Vest reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 134 Reddit reviews across 31 subreddits and 38 posts to rank the best Vest brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/birddogs, r/CysticFibrosis, r/ultrarunning, r/trailrunning, r/securityguards. Top-rated brands include Salomon (4.7/5), Final Rise (4.9/5), Hillrom (3.9/5).
Stats
Reviews134
Subreddits31
Posts38
Brands78
Products73
134 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Salomon
4.7
(15)
"Naked belt and a salomon adv skin 5 for longer runs."
"I have a salomon pulse 2 and the adv skin 5."
"I got a Salomon Advance Skin 5 vest which I absolutely love."
"This is the one. Fits great."
"There’s a good chance you’ll never need to replace it."
"I’d go scope it out for a little while to see what you can score."
"Can’t recommend it enough."
"One of the most comfortable and breathable."
"I have a friend who's a bigger guy who does 100 mile races and others and he uses Salomon."
"Salomon in XL. Figure out which version you want."
#2
Final Rise
4.9
(9)
"Worth every penny for modularity, water capacity, build quality."
"It looks basically brand new, and I have it in the chukar hills 20+ days a year."
"Final Rise for the win!"
"I seriously love mine."
"Buy once cry once. In the world of upland hunting, $350 for a vest that will likely outlast everything else."
"Just bite the bullet on a final rise. It’s worth it."
"Final Rise and Chief Upland are the best around right now."
"My brother got the marsupial last year and it's fantastic. I opted for the final rise this year."
"The big draw to these vests."
#3
Hillrom
3.9
(9)
"Hillrom simply the best."
"I currently have the Monarch and LOVE it!"
"Hillrom 105... all great."
"If you haven’t already, call Hillrom and ask for their shoulder pads for the monarch. They are 2 inches thick but are only typically provided if you ask."
"Monarch has gotten much better! I think I got one not long after they came out. I think I had to get it replaced 3 times, but the last one I got has been perfect for years."
"Monarch is an effective portable."
"I have the HillRom 105, Monarch and the Incourage Vest and I like the Incourage Vest the most, comfort-wise."
"I would caution against the Monarch - it’s a heavier vest that mostly guys favor. It’s not fun to have that much compression on the boobs."
"If she has any back/shoulder/neck issues, would not recommend the monarch. I can’t use it at all because the weight on my shoulders aggravates a pinched nerve in my neck."
#4
Amazon
4.2
(5)
"I wear it trail running/hiking and love it!"
"I bought this one at 70 lbs. interestingly it now jumps from 60 to 80."
"I got one for 100$ off of amazon, i use it often. 50lbs is best."
"I got mine on Amazon and try to use it a few days a week on walks."
"I do, bought it off Amazon, should start out at 10% of your body weight."
#5
Osprey
4.5
(4)
"Osprey Dyna or Dyno are both super comfortable and don’t bounce or slosh."
"I use an Osprey Duro 1.5L. It has great storage."
"Osprey has spots for flasks as well as a bladder."
"Osprey Duro is my go to."
#6
Condor
4.0
(4)
"I honestly don't remember when I bought the my condor one. I don't put it through hard use like deployment or anything but it has been on my plate carrier for quite a few years."
"The one thing I like about them is the snap connection and how tight it is up against the plate carrier."
"I've been using a condor three mag bungee retention for ages. It attaches super tight to the plate carrier and I can draw mags well."
"Condor vests are a great bang-for-the-buck vest if you want better than airsoft quality."
#7
Orvis
3.5
(4)
"I have the Orvis waxed cotton strap vest. Classic."
"I like it more than my friends Final Rise Summit XT."
"Also have a new Orvis ultralight vest that I haven’t tried out yet that I thought would be good."
"I hate this. No good place for a water bladder."
#8
Decathlon
3.7
(3)
"It's a great vest. If you wanted to make a smaller investment look at Decathlon."
"You can pick one up in Decathalon for €55 - can be adjusted from 6KG - 10KG by adding plates."
"I got 20lbs total. I walk 5 miles 3-4x a week with it."
#9
SmartVest
5.0
(2)
"SmartVest... all great."
"Smart vest for when I’m sick... Works beautifully and customer service is excellent."
#10
ESStac
5.0
(2)
"ESStac Kywis or HSGI Tacos are my go to."
"Kywis. End of discussion."
#11
AffloVest
3.0
(3)
"I’m an AffloVest girly. Easy to use, soft and puffy, support has been very friendly to me."
"Afflovest for daily treatments when I’m not sick. It is reliable and only 5-6lbs compared to 10+lbs like the monarch."
"Don’t go with Afflo (warranty is bad, support is worse)."
#12
bHaptics
4.5
(2)
"Those would probably be your best bet."
"But the only vest that interacts with different software are from bHaptics."
#13
Venustas
4.5
(2)
"Consider Ororo and Venustas, known for durable, high-quality heated vests with long-lasting batteries."
"I love my venustas heated vest. They're a bit pricey though."
#14
Hyperwear
4.5
(2)
"Get an adjustable vest with a weight capacity that allows you to reach your goals like the Hyper Vest."
"I ended up buying a Hyperwear Hyper Vest Pro from Amazon."
#15
Patagonia
4.5
(2)
"I just keep coming back to my Patagonia shorty mesh vest."
"I really like my Patagonia vest. Has a lot of mesh because I get hot."
#16
Occidental
4.0
(2)
"Occidental left hand/right hand vests are pretty sweet."
"Occidental has some interesting, quality options."
#17
Safeguard Clothing
4.0
(2)
"Https://www.safeguardclothing.com/products/coolmax-pro-ballistic-level-2-stab-level-1-spike-level-1-covert-vest-black"
"I have this exact vest It's great for the price. Mine is still holding up for about 5 years now."
#18
Black Diamond
4.0
(2)
"The BD Distance 22 is great."
"BD Distance is incredible."
#19
Strive
5.0
(1)
"Strive Fly Running Vest :) I wear a small and I'm 152cm and 60kg and usually wear UK 10-12"
#20
Silva
5.0
(1)
"Silva. It's a Swedish brand, it is a similar material to like high end underwear or shapewear? No mesh at all. It is super light, it's likely what you want."
#21
Etsy
5.0
(1)
"I got all 3 from Etsy! Ukrainian seller YevheniiaShop. It's definitely handmade."
#22
Wingworks
5.0
(1)
"I found Wing Works to be an amazing vest."
#23
Adv Skin
5.0
(1)
"Gold standard is still the adv skin 12."
#24
Chief Upland
5.0
(1)
"Great strap vest, first one I've found that really carries weight on the hips."
#25
Occidental Leather
5.0
(1)
"Makes a cordura vest that you can keep pretty minimal."
#26
Dive Bomb
5.0
(1)
"Makes a totally adjustable vest. It's what I use for my dog now and she loves it."
#27
Ray Allen Manufacturing
5.0
(1)
"Pricey but very good quality and many MWD and K9s use them"
#28
RDX
5.0
(1)
"Pakistan is the best place, you can opt for RDX weighted vest."
#29
Zelus
5.0
(1)
"Three weeks ago I bought the Zelus weighted vest. 16lbs. I really like it."
#30
Spartan Armor
5.0
(1)
"I’ve really like my Spartan Armor vest. They have many options and a lot of support for choosing the right one."
#31
Harrier
5.0
(1)
"Check out the Harrier Kinder 10l, a great vest, works when back empty as well for the shorter runs."
#32
Ororo
5.0
(1)
"Consider Ororo and Venustas, known for durable, high-quality heated vests with long-lasting batteries."
#33
Gerbing
5.0
(1)
"Gerbing is another excellent choice for premium options, especially for outdoor enthusiasts."
#34
OroSportUSA
5.0
(1)
"This vest is well made, comfortable and washable."
#35
Polar Products Inc
5.0
(1)
"I love my vest from Polar Products Inc!"
#36
Point Blank Enterprises
5.0
(1)
"...it is by far the most comfortable ballistic vest I have ever worn."
#37
Ruffwear
5.0
(1)
"I prefer the Webmaster but the Flagline is great too."
#38
Aonijie
5.0
(1)
"The Aonijie 30L running vest bag is a cult favorite among the fast pack community."
#39
Wuffable
5.0
(1)
"I would really recommend them, even with their no refunds policy."
#40
Tasking Through Life
5.0
(1)
"I highly recommend them."
#41
FUFF
5.0
(1)
"Here's is the one I use! I love that I can increase the weight slowly."
#42
Rab
5.0
(1)
"Rab Veil 12, great company and they list how and where their products are made."
#43
Ultimate Direction
5.0
(1)
"I swear by my ultimate direction vest."
#44
UltraAspire
5.0
(1)
"I'm a big fan of the UltraAspire Momentum 2 vest."
#45
Ben Meadows
5.0
(1)
"Ben meadows makes the best all mesh hot weather survey vests."
#46
Proviz
5.0
(1)
"Proviz is phenomenal."
#47
Outward Hound
4.0
(1)
"I liked that it had a continuous part between the neck coming down the chest to the belly."
#48
EzyDog
4.0
(1)
"EzyDog has good ones!"
#49
Vivaglory
4.0
(1)
"We have this one: https://www.amazon.com/Vivaglory-Lightweight-Skin-Friendly-Neoprene-Release/dp/B07F3XZWWX/ref=mp_s_a_1_55"
#50
Surveyor
4.0
(1)
"I have found that the best vests I have used have been Surveyor's vests."
#51
Walmart
4.0
(1)
"Just get the Walmart weight vest. Will work fine."
#52
Zeluus
4.0
(1)
"I'm rucking with the 12 lb in this line. Very comfortable."
#53
Camelbak
4.0
(1)
"I have a camelback brand racing vest with the 1 liter bladder."
#54
High Plains Gear
4.0
(1)
"Newer company called high plains gear make some pretty nice upland vests."
#55
Tenzing
4.0
(1)
"Tenzing BV16, been using mine for about 10 years now."
#56
Wing Works
4.0
(1)
"Wing Works or Final Rise."
#57
Pyke
4.0
(1)
"I do believe they should be looked at."
#58
Micro D
4.0
(1)
"If you are looking for something light but cozy."
#59
Ferro Concepts
4.0
(1)
"If I were to wear a plate carrier it would be a ferro concepts slickster. Those things are low profile."
#60
Survival Armor
4.0
(1)
"I like survival armor a little more but both are good."
#61
Safe Life Defense
4.0
(1)
"I personally would try Safe Life Defense or Safe Guard. I haven't experienced any of them yet but I have heard good things about both."
#62
Momarsh
4.0
(1)
"The Momarsh is the best."
#63
One-Tigris
4.0
(1)
"Makes some decent quality tactical vests that have front attachments."
#64
North Face
4.0
(1)
"Made a Backcountry ski vest with tons of pockets could work well."
#65
ADV SKIN
4.0
(1)
"For aprox the same amount of money you can get the ADV SKIN either the 5 or the 12 liters."
#66
Mountain Equipment
4.0
(1)
"Mountainequipment Tupilak 20 might be an option."
#67
DesignerDoodle
4.0
(1)
"I got mine from DesignerDoodle and was impressed with the quality of the gear."
#68
Keychava
4.0
(1)
"It’s premium leather. Also looks classy in my opinion and is reasonably priced."
#69
Amazon Weighted Vest
4.0
(1)
"I have a 12-lb one from Amazon and I love it."
#70
Atlas 46
4.0
(1)
"You can still attach pouches to vests. Atlas 46 and Diamondback have good options."
#71
Diamondback
4.0
(1)
"You can still attach pouches to vests. Atlas 46 and Diamondback have good options."
#72
Naked, Ultimate Direction, Salomon
4.0
(1)
"I would suggest a running belt like Naked, Ultimate Direction or Salomon. Much more value for money for your needs."
#73
Salomon, Instinct
4.0
(1)
"There are cheap ones on Temu/Aliexpress or expensive ones from Salomon or Instinct."
#74
CamelBak
4.0
(1)
"I just did a whole vest shopping thing before landing on a Camelback."
#75
CAP
3.0
(1)
"I used to train with one I got off Amazon, it’s a CAP 80lb adjustable one with sandbags."
#76
Nano Air
3.0
(1)
"The nano air hoody is a more baggy fit and covers a lot of your butt."
#77
Drake
3.0
(1)
"I had a drake for a year or two that didn’t fit quite right for my dog."
#78
inCourage
2.0
(1)
"Personally I’d start away from Philips (inCourage) because they are a slimy AF company."
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