March 04, 2024
By Dale Evans
Gone are the days of simply heading to the turkey woods with a single box call and your favorite diaphragm. Plain and simple, there are many turkey hunters that want to carry “the kitchen sink” each spring when they go afield. If that sounds familiar, yes, there’s a vest for you.
Before it came time to hit the woods this spring, we wanted to show that regardless if you’re a minimalist or the aforementioned “kitchen sink” turkey hunter, there’s a proper vest on the market for you. You’ll just have to decide which is your favorite!
The new Impact Pro from Alps was released during SHOT Show and garnered a lot of attention. With its lightweight design and reinforced seat, you can flip it down in mere seconds when rushing to get setup. It also comes equipped with MOLLE webbing on the front panels, a removeable box call pocket and ThermaCELL pocket to let you customize your layout. The over-sized game bag on the back of the vest also features a pocket inside for your decoy stakes. Available in the Original Bottomland pattern from Mossy Oak, it’s sure to be a hit for many turkey hunters this spring.
Will Primos has been a giant in the turkey world for many decades, and this vest is perfect for those “kitchen sink” hunters we referred to earlier. This vest has more pockets than you can shake a stick at, but it could be said each of them has its own job. Made from lightweight polyester, it also features a large 3-inch-thick seat pad that has a magnetic closure and is removable. The textured shoulder straps help grip your gun sling while moving from location to location. Along with the wide array of outer pockets, it also has numerous interior pockets for even more gear. One thing I really like about this vest is the upper back pad; it makes resting up against those knobby oak trees more comfortable as you wait out that longbeard.
Advertisement
Banded Air Elite Turkey Vest This newly released vest is designed with the minimalist in mind. Available in three different color options, each treated with DWR, it’s ultra-lightweight while also being stealthy. This ergonomically designed vest comes with a padded back that features a breathable mesh for when you’re running and gunning after gobbling birds, as well as a comfortable padded seat for when you need to plop down. Though built for the minimalist hunter, it still has plenty of storage for strikers, slate calls, and multiple large cargo pockets, plus a built-in decoy compartment for maximum capacity.
Final Rise Summit Turkey Vest System This system from Final Rise is truly a tailored fit, fully customizable turkey vest. The streamlined approach to this handmade design lets you make it what you need when in the field. With the weight-bearing padded waist belt it can handle as much as you want to throw at it, coming standard with two storage hip pouches. These vests are custom made to your specific size, depending on waist and torso measurements, for the utmost comfort in mind. Weighing in at only three pounds, it’s built out of strong, durable Cordura and has webbing attachment points throughout to add additional pouches and accessories. Available in Mossy Oak, Multicam or a Ranger Green solid it can be easily partnered with a host of patterns.
Up until this point we’ve covered full-coverage turkey vests, but as I stated earlier, vests have evolved a lot in the past decade. Enter the Turkey Tool Belt from Sitka. This ultra-minimalistic management system is like a high-speed fanny pack for hunters. With enough pockets to stow multiple pot calls, four strikers, locator calls as well as a multitude of diaphragm calls, you won’t have to worry about leaving much in the truck. It has a zippered top compartment for small essentials, like extra shells, as well as a built-in deployable rain fly. Available in Optifade Subalpine and Timber, as well as solid brown colors, this tool belt is sure to have get the attention of hardcore run-and-gun turkey hunters.
Advertisement
