doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Mail order hunting vest

I'm a Wing Works vest fan. The weight bearing belt takes the load off your shoulders and puts it on your hips.

canvasback,

Check your pm's.

SRH

I endorse the Filson "Original Hunting Vest" My father gave me mine Christmas 1985 and it is the one and only vest I have used ever since. It is getting worn on the shoulder and has been rewaxed a few times, but it still works as original. I have found many of the pockets do not get used often, but you you need them they are there. The button pockets never fail. Eventually I will add a piece of cloth on the gun shoulder which is wearing a bit. It is simply and works.

I cannot remember what magazine article or book author recommended it but it has been my standard through Alaska, Georgia, Kansas, and South Dakota.

The posters have me interested. I will go into the closet and try to identify my favorites and the features I like. I do like the Filson strap, but it is not orange. In the grouse woods, I like a lot of orange, both on me and my companions, especially on my companions.

OP is in Canada and wants blaze orange. The Filson original looks like it's not available in orange. I have an old Filson waterfowl vest and it's well made, but I can't imagine wearing a Filson for desert bird hunting when I'm walking in 115F temps. Nice pocket arrangements, though. If they made that in a lightweight, breathable version, I'd try one, even if I had to replace it every few years. I got about five years out of my favorite Cabela's vest before it started to shred. You can only patch it so many times.

A McALLISTER strap vest that's discontinued and one from Dunn's for cold weather. Hot weather a Browning LYON strap model. FILSON doesn't breathe and everywhere it touches you you'll sweat, its' uncomfortably stiff [as plywood] especially cold, takes forever to break in and when it does it needs rewaxing. It's a garment founded in the Alaskan Goldrush, who sadly, its' usefulness has come and gone. A romantic idea, like L.L. Bean pac boots, good for their day but modern MATERIALS HAVE LONG SURPASSED, THEM AND TIN CLOTH.

The big plus for me with strap vests is that they're much cooler than full vests in early season warm weather, and of course they can be worn over layers when it's cooler. I used a Filson strap vest for several years, but gave it away when I found the Quilomene. Since then I've had two others with belts for carrying the weight of the game bag -- a very good Bean with a high back that was too warm, and finally the Pella.

Most of my hunting is for pheasants. I'd never go back to any kind of vest without a belt to put that weight on my hips.

Jay

One of the reasons I prefer a full vest is that the vest acts as another layer of protection from the sun. Think about the way desert tribes dress in layers to ward off the sun. The vest provides some of the same protection, but without the chimney effect. A few years ago I started wearing a long sleeve compression shirt in a light color as my first layer (UnderArmor or equivalent), then a light, loose t-shirt, then the vest over those. Seems to work.

I prefer the Gentleman's Strap Vest from Kevin's Catalog in Thomasville GA. It comfortable and versatile. On the warm days, I just wear is over my shirt. On the cold days, I wear it over my jacket.



http://www.kevinscatalog.com/

Adam

After having hunted with a Filson waxed cotton vest for years I made a change last year to a Cabelas strap vest. Why? Well...the Filson is well made but has two features that are a bother....the brass strap buckles scratch/gouge gun metal/wood. and the game pouch is unlined and does not zip open, it's impossible to clean well and after a few years the game pouch become rank. Also, the straps would occasionally slip over my shoulder.

The Cabelas vest is not waxed, has an extra pocket on thr rest of the game pouch, the pouch is lined and zips open for easy cleaning. There is a center strap in the back that keeps the straps from slipping and the buckles are plastic and non gouging/scratching. Its really well designed and won't break the bank.

I've used Bean vests too, and they were nice, but I now prefer the cabelas vest(surprisingly as I'm not a huge cabelas products fan).

I also tried a Kevins vest and was shocked at the lack of quality, it was made from thin material and was generally poorly constructed....would've never held up on one trip to a real grouse covert. Was sent right back.