt system includes and comes with an additional pocket that fits a carabiner with 4m tubular webbing, or a couple pulleys/prusiks/ crossline reach device, etc. I have made this throwbag incredibly easy to re-pack, with its shape and a finger loop. This model has stronger webbing, and updated buckles: the best on the market and option between a two part buckle or the cam buckle (quick release). I hope you will take a moment and look at my story and work. I really designed this product with the intention that it will be affordable and last you a very long time. At the end of the day, choose any rope/throwbag/belt system you want, they are mostly all decent. I would avoid some things: 1. big rope loops at either end of the rope.. Nrs throw bags have a huge figure 8 with a loop of rope that a hand can fit into which is dangerous.. 2. Avoid the ropes that don’t have a core 3. Avoid throwbags that have a pocket for carabiners- this was my invention that was never intended to be for every-day guide rescue use. It looks cool but it was a terrible idea to put more weight into a throwbag that should float. 4. Avoid thin fabrics or fabrics that have been shaped into sharp corners, these will wear out faster and you’ll be wasting hard earned money.) Another point is that I know 15m is very popular and lightweight. But if you consider that in a rescue, you open your bag, take a couple meters out to throw the bag and hold it, you are realistically looking at launching 13m approx. The rivers I work on (and in my opinion, even the smaller ones) make the chances of succesful rescue with this amount of work much more difficult. For that reason, I am a big fan of 18m. I am curious to hear what others have to say, and I really like this dialogue of rescue concepts. If you want to share more thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out. Buenas Lineas - good lines! Wishing everyone well - Cristian www.moriceequipment.com
3 Likes
Hey guys ! The throwbag i’m using depends mostly on the craft I’m in. My favorites throwbags are the WWTC Pro 8mm/20m and the Hero 9mm/20m. My everyday go to would be the 8mm, easy to throw and really light to carry in my kayak and in the plane. If i’m rafting, i’ll go with the 9mm, I feel it is easier to hold for me and the person at the end of the rope. I am still able to throw it completely, but the day I won’t be able to, i’ll switch to the 8mm.
If I am teaching, i’ll have both of them. 9mm in my hands for demos and everything. 8mm on my waist in case of an emergency.
I use 20m, because If I split the bag in two, I will be able to reach some at 8-9 meters. Also there’s a couple of spot on the river I mostly work that you need a 18,19 meters to reach the swimmer or the other shore.
What I like about these throwbag if the fact that they are really well designed. Comfortable, good rope, safe and slick, waist belt independent from the bag, carrot top gives a good grip, relfective stripes, glowstick holder, etc…
Shout out te the Morice Equipment bags, they are really good bags as well, I love them.
1 Like