Hiking Vest

K

Kevin Miller

Joined
Sep 24, 1999
Messages
329
Does anyone use or recommend a "hiking vest" similar to the fishing vests that have many pockets on the front and a large pocket in the back?
Kevin Miller

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Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always.
 
I have a "safari vest" I purchased from Sportsman Gude a few years back. It has a ton of pockets both inside and out. If memory serves me there are 19 of them in various sizes. I like to wear it and you would be surprised at just how much it holds.
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Lee

LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
 
Kevin,

If you want a USA made lifetime garantuee vest go look at the Eagle site for the Hunters Vest "HV-CP1" it will set you back $150 but you can even get a separate back pouch to fit for extra carying capacity for about $37.

Go look at:
http://www.eagleindustries.com/subpages/vests/hunter/hvch.htm

I even have an address offering a discount price and that seems to be just as impossible as getting a Large Sebenza below $325.

Contact: Geri Weaver at www.geared-up.com
tel. 877-449-7669 the prices are $140 +$37 for the pack.

Cheers, Bagheera

Sent me a picture of it when you stuffed it with your goodies because I can't afford $177 for the Vest (yet)
frown.gif



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I've used a vest that I got from "Special Forces Gear"
http://www.specialforces.com/catalog/catalog_f.html
I used to work for the owner, Major Dave, and I acquiered some of their stuff during that time.

I've used the vest mainly for carrying photography equipment in the field. I like using a vest because it puts the stuff within easy reach. This one has alot of adjustments so you can really customize the fit.

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Megafolder Fans Unite!

Mike Melone

"Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. " Psalm 144:1
"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them." Thomas Jefferson


 
I don't like vests. I prefer the LC2 web system with a Camelbak and a few tweaks. Web style gear(ie.LC2,Blakhwk,or?) seems more flexible and compatible(not modular) than a vest. Using 550 cord, I can lash up nearly anything and never worry about a cotton vest freezing around my chest. I can also recommend Geri Weaver at Geared Up to provide what you may need. She's fair and honest. Jason
 
Senator,
That looks like a great vest! The only problem is that it is made of cotton. If you are using it in hot, humid weather it will soak up every drop of your sweat and keep it, making you miserable. Same thing applies if you work up a sweat in cooler weather - you could get hypothermia, and I am not kidding. The point is that cotton soaks up and retains water period. It takes forever to dry, and if you get it wet in cold or even cool weather you will curse the day you bought it. Your much better off with something like cordura that will not retain so much moisture. Ordinarily it is just a case of discomfort, but it can be a genuine danger if your not careful. Seriously, though, it does look like a great vest. I would just like to see it made out of something synthetic.
 
So far I have not found any personal use for a vest with that many pockets. I'm not a fly fisher and my photographic endeavors are limited to an F-1 with mainly two lenses.

The biggest disadvantage I see in those vests is the fact that they are clothes. You can’t take it off when it’s too warm and can’t wear it under a coat/jacket. And in order to give a halfway adequate comfort, the vest should fit snuggly. But then you can’t wear it over warmer clothes.

Another aspect is that the back of those pockets are not padded. If you can’t pack them tightly, they content will bounce and rub against your body when walking. And where do you put your bottle? You have to take a bag anyway, you might as well get a decent one which can hold all your stuff more comfortably than those vests.

Also, the vests distribute all the weight on your shoulders. I found that very discomforting. When I do hiking/jogging, I try to put the weight on the hips with a fanny pack. This way you don’t compress your spine with each step.

Better than the one depicted here are the “tactical” load bearing vests. The can come with integrated Camelback packs and are adjustable to your body. Disadvantage of those is that they are expensive and you can get a nice comfortable back pack for the same money. They are also kind of hot in warmer weather and you’ll look like as SWAT team member which is foolish at best.

My recommendation is get a small hip belt for shorter excursions or a full size back pack for the weekend trips. Leave the vests to the fisherman, professional photographers and law enforcement people.
 
I agree with survivitall...

I like the Hawg or Mule Camelback for carrying my gear. the Hawg is big enough to carry three quarts of water, poncho, poncho liner, and all the emergency gear you want. It also makes water access very easy.

You can't go wrong with a camelback. (IMHO)

I advise students to bring these for our trips.

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
I didn't realize the Camelbak stuff was also available as a gear bearing/pack arrangement. Very nice, have to check that out.

For those concerned with vests in hot/humid weather, some of the fishing-type vests are available in a mesh material. Hope this helps. Thanks.
 
Hi Barry,

Yeah, the bigger ones (mule and hawg) do very well. My only criticism is that the shoulder straps are too thin and sometimes aggrivate me. Otherwise a great option to carrying emergency survival gear for a short day hike or when moving around your camp.

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
I almost always carried a small pack. I picked it up at play-it-again sports 6 or 7 years ago for 10 bucks, best 10 I ever spent. I picked up a strapless camelback and carried it in the pack, all the benefits of load-bearing camelback, with a better pack, and at a lower price.

Then I showed up in the cold, and tried XC skiing. That backpack soaked up every ounce of sweat I could put out, and accumulated more from somewhere, and I was shivering by the time I drove myself home after that. I managed to soak through a heavy layer of polypro, a wool shirt, and a down vest, as well as the fabric of the pack, and the pad in it (Outside temp, a little below -20). I haven't carried it in the snow again, but did get a good hip pack for christmas. The water bottles freeze up too fast, but it sure keeps my back dry.


Stryver, who put the camelback on the roof of his car last summer, and never saw it again...
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I've tried a couple of different vests, but was never really satisfied, though the one by Eagle looks like a winner for the vest set. It seems a bit pricey right now to just give it a "test drive". Maybe soon, tax return time is coming up...

Greg,
I've been using the Camelbak Transalp lately, and have been very pleased with it. 1100 cubic inches of space for "stuff", and room for up to two 100 oz. water bladders. Comes with padded straps, a sternum strap, and padded waistbelt - a real pack-like suspension system. Inside and outside pockets, lash straps, and a built in rain cover. Only real drawback is mine is an early model intended for the cycling and casual hiking set, with a blue and black pack body and bright yellow rain cover (for auto drivers' visibility and cyclists' increased safety). In muted colors, perhaps with a two sided rain cover (one side stealthy and dark or camo'd, one side bright yellow or "international distress orange" - visibility in a survival situation can be a good thing sometimes), and I think this pack could be reaching close to ideal for many of us.

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.
 
Hi Don,

Sounds like a great small pack. I would love to see it. Do you know a link where everyone could go to and look and ahhhh in drooling desire....
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I'm not sure of the Hawg's deminsions but this one sounds bigger....

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
Hi Stryver, EXACTLY my point. Carrying water on your back just plain sucks. Here in CA it gets fairly hot on the trails and I found it very discomforting to hike/run with a backpack. It’s not only overly heavy on your shoulders, you are giving up a big cooling area on your back by covering it with a pack. The best solution for water carrying I have found so far is the Gregory Mirage. It’s a fanny pack which has a bladder similar to the Camelbacks. The bag has several straps and you can tie the whole contraption tightly to your body and minimize bouncing.

Freezing water is of course a problem in low temperatures (know that from my bike riding. The little ice chips turn the content into some kind of mush, really funny). But if you start with preheated water, put a little salt in it and wrap the bladder in an insolating towel, it’ll stay liquid for a while. In extreme conditions you can put a heating element in the pack as well http://www.rei.com/largeimages/405046.jpg That should do the trick.
 
Stryver and Ralf do have a point about your back sweating, but I would guess that would depend on where you are, conditions, etc. I mountain bike alot with a Mountain Smith hydration pack here in Michigan, and in our humid summers, I haven't found it to be too detrimental. Having the accessibility and quantity of water seems to offset it. Camelback also offers fanny-type packs with bladders in case Gregory doesn't seem to have just what you might want.

Greg, for the Transalp, see: http://www.camelbak.com/f_products.htm and click in the product box down to the Transalp. I've recently seen one in dark grey, but with the same reflective bits and yellow rain cover, at R.E.I., I believe, so it now looks like there's one more color to choose from other than the blue.

For the tactical set, they also have the "Motherlode", a 1900 cu. in. pack in black with lots of bells and whistles under their Military and Law Enforcement section.

Don't get me wrong, I really like the idea of a vest, but they never seemed to fit just right for my own purposes, and switched over to packs instead. Maybe something like the Eagle could change my mind.

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Don LeHue

The pen is mightier than the sword...outside of arm's reach. Modify radius accordingly for rifle.
 
The Transalp looks kinda like a summit pack with a water bag....

When on the trail, I usually put my camelback mule in my pack and drap the hose over my right shoulder. Works great. If going light, I put my emergency gear (also have small survival kit in cargo pocket) in the camelback and head out. It causes no more sweating issues than a small internal frame pack might.

BTW guys, usually when I am using the camelback in the woods... I am either hiking or around camp. When hiking its commonly an accessory and is in my backpack... it doesn't cause me to sweat anymore than I already would... when in camp I wear it on my back and with the low activity don't sweat bad enough to worry about having it on my back...

The vest I use has a back pouch to it that (when I use it) I place my poncho and poncho liner... it also causes me to sweat as much as the camelback would. The only difference is the camelback has an absorbant pad... Just more food for thought.

BTW I have used a vest for many years (yes the ones that are made with a netting design) and have switched to the camelback. I (I repeat the word "I") prefer the camelback.
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I really enjoy this exchange of ideas on a subject that is so important to each individual.

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
Hi All,

I have been always thinking about getting a vest which is 'cool' (especially when cotton
smile.gif
) and would be good for photography too. And I liked how Bagheera very carefully thought it out (nice job! that was probably fun to do). Their price and other practical consideration, however, made me buy a pouch instead (Jansport 'small organizer', 6"x6"x3", 100 cu.in., modular clip attachment and daisy chains, $11.99 at Campmor).

Here are my reasons and would like to here your opinions on them:

1) Many are cotton made, what was not an obvious problem to me but after reading the Forum and other sources I would probably go for other materials.

2) If climate is hot/muggy, it might be uncomfortable to wear (unless mesh panelled) and that increases the chance to 'take it off temporarily'.

3) How do you wear it when carry a backpack? Is it comfy? Since I use at least a daypack for our usual hikes (ghrrrr! to carry my wife's stuff too, my binocular and other toys) that is an important thing to me. That's why I settled with a pouch on my leather belt for the survival kit. I am used to wearing belt with anything except pyjama or swimming short and feel comfortable at any temperature. Downside of it is excessibility to items in stuffed/compact pouch vs vest with hundreds of pockets. Also, when you use hipbelt of pack you should lower the 'survival belt' to waist (where I usually wear belts anyway). That brings up the question: are you going to use your kit items (that's what I do) to cut weight and stay in practice with them or store them away in a less accessible tin can (extreme is the 'sardine can' in which you can't even check them)?

4) How do you adjust size to wear different layers of clothes underneath (with change of season)?

5) Do you wear outside your rain parka or under? If under, again, how comfy is that?

6) Ideally, I would 'design' a modular vest system (similar to tactical vests I have seen) that is light and consists of a SHORT mesh vest (with basic pockets and more attachable ones) and a belt that can carry modular pockets/pouches in multiple combinations. That thing probably already exists and I just cannot afford it. Any suggestions?

I am used to wear many things (when outdoors) on my leather belt and still do: pouch mentioned above, multitool, folder or fixed blade, water bottle, flash light, carabiner (to attach lanyard of things kept in pocket). To make it more comfortable when backpacking, I do not wear anything on front, pouch and heavy water bottle go to the sides with fixed blade. All smaller things are behind. Sometimes it needs rearrangement but i find fine for me.

Fanny pack is a possible alternative in a bit larger size. My Jansport pouch is attachable to backpack straps by its daisy chains. There is even a bigger pouch with a bit different features (Jansport 'large organizer', 200 cu.in., 11"x6"x3", $16.99 at Campmor).

Thanks for any input.
Best,

HM

 
Cheaper Than Dirt is selling surplus South African assault vests for $67. They are made from a high quality cordura suspended on a synthetic mesh. They are highly adjustble and hold tons of gear including a Camelback (with a minor modification) They are set up to carry 10 30rnd AR magazines but you could carry anything you wanted. It is brown in color so you don't look like you just dropped from a black helicopter. It is a very high quality piece of gear at a reasonable price. Definitely worth checking out.
 
Jaeger, could you point me to the website, if they have one, of "cheaper then dirt" please.
I would like to take a look at the South African Vest.
Cheers, Bagheera
 
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