Turkey vest alternative

[ChesterCopperpot]

I've seen a lot of folks asking for vest advice recently and so I thought I'd share. If you've got a vest you love, great! But if you're like me and never could find one you like or that fits your style of hunting then this might interest you.

Ultimately I had a daypack that I loved for hiking and still hunting deer. What I did was get an HS Strut chest pack and attach it to the bino harness clips on my shoulder straps and then I got an HS Strut foam seat and attached it to my backpack belt loop. The seat hangs from the belt loop and I just slide it under me when I set up. When I'm walking I slip the cushion in between my back and the pack (may sound uncomfortable but it's not). When I'm on the move I've got all my calls right there on my chest. Sometimes when I set up for lengths of time I'll unclip the chest pack and just set it on the ground beside me. The pack's got plenty of space so I can always carry more calls and make adjustments and changes throughout the day if need be.

I live in the mountains of North Carolina so a lot of times hunts become all day adventures with lots of miles covered. I love having the daypack to tote lunch and anything else I might want throughout the day. Also H2O compatibility was always a must which limited vest options but is on most all daypacks. Some folks might not need to carry as much water but I love having it. I'm a pretty big guy at 6'5" and I think that made some of the vest options uncomfortable for me. Anyhow just thought I'd share my solution for not finding a vest I love. This set up has served me well the past few years.








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[AppalachianHollers]

Great setup.
I decided to go with a waterfowl blind bag for this coming season. Not as good weight distribution as what you have in a backpack, but I just wanted to make sure I kept water off my calls and have something big enough to carry a couple boxes of shells during waterfowl season! Kill 2 birds with one stone (I'll roll with the pun).
But I might end up rolling with a specialized setup for big game like this, eventually.


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[ChesterCopperpot]

Great setup.
I decided to go with a waterfowl blind bag for this coming season. Not as good weight distribution as what you have in a backpack, but I just wanted to make sure I kept water off my calls and have something big enough to carry a couple boxes of shells during waterfowl season! Kill 2 birds with one stone (I'll roll with the pun).
But I might end up rolling with a specialized setup for big game like this, eventually.


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What blind bag did you wind up going with?


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[AppalachianHollers]

What blind bag did you wind up going with?

Rogers Working Man

One of the cheapest, but wow is it well-made. I love it. Sturdy zippers, solid stitching, and good fabric for repelling moisture. You may decide to use a sharpie to darken on the blue writing for turkey hunting, but I don't think I will. That side faces you when wearing it, anyway.

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/rogers-deluxe-guide-tough-blind-bag-in-max-5?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImeGCmYqN7gIVkMmGCh0EPw5WEAQYASABEgLMd_D_BwE


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[AppalachianHollers]

I carry it so it's resting on me at 6 o'clock. Doesn't snag that way.


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[Turkeytider]

I use a belt with a fanny pack and a couple of HS Strut pouches on each side. I`m not much of a run and gunner because 1. I`m getting up there in age 2. On the properties I hunt, I don`t really need to because we know pretty much where the birds are going to be 3. I just love sitting in the woods. It`s amazing what you`ll see! I carry a chair, so no real need for a vest.

[GobbleNut]

ChesterCP, your set-up is similar to mine, although it somewhat depends on the hunt type and my anticipation as to whether I will be covering a lot of country or not.  I have always preferred a daypack over a vest due to some of the same reasons you seem to. 

I also have that HS Strut chest-pack thingy, but I have not been completely sold on using it all the time.  The one shortcoming it has (and maybe they have rectified the problem in the newer models) is the magnetic catch that holds the main compartment closed.  The catch is just too weak on mine, and I was always concerned that it would fall open in certain situations, resulting in lost "baggage".  (I did finally sew a latch on mine to eliminate that particular issue)

It seems I am never quite satisfied, so recently I purchased the bag below which I have high hopes for.  This can be carried over-the-shoulder, or on the waist either on the side or front.  It has enough compartments, both zippered and not, and of the right sizes for the various call types and sundries, that at the moment I think it might just do the trick. 

Combined with a daypack (and a cushion if needed), I think it will cover the bases nicely. ...We'll see...

[Tom007]

I've seen a lot of folks asking for vest advice recently and so I thought I'd share. If you've got a vest you love, great! But if you're like me and never could find one you like or that fits your style of hunting then this might interest you.

Ultimately I had a daypack that I loved for hiking and still hunting deer. What I did was get an HS Strut chest pack and attach it to the bino harness clips on my shoulder straps and then I got an HS Strut foam seat and attached it to my backpack belt loop. The seat hangs from the belt loop and I just slide it under me when I set up. When I'm walking I slip the cushion in between my back and the pack (may sound uncomfortable but it's not). When I'm on the move I've got all my calls right there on my chest. Sometimes when I set up for lengths of time I'll unclip the chest pack and just set it on the ground beside me. The pack's got plenty of space so I can always carry more calls and make adjustments and changes throughout the day if need be.

I live in the mountains of North Carolina so a lot of times hunts become all day adventures with lots of miles covered. I love having the daypack to tote lunch and anything else I might want throughout the day. Also H2O compatibility was always a must which limited vest options but is on most all daypacks. Some folks might not need to carry as much water but I love having it. I'm a pretty big guy at 6'5" and I think that made some of the vest options uncomfortable for me. Anyhow just thought I'd share my solution for not finding a vest I love. This set up has served me well the past few years.








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Great vest alternative. We all I am sure try to find the perfect way to carry our gear while turkey hunting. I myself like to carry minimal gear in a comfortable way, and require a comfortable seat. I am a runner-gunner, hunting big woods in mountainous terrain. I do, however take long sits in areas where I have had great success in the past. The pictures here show my go-to set up when I don't use a vest. This is a modified version of the Cabelas 1/2 vest that was made years ago. It has back support, pockets, and incorporates one of the best seats I have seen. It has the patented Speed seat, which is featured on Cabelas premier turkey vests. I added an additional box call pocket (that I use for my pushpins). I also added a pot call pocket. There are water bottle pockets, pockets for headset, gloves, etc. I added a Glenda striker holder into one of the draw-string pockets to carry my strikers. I also added a good pair of suspenders that supports this belt set-up. I love this. I was looking for one of these 1/2 vest for years, I found one on EBAY last year brand new. Works great, good luck, be safe....

[Tom007]

ChesterCP, your set-up is similar to mine, although is somewhat depends on the hunt type and my anticipation as to whether I will be covering a lot of country or not.  I have always preferred a daypack over a vest due to some of the same reasons you seem to. 

I also have that HS Strut chest-pack thingy, but I have not been completely sold on using it all the time.  The one shortcoming it has (and maybe they have rectified the problem in the newer models) is the magnetic catch that holds the main compartment closed.  The catch is just too weak on mine, and I was always concerned that it would fall open in certain situations, resulting in lost "baggage".  (I did finally sew a latch on mine to eliminate that particular issue)




It seems I am never quite satisfied, so recently I purchased the bag below which I have high hopes for.  This can be carried over-the-shoulder, or on the waist either on the side or front.  It has enough compartments, both zippered and not, and of the right sizes for the various call types and sundries, that at the moment I think it might just do the trick. 

Combined with a daypack (and a cushion if needed), I think it will cover the bases nicely. ...We'll see...

Very nice set up my friend....

[budtripp]

cool setup. I've gone the extreme minimalist route of just using the ol tom shirt with all the call pockets. But then, sometimes I feel like I need more stuff. Delicate balance. Maybe I'll figure it out one of these days.

[shatcher]

Get you a Glenda Green satchel.  She's over your way.

[GobbleNut]

Get you a Glenda Green satchel.  She's over your way.

Has anybody used Glenda's satchel for any long-distance, run 'n gun-type hunting?  Can the entire thing be zipped up or otherwise sealed so that stuff can't fall out when "on the move"? 

Out here in the west, it is not uncommon to cover lots of ground quickly,...and do that all day, if necessary,...and I personally don't want to constantly be checking to be sure I have not had something fall out of whatever accoutrement-carrier I might have with me at the time.  I have already lost enough damn stuff while hunting to last what remains of my lifetime...    

[ChesterCopperpot]

cool setup. I've gone the extreme minimalist route of just using the ol tom shirt with all the call pockets. But then, sometimes I feel like I need more stuff. Delicate balance. Maybe I'll figure it out one of these days.

On short sits I'm absolutely with you. If I can carry two pots and three or four strikers with a trumpet around my neck I'm good to go as far as calls. Really everything boils down to water and seat for me, and mainly water just because of my style of hunting and the terrain. I've thought about one of the minimalist satchels and that'd be great for everything (I'd likely fasten a Source Tactical canteen to it) except I'd still have to find a way to tote a separate seat comfortably. It's interesting to see all the different set ups, all being governed by what an individual HAS to carry for their style of hunt. Some folks seem to need a wagon or wheelbarrow or grocery cart to get everything they want to carry into the woods. I really enjoy checking out everyone's non-vest set-ups.


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[HFultzjr]

Get you a Glenda Green satchel.  She's over your way.

^^^^^This^^^^^

I just picked one up and it's everything I could ask for and should last a long time.

[Gobbler428]

X2 I purchased one of Glendas' Minimalist Satchels last year and left my ALPS vest at the house. Looking forward to the up coming spring season and will not be using the vest this year either.  Once you go Minimalist ,you won't go back