Upland Strap Vest

[jstaylor62]

All,

I am looking at changing from my current standard Upland vest to a Strap Vest. My current vest gets to warm and is not really made to be a layer. Can anyone provide any feedback on these vests? I hunt a great deal and dog train quite a bit as well. So this will not just be a vest to use a couple of days a year.

I am considering the following:

Cabela's Camelbak Upland Vest

Mother Upland Vest

Quilomene Vest

[goos_blues]

I bought a basspro strap vest. Itsreal comfortable and easy to get on over layers. However it doesnt have front game bag pockets. This makes it hard to put birds in your bag by yourself. Im nota very flexible guy, so iusually have to take it off to get the birds in it. I has been kind of a pain lately since there isabout 8 inches of snow

[rugerno1]

I was in the market for a strap vest this year and looked into the ones you have listed plus the LL Bean vest, Pella Bird-n-Lite, and Cabelas. I ended up with the Mothers vest. It is awesome...for me. I can carry more in this strap vest than I could in my Columbia full vest, but it isn't as quickly accessable because the pockets are on the back. That's ok because the vest takes about a second to get on and off. No matter how much I pack the vest, my shoulders feel great at the end of the day, and the pack keeps everything tight to your body. Extremely comfortable. Anyway, here is how I decided.

1) The Camelbak is too small. Most of them are small, but this one seems to be the smallest.
2) The LL Bean looked like Mother's vest with the bean name. I found out that it definitely wasn't, and it wasn't available until mid-December.
3) Cabelas makes a vest similar to the Camelbak vest and Mothers. I've found that Cablelas products are good, but the manufacturers of the specific products are sometimes a little better. (Seams double stitched, higher quality materials, etc)
4) Quilomene has a very loyal following. It can carry a ton of water, and a lot of Chuckar hunters in high& dry areas love them. You can take enough water for you and multiple dogs. The price tag limited me at around $150.
5) The Pella Bird-n-Lite has a great suspension system and a good bit of room. I, personally, didn't like the cotton material, but a lot of others love 'em. There is a pocket on the back that you could put a hydration pack in, but it isn't specifically made for one.
6) Price. The Cabelas around $70 - Camelbakaround $100- Bean around $90 - Pella around $85 - Quilomene $150 and the Mother's is around $120 on the net and $85 at Sportsmans Warehouse, which is where I got mine.

Good Luck.

[grayland]

I've had the Pella Bird-n-Lite for the last couple of years and like it alot.
About the only bad thing I can say about it is, trying to load a pheasnt by yourself.It can be done but it takes a bit of effort.
I love the versatilty of it,especially hunting in t-shirt weather.
-Gary

[keng]

during my annual "Grouse Camp" week in northern NH this last October, I was able to compare the LL Bean and Mother stap vests. I liked the LL Bean storage better. I could shed layers and fit more gear in the back storage compartment that could my buddy with his Mother vest.But I think the shell pockets on the front of the Mother was better. On one or two occasions, the flap on the LL Bean vest shifted or didn't seem to totally cover the pouch and I could see where, if ducking under low limbs or something of that nature, some shells might fall out. Both were comfortable to wear for extended time periods. Hope this helps some.

[camelcluch]

Flison and McAlister make very nice vests that will last a life time.

[grayland]

The Pella as well as some of the others also have lower back-kidney support that I found to be very nice.
Also with the Pella there are strapson each side,you just pull to snug up your load.This is probably true with other vests as well,I can't say which ones,but its a feature that I'd look for.Comes in handy on a long hunt/walk with couple in the bag.
-Gary