turkey vest

WonkyWapiti · Mar 16, 2015

This will be my second year turkey hunting and I figured I'd better buck up and buy my own gear instead of borrowing my buddies. There are a ton of vests out there, what are you guys running? Anyone have any experience with the Tenzing vests? They seem really well made and the kickstand looks like it would come in handy during predator hunting as well. Any thoughts are appreciated as I'll probably be going out this weekend to scout a few stores looking for that perfect vest.

Eagle · Mar 17, 2015

Try the vest on before you buy. I had an ol tom ibeam motion vest and the thing was entirely too large and loose fitting to work for me. I've decided to just use SG solo this season and may go to a lumbar pack as the weather warms up toward the end of our season. I'm just not a big fan of vests.

Poser · Mar 17, 2015

I've yet to find one that I actually like. They are hot to wear and get heavy as all get out when wet.

Brightwhite · Mar 17, 2015

I just use a soft/quiet material student style backpack that I think I got at Walmart or one of the big box sporting goods stores. I also have one of those lightweight fold out chairs that sits about 6" off the ground. To me, the vest was always hard to get things in and out of and siting a little off the ground has always been more comfortable than just on one of those pads. Backpack ($20) + turkey chair ($35) for me.

RamDreamer · Mar 17, 2015

I agree to check out the vests available before you buy them since a lot of them are pretty solid and can be pretty hot during the season and warmer temps. I have been using an Ol Tom vest for the past five years or so and can agree that they are slightly larger than what are described, but love the pockets and light weight design. I ordered mine online and it is baggy, but I like the lighter material and mesh design that allows for more breathability and holds two DSD decoys when I am running and gunning. The best thing I can recommend is trying them on, even though I ordered mine online and am fine with it that may not be the case for everyone else. Good luck!

Eagle · Mar 17, 2015

For a size idea on the ol tom, I'm 6' 180 and the thing hung off of me like a XXXL jacket would. They are all (ol tom) one size fits most. They do have adjustments that you can cinch up similar to compressing a pack, but the problem on the vest I owned was that they continually slipped and if I adjusted them before a hunt, by the time I had been in the woods for a couple hours, they would be back out.

That said, the ol tom is the lightest, most breathable available, they just need to make actual sizes rather than a osfm.

Onpoint85 · Jul 19, 2015

Finding the perfect fitting turkey vest can be a nightmare.

Especially if you're a skinny guy like me.

The cabelas tactical tatr 2 will cinch up small enough to fit me fairly decent. I also have the tenzing tv14 and it is pretty nice as well.
However my favorite is the russell limbhanger.

However 95% of the time I use a modified beard buster run n gun belt and a sitka day pack. Can't remember the name. Ascent 14 maybe.

land cruiser · Jul 19, 2015

Ol tom time and motion ibeam 2.0 works great for me

philos · Jul 27, 2015

Poser said:
I've yet to find one that I actually like. They are hot to wear and get heavy as all get out when wet.

Me too.

I'll make a suggestion to not even use a turkey vest. I think that - like a fly fishing vest- it seems to encourage carrying too much stuff. I use a Hill People Gear kit bag for calls and carry a small camo stool with me. The one thing a vest does offer is to help with carrying a turkey out if you are successful in your hunt-but I usually find a way. Another options that I think makes since is to buy a vest that has minimal pockets and is lightweight-perhaps even an upland bird vest if you can locate one with a game bag large enough to carry a turkey. It seems to me most vest are too gadget filled and cumbersome.

turkey vest

WonkyWapiti

WKR

Eagle

WKR

Poser

WKR

Brightwhite

WKR

RamDreamer

Lil-Rokslider

Eagle

WKR

Onpoint85

FNG

land cruiser

Lil-Rokslider

philos

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