Best Bird Vests For Upland Hunting

Commonly called strap vests, the hybrid pack/bags designed for bird hunting have become firmly established among hard-core uplanders, but they probably are not what your father thinks is a bird vest. A traditional-style vest, belt pack, shoulder bag, jacket or just a pocket full of shells will do for an hour’s stroll in the grouse woods, but an all-day sharptail or chukar hunt requires a re-think.

The best strap-vest designers borrowed from the backpacking and big-game worlds then addressed their own needs from experience while ground-pounding the chukar hills. This new breed of vest promises comfort and functionality, but a buyer needs to keep a sharp eye out, looking beyond cosmetics to engineering.

In the ever-growing pile of hip-belted vests are some standouts, which we’ll look at here. First, though, let’s discuss some things to consider if you’re shopping for one ... and some aftermarket enhancements you might want to add for maximum performance.

Requirement No. 1

Strap vests must do one thing well: take the weight of your stuff off your shoulders. Who needs another excuse for poor shooting? Two or three ringnecks in your game bag puts tension on the shoulder straps unless that weight is borne by a hip belt. Add a few quarts of water, and that vest will impede gun mount and swing. Fully loaded for an all day chukar hunt, my vest tops 25 pounds before birds.  Sure, there are other critical functions, including storage capacity, but it, too, is related to the top priority of weight distribution. A poorly designed strap vest’s pockets and pouches put weight onto or into the game bag and, thus, your shoulders.

Back in 1952, Dick Kelty put a hip strap on his newly invented external-frame backpack. The rest is history. Design, innovation, engineering and materials have all changed for the better, but the basic premise remains. Over the years, hip belts have become commonplace in backpacks—and now, even in bird vests. The devil, though, is in the details. Form doesn’t always follow function; it’s often merely fashion.

What to Look For

Despite my urgent pleadings (I’ve consulted on eight different vest designs), there is still no perfect strap vest. Lucky for us, there are a lot of podium contenders with several things in common, and these features are worth examining when making a choice.

The hip belt should bear maximum weight. Anything heavy should be directly connected to the belt, not the shoulder straps. Looking closely at the rig should reveal how frequently the designer hunts chukars all day in the early season: water bottles and shell pockets should be mounted on the belt, the bladder pocket also anchored to the belt and up against your back. The belt should be easily adjustable for layers. And like the foundation for a skyscraper, a wide, rigid belt supports the most weight.

There should be minimal weight transfer from the game bag to the shoulder straps. When the vest is fully loaded, you should be able to easily slip a couple fingers between a strap and your shoulder. If there are a lot of pockets on the game bag, or a bladder pocket sagging back there instead of nestled between your shoulder blades, the weight will make you a worse shot than you really are.

A vest should be adaptable. Look for quick, simple ways to attach more stuff. Molle or other attachment points ideally will be anchored to the belt, not adding weight to the game bag. See if there’s room on the belt for additional pockets, as it’s better to add items and weight to the belt than to hang more stuff on the game bag. D-rings in strategic locations offer attachment points for lanyards and collar transmitters.

Maximum adjustability is another important feature, and it extends to the shoulder straps, hip belt, game-bag capacity and even pocket location. Learn how and why the adjustments work, and experiment with a loaded vest. Sometimes all you need for greater comfort and functionality is a longer strap or shorter hang distance on the game bag. Consider available options for pocket size and location.

Ergonomics are critical when the birds are flying and you’re running on instinct. Shell pockets should open easily with one hand. The location for an e-collar transmitter should be, literally, right at hand. Water needs to be conveniently accessible but secure. Padded shoulder straps are a contrivance; they only hinder gun mount. Stuff objects that mimic a few birds into the bag while you wear the vest fully loaded. You shouldn’t have to be double-jointed to put your trophy in your pack. (Asking somebody to do it for you is like calling AAA to change your flat tire.)

Use It and Fine-Tune It

A good mechanic doesn’t hang his tools outside the toolbox. The same applies to your vest. Everything should be tucked inside so it doesn’t snag on brush or barbed wire, make bird-scaring rattles and clanks, or booger up your gun mount. Get a vest with enough pockets for essential gear. Just make sure most are joined to the hip belt, not the game bag.

Wear it right. Even svelte, chiseled chukar hunters have a defined waist—what we’d all like to be the narrow part above the hip bones. Your belt goes above that, so your vest’s weight rests on the hip bones. Cinch it up tight; you’ll get used to it. Your shoulder straps should now be hanging loose, and they should stay that way as you load your vest. Tighten your sternum strap to keep them from falling off your shoulders like a sultry movie starlet’s dress.

Following your first hunt is about when you start tinkering with your shiny new vest. You didn’t leave your truck stock, so why settle for an almost-right vest? Over the years, here are some common refinements I’ve seen and done.

Add a lumbar pad. The big-game guys have figured this out. Best I can tell, only one bird-vest company has. Hips do a great job holding up your belt on each side, but unless you’ve got a vestigial tail, your back could use some assistance. Using industrial-strength Velcro, add a rigid foam wedge to your hip belt, ensuring contact with your back. You’ve created another obstacle on your vest’s relentless downward slide.

Add more attachment points. Slip on carabiners for lanyards or quick-access gear. While I try to keep most stuff enclosed, I do want to attach it to my vest. E-collar transmitters, compass, whistle, camera, phone, etc., are in a pocket but tethered to me.

More water is always welcomed by you and your dog. Most bladder systems exert weight on the game bag and thus your shoulder straps. Shop for a vest that has the bladder pocket directly attached to the hip belt. If not, country-boy engineering can transfer weight to the hip belt with judicious application of Velcro on belt and bladder.

Now you’re ready for a day afield, with an unobstructed gun mount and swing, dogs and humans well-watered, geared for any eventuality, with adequate ammo and room for a limit of birds. Let me know what that last one feels like.

Four That Hunt

Depending on the size of your bank account, you can find a strap vest for less than $100 that has some compromises, or you can ascend into the stratosphere with an heirloom-quality (and -priced) vest. Here are the players that meet most of my criteria. They aren’t inexpensive, but what’s the cost of missed birds and trips to the chiropractor?

Final Rise Summit XT

Final Rise has a couple clever innovations: a built-in lumbar pad and an innovative built-in sling for carrying an injured dog. A variety of models and interchangeable accessory pockets make this a versatile system, and the magnetic pocket closures are simple to operate in the heat of a covey flush. You can adjust the game bag to move weight toward your waist, too. $185-$360; finalrise.com.

Hunt Redi Deviate Drifter 2.0

Hunt Redi offers a variety of customizable, lightweight models. I like that the hip belt’s hefty padded portion extends farther forward than in other vests, offering slightly more grab around the waist. There is a raft of accessories to accommodate your requirements. I find the side-release buckles a little harder to operate with one hand than magnetic closures, but I have more confidence in the pockets staying closed. $245-$375; huntredi.com.

Buck’s Bags Upland Bird Vest

The granddaddy of them all is the Buck’s Bag Upland Bird Vest. First on the market decades ago, this vest is brilliantly simple, with basic engineering that everyone since has borrowed and refined. It’s eminently functional with a few compromises. Water is carried in a bladder between the shoulder blades, but with a little industrial-strength Velcro, the pocket can be mated to the waist belt. Buck’s makes the vest in four sizes, so consult the company prior to ordering. You’ll need to customize this vest for your own needs, but it offers capacious storage and is easy to clean. $150; bucksbags.com.

Peregrine Trekker II Dog Handler’s Vest

If you just got to have that traditional look, check out the Peregrine Trekker II Dog Handler’s Vest. It blends old-school style with a hip belt and ton of design flexibility. Lots of pockets, multiple D-rings, a rear backpack for extra storage and an extra-large front opening in the game bag are all noteworthy features. $220; peregrineoutdoor.com.

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• This article was featured in the September 2024 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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