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41 - 60 of 153 Posts
Used a Pella Bird N Lite vest for the past 20 years. Decided i needed more carrying capacity for longer trips. Purchased a Q5 Rinmire last year. This year I replaced the OEM belt with a Molle belt and its been great. Would love to have a Final Rise but can't justify the cost (especially once I convert the $ into Canadian and include shipping, Its now a $600 vest!)
 
I use the Orvis waxed cotton strap vest. Waxed Cotton Strap Vest
I use the same vest and it is good even during the 100 degree opener of dove season in Texas. Plenty breathable and lots of carrying capacity. Can put a full box in the spring-opened pouches.
 
I just broke out my last filson strap vest, this season. This is #3, the first was soon after my first springer in '03. The second one, I started using around 09 or 10, and had so many patches and repairs that I had to break out the new in package I bought over 10 years back on clearance (remember when sierra trading post awesome?). This "new" one has the old style transmitter pockets. For the big cylinder tritronics. When this one wears out in 10 more years, I don't know what I'll buy, but I certainly won't be replacing it with a "made in Vietnam" Filson.

I'm still keeping the beat up one for ducks. Just need to make a few more patches on it...
edited to add:
also for doves, the beat up one.
It has been a long time since the old one was as stiff as the new one currently is. I re-waxed a few times over the years and that does toughen it up but doesn't add the stiffness back. The old vests saw a lot of birds. I still remember being mad when I jumped a drake mallard on a snowy creek in the poconos, knocked it stiff just a few feet up, then missed the hen. Bagged it and kept hunting. And then when I took it out of the vest a 1/2 hour later to show my brother, there was the nastiest dark greenish brown you know what all over the vest and the mallard's white feathers.

10+years on a #16020
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3 weeks on a #34
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I'm in Kansas hunting pheasants and prairie chickens so this thread is opportune. I've used two strap vests for the last 15 years or so. The first, Filson made with their weather cloth is iron tough and most important has flat, flexible shoulder straps. The second is a "high tech" vest by LL Bean with pockets, zippers, pouches wide waste belt and padded shoulder straps. It is the latter that are the issue. They won't allow the gun butt stock to fit into your shoulder pocket. I missed a rooster yesterday because of this. We spend a lot of money making sure the gun fits then the strap vests negates all of that. I'm back to the Filson for now. There is only one outfit that admits to this issue. I haven't got their name here but the vest is called the Wingman I believe.

Birds are pretty scarce these days. Missing because of a poorly designed vest is a shame.
 
.... padded shoulder straps. It is the latter that are the issue. They won't allow the gun butt stock to fit into your shoulder pocket. I missed a rooster yesterday because of this. We spend a lot of money making sure the gun fits then the strap vests negates all of that. I'm back to the Filson for now. There is only one outfit that admits to this issue. I haven't got their name here but the vest is called the Wingman I believe.

Birds are pretty scarce these days. Missing because of a poorly designed vest is a shame.
Final Rise notes the issue that can result from padded straps and then, designs accordingly.
 
I used a Filson game bag for 20 years. As with most Filson products durable as heck and never as issue with it. Got to the point I needed some more back support. Was hunting in South Dakota, went to Cabela's in Mitchell, when Browning's Bird n Lite strap vest came out. It's soft, flexible, two water bottle holders, a small clasped pouch on the back and most important was the waist belt. Not only a waist belt but another strap at shell pouches to keep them from flapping around and a chest strap to hold shoulder straps together. Soft and flexible so very easy to reach around and put birds in the game pouch and reach in and get them out when back at truck. Two water bottles was important for me as it is sometimes 3 to 4 hours before I am back to truck so plenty of water for dog. Small pouch on back for those cool mornings and by 11:00 need to get that sweatshirt off, need some place to put it and not in pouch with shot birds. The only issue I had with it is the shell pouches. After about 5 or 6 years they wore out. My neighbor sewed some old blue jean material on the inside and patched the outside orange. I do have to say this was after many, many, many hunts and use. I am always looking at what is new out there for upland hunting and would not hesitate to purchase this vest again. That my 2 cents worth and good luck with the perfect vest for you.
 
I'm in Kansas hunting pheasants and prairie chickens so this thread is opportune. I've used two strap vests for the last 15 years or so. The first, Filson made with their weather cloth is iron tough and most important has flat, flexible shoulder straps. The second is a "high tech" vest by LL Bean with pockets, zippers, pouches wide waste belt and padded shoulder straps. It is the latter that are the issue. They won't allow the gun butt stock to fit into your shoulder pocket. I missed a rooster yesterday because of this. We spend a lot of money making sure the gun fits then the strap vests negates all of that. I'm back to the Filson for now. There is only one outfit that admits to this issue. I haven't got their name here but the vest is called the Wingman I believe.

Birds are pretty scarce these days. Missing because of a poorly designed vest is a shame.
I have an Alps strap vest like everything about it except the shell holders. They SUCK. Be prepared to lose some. Most of the time I wear my Columbia light weight coat. It’s been with me for 15 years.
 
I was after a wing works for a long time, but they're essentially out of business as far as I'm concerned.

With wing works' terrible business model, I settled on a hunt redi. Hunted that for two years, went to the final rise this year, and the last two hunts I went on, I went back to the hunt redi. I'm not really in love with either one, would love to combine the two vests and see how that goes.

Still have the old reliable Woolrich strap vest. It's great for easier hunting like forest grouse, but didn't come with water carrying capacity.

I may be looking into pikes "seatbelt" vest... Who knows.
 
I’ve been using the new Tom Beckbe strap vest. It works well in warmer weather but can expand to fit over a vest or coat as well. It’s has durable waxed cotton bags with a modern layout that includes slots for two 32oz water bottles. It’s probably best for quail, but I’ve loaded it down with pheasant as well. If you’re looking for something more traditional that functions well definitely give it a try.
Link?
 
I’ve been using the new Tom Beckbe strap vest. It works well in warmer weather but can expand to fit over a vest or coat as well. It’s has durable waxed cotton bags with a modern layout that includes slots for two 32oz water bottles. It’s probably best for quail, but I’ve loaded it down with pheasant as well. If you’re looking for something more traditional that functions well definitely give it a try.
Thank you for the recommendation. Just ordered one.
 
I was after a wing works for a long time, but they're essentially out of business as far as I'm concerned.

With wing works' terrible business model, I settled on a hunt redi. Hunted that for two years, went to the final rise this year, and the last two hunts I went on, I went back to the hunt redi. I'm not really in love with either one, would love to combine the two vests and see how that goes.

Still have the old reliable Woolrich strap vest. It's great for easier hunting like forest grouse, but didn't come with water carrying capacity.

I may be looking into pikes "seatbelt" vest... Who knows.
Thats unfortunate, Wingworks had a great product.
 
Gentlemen,
Strap vests can definitely lead to gun fit problems because of the ill fitting straps, for this reason I like the old Field & Stream light upland vests, the Columbia Grouse Vests work well also, and best of all the Browning Gore-Tex Grouse Jacket allows perfect shotgun fit while Grouse hunting. There are many decent Vests on the market today including the original Filson which I used for years, the cost of some of these modern upland vests, is way out of line however.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man
 
41 - 60 of 153 Posts