Vest pocket carry ?

I slip on a fleece vest when the wind chill reaches below zero and I have to be in the bucket. I lose stuff in the pockets I already have without any help. I had a Johnson woolen mills vest in college when I was a svelt 185, now at 32 and 245 lbs I don't wear that one anymore. I do keep a small sheath knife tucked in the inside pocket of my jacket...
 
Vests are fairly popular where I live. I pretty much live in a sherpa lined Carhartt vest for three seasons, you see plenty of those up here in rural OH. It'll keep you warm enough outside but you don't have to take it off indoors. Extra pockets are a huge plus of course. I've been known to clip a little fixed blade into the interior pocket or slip a jframe in there.

Gives me high Hope's for the one I've got coming.
 
Vest, waistcoat, gilet, jerkin, bodywarmer ?:D

Vest of course in British English means undershirt, not much carry scope or ease of access there ;)

Waistcoat in British English refers to a thinner more formal sleeveless jacket as worn with 3 piece suit , with a jacket or like Snooker players wear, usually for watch-chains, matchboxes, even snuff boxes :cool:

So the heavier duty stuff- gilet or body warmer often quilted worn outdoor with jumper or thick shirt great for carrying any manner of stuff, I wear them a lot in spring/autumn and they really keep you warm but are not cumbersome. Bigger knives get their chance then such as The Big CASE Stockman or lockbacks, Laguioles which otherwise I avoid for trouser carry, too bulky/heavy and sheathers on the belt for pocket knives have always struck me as redundant. A vest pocket auto Browning or similar as @jackknife pointed out, would be a very tidy carry with this type of clothing:D In fact, you can carry a mass of interesting 'essentials' in these garments ;)
 
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Is that you on the left with the 'chops Will? I can't even compete with that level of dapper. :cool:
 
Is that you on the left with the 'chops Will? I can't even compete with that level of dapper. :cool:

That's me on the right Doc, at a pal's wedding (the knife and fancy vest were wedding gifts) :) I do have chops now though (I couldn't afford a Harley, so that's the extent of my mid-life crisis!) :D :thumbsup:

I have been wearing wes'kits, and all kinds of multi-pocketed 'vests' since I was a lad :thumbsup:
 
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If you don't mind the puffy look, Feathered Friends makes an amazingly comfortable and warm down vest (their Helios down vest). It's so light you will hardly feel you're wearing it.
 
My wife makes the "finest handmade wool vests on the planet. Period." as proclaimed by Sporting Classics magazine. I've got 4 or 5 myself, which is a good thing since I designed it, and designed it specifically for riding and cowboying. Granted they are spendy as they are handmade and out of expensive wool but they serve well. If you are wanting a vest that layers well, look at a wool vest. They just slip under a jacket or coat just right. A Trapper slipped into one of their pockets would still be there at the end of the day. I'd also suggest checking second hand stores. This is actually a deal in the cowboy world. I've actually got a "wino" (as we call something we get at a second hand store), jacket on right now I gave $3 for. I'll be wearing it all day out in the shop. You can often find very nice tweed items there for just a few bucks. Some of the wife's:

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If you are more on the stand alone side the Carhart fleece line vests are pretty popular around here. Heck even the wife wears one:

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However, the pockets are for keeping your hands warm, anything like a knife will fall out.

If you are wanting to try a vest and want to carry stuff in the pockets I'd sure recommend one of the newer softshell vests. Pretty darn practical. Zippered pockets to keep stuff put. Comfortable over a very wide array of temps and thin enough to slip under a jacket if needed. A lot of old farts like me still wear the wool:

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But the young guys are all wearing the softshells.

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I've got one myself and really like it. That's this cowboy's take on vests.
 
A vest is a great laying option for winter. I have a couple zip-up fleece vests to choose from. With that said, my knife and other gear always ride in either my jeans, or in one of the pockets on my jacket (which is covering the vest).

-- Mark
 
I probably should have passed on that first vest and held out for the right one to come along ( I'll still wear it though), because I just found the right one.
It's the exact color and style I had in mind, and while it's not American made I figured If anyone knows wool it's the Irish. Especially pure virgin wool or " 100% new wool " as they call it.
Someone probably removed the tags and couldn't return it or something, it's pretty much brand new and I payed less than half the Jimmy hourihand website sells it for.
 
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My wife makes the "finest handmade wool vests on the planet. Period." as proclaimed by Sporting Classics magazine. I've got 4 or 5 myself, which is a good thing since I designed it, and designed it specifically for riding and cowboying. Granted they are spendy as they are handmade and out of expensive wool but they serve well. If you are wanting a vest that layers well, look at a wool vest. They just slip under a jacket or coat just right. A Trapper slipped into one of their pockets would still be there at the end of the day. I'd also suggest checking second hand stores. This is actually a deal in the cowboy world. I've actually got a "wino" (as we call something we get at a second hand store), jacket on right now I gave $3 for. I'll be wearing it all day out in the shop. You can often find very nice tweed items there for just a few bucks. Some of the wife's:

4zM310K.jpg


4IHD3F1.jpg


If you are more on the stand alone side the Carhart fleece line vests are pretty popular around here. Heck even the wife wears one:

KEMLXe6.jpg


However, the pockets are for keeping your hands warm, anything like a knife will fall out.

If you are wanting to try a vest and want to carry stuff in the pockets I'd sure recommend one of the newer softshell vests. Pretty darn practical. Zippered pockets to keep stuff put. Comfortable over a very wide array of temps and thin enough to slip under a jacket if needed. A lot of old farts like me still wear the wool:

jqUKIPA.jpg


But the young guys are all wearing the softshells.

Dz58Y5Z.jpg


nDcNb46.jpg


I've got one myself and really like it. That's this cowboy's take on vests.

Great post Dave :) I've had my tweed vest on today (had it made). I've got another in tweed, a couple of fleece ones, three down-filled ones, a soft-shell, and a whole bunch of shooting and fishing vests, one of which I've had since 1991. I might even have an old denim cut-off from the 70's somewhere :D I likes my pocketses :D :thumbsup:

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I've long been a fan of vests, though mine tend to be goose down. I've owned quite a few Eddie Bauer down vests. Usually reversible for more options.

Currenrly I have a flece lined heavier goose down vest (Winter/fall only) vest, and a lighter synthetic vest that zips into a water proof parka.


Wool vests look great!
 
I don't know why but fleece irritates my skin while Wool somehow doesn't, it's the same way with a few other people in my family for some reason.
I like the idea of fleece, its lightweight but warm and it's affordable too, but I just can't wear it.

Btw to keep this about knives, heres the first of a few I've neglected that I'll be trying out for vest pocket carry.
 
If you don't mind the puffy look, Feathered Friends makes an amazingly comfortable and warm down vest (their Helios down vest). It's so light you will hardly feel you're wearing it.

I'm not into the puffy look myself, but my dad had one for a long time that he loved which recently got a big tear in it.
I just bought him a replacement for his birthday.
He wore that thing all the time when I was a little kid, then he had some kind of nicer vest he wore on Christmas and such.

Another neglected knife I'll be trying for vest pocket carry.
 
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The knives! Ah yes the knives! Let's not get lost in the wool and fleece but very good stuff it is :cool:

These garments enable larger/large carry and with the safety of fastening pockets.

From the top a few bigger or bulkier favourites: CASE Large stockman, got lucky with the Amber Bone on this example, very satisfying knife but big (by my measures). Mercator lockback in Copper, although slim it's quite wide & long. CASE Backpocket lockback Whiskey Bone, GEC 82 Possum Skinner, Weidmannsheil locking knife 11cm (the minor blade unlocks the master when it's open) Laguiole Jérôme Latreille 11cm, big Lags are not for the trouser pocket, finally a fixed which has a safe sturdy sheath and this will go in a coat/vest pocket- Hess Mini Caper.
 
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View attachment 1502217 I inherited a 14kt watch from my grandfather and managed to find matching chains and knife. When I wear this rig, I keep looking at my wrist to check the time.
You need an Elmer Fudd hat to match the vest.View attachment 1502218
Nice watch, pocket watches are always timeless and cool but like you I'd just be looking at my wrist all the time.
I've had a watch on my wrist since I was 5 and don't see that changing any time soon.

There was actually an old woolrich vest on Ebay with a matching hat, but I don't think the hat is something I could really pull off.
Maybe if it snowed here I could, otherwise I'd just look strange.
 
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