I really wanted to do a video review for this for those who are like me and hate getting clothing online. (It's so hard to tell from pictures how something would actually look on a person, you know?) For the sake of just getting it out there, though, this written review.
I really like this vest. It is extremely functional and very high quality. Below are what I think are the highlights:
* Pockets Lot's of 'em. I'd say that if you filled up every one of them, you are probably overloaded. The variety is excellent, too, with pockets dedicated to water bottles, documents, etc., size and shape to accommodate whatever you need to carry. In fact, you can darn near get away without a daypack with this thing if you are going on a short hike.
* Quality Heavy, smooth-operating YKK zippers are used for the front and one pocket. Hook and loop enclosures are used elsewhere for most of the pockets. Stitching is tight and is doubled (or more) and reinforced at critical stress points. The entire vest is made from a double layer of heavy canvas cotton. The vest is heavy and has the feel of something that will take use and abuse.
* Water Bottle Pockets I mention this separately because I think it's an especially nice touch: On the back, outside and to each side are pockets that can carry 32 oz. water bottles. The tops of the pockets are gathered with elastic, which is nice.
* Inner pockets There is a document pouch on the inside back of the vest along with a closeable pocket. Also, there are large pocket areas in between the fabric on either side of the zipper, with integrated panels attached to the inside to keep your gear from rubbing against you.
* For the more tactical-oriented, there are separate loops on the interior for a system belt attachment.
* There are side straps on the outside with snap fittings that allow you to take in a few of inches of girth. I really like this feature that allows you to adjust for comfort and/or fit.
* Price is competitive, I think, with products of similar quality. There are cheaper utility vests out there, but they are lighter-duty, lower quality, and less functional. Given this vest's quality and durability, it is a good value for the price.
Possible drawbacks:
* Since the construction is of double-wall cotton canvas this baby would get heavy and uncomfortable in a hurry if wet. Make a point keeping out of the rain with this vest, or have suitable rain gear with you. Rain wouldn't hurt the vest, but it wouldn't be any fun to wear. As it is, this is a heavy vest, made to work hard and last. Consider this if you are looking for something lighter or that you will use only occasionally.
* Many hook and loop enclosures. This may not bother you, but I found myself wishing for a few more button enclosures. This is just personal preference and has nothing to do with the functionality of the vest; sometimes I wish I could access my pockets without the tell-tale rrrrriiip sound that hook and loop fasteners make when opening.
Other thoughts:
Other than law-enforcement officers who may use this on the job, this vest is perfect for those who need to carry a lot of gear on their person for work or recreation. This may include camping and hiking, photography, hunting, or a day at the range. While you may blend at the range or a campsite with this vest, you'd likely stick out in other venues. I've got the khaki version because I wanted to stay slightly understated, but it still has a look about it that says... well, tactical. That's something to think about depending on where you'll wear this and the degree to which you wish either to blend or stick out. (Reference the reviewer who correctly refers to this as the 'shoot me first' vest)
To speak to fit: I'm fairly slender at 6'3" and 183 lbs. and the XL size I wear hangs loosely on my frame. The bottom of the vest rides about 8 inches below my waist and comes to about the end of my palms with my arms relaxed at my side. I am sure the Large would have fit fine, but I prefer the loose fit to allow for bulky cold weather gear underneath. There is plenty of space in the arm holes to fit the sleeves of a warm jacket.
Some have referred to this vest having a holster for a small firearm. Mine didn't come with a holster, though it would certainly hold one if you were inclined to carry a concealed weapon in one of the inner pockets.
I would like to see 5.11 make this vest in a ripstop cotton material or a fabric that sheds water and/or dries out faster when wet. It's a small thing, because I really love the vest, but wearing this all day when it's hot can get uncomfortable and I think they can make a great vest even better by exploring the use of some other fabrics without giving up durability. Still, this is the best vest of its kind out there at present, in my opinion, and beats the competition in quality and function. I give it four stars rather than five only because I find it less wearable in weather and for extended periods in the heat.
Recommended!
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Here are some of the features that I like about this vest: It is longer than most of the vests I have had in the past. The velcro pockets tabs can be closed or tucked under and out of the way. It has snaps to form a waist (I am a woman, not a man and this is a man's vest). The pockets are perfect for cell phone, camera, pens, paper and even paperback books. I haven't used most of the pockets yet.
This vest might be a little "overkill" for me, it is a little heavier, and it is a "tactical" vest, but after researching photographer's vest, this one was basically the longest and most organized.
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UPDATE ON CONCEALMENT: After wearing these vests for a few weeks, I am more convinced than ever that I don't want to carry any firearm in any of these vests especially weapons that don't have safeties but even weapons with multiple safeties I'm very squeamish about carrying on these vests. The reason is that on the Blue Stone Mountain, the muzzle of the firearm would point in the general direction of my weak arm and cross paths with it from time to time (bicep to forearm) and the muzzle could also point towards small children to my left or at the legs of innocents standing by me. On the Rothco, in the holster pocket the weapon points straight down but if you sit down the muzzle of the arm could cross your weakside leg in the upper thigh area. Both the Rothco and the Bluestone, do not provide a formal holster so you'd have to add a pocket holster for weapons that don't have any safeties (like glocks). On the 5.11, you can add one of their holsters and have some flexibility in how you orient the holster. This means that you can have a weapon that can be pointed at your weakside arm if oriented left to right (elbow to hand and anybody in that arc similar problem as with shoulder harness holsters) or the weapon would arc across your weak side leg (thigh) like the Rothco. I'll admit, I'm very particular about where the barrel of my firearm points at all times and it's a no-no for me to have a firearm point at my part of my body or the body of any person at any time (I consider it a serious infraction on me whenever that occurs and forces a reevaluation of my safety procedures). So, for me all of these vests are awesome but the gun is going to go on my waist in a proper holster that covers the trigger guard and has some kind of positive retention. Just my two cents on that.
ORIGINAL REVIEW
NOTE: This vest does not come with a holster pocket or magazine pockets. You have to buy these velcro accessories like the 5.11 Holster Pouch, Black for additional. Without these accessories there is really no place to store a firearm on the vest unless it's extremely small weapon. On the right front main lower pocket you do have 3 elastic band retainers that are perfect for single stack magazines. I love these. I only wish that they were on my left front pocket. The left front lower pocket is actually two long pockets and you can use each for a magazine but they're not retained as solidly as they are on the elastic bands. This has better magazine elastic outside pockets than the Rothco.
I wound up buying all three vests and have them all. Here is a comparison to help you decide:
ME
I'm a DSLR Photographer and I have a CCW. When I carry a DSLR and this vest absolutely nobody gives me a second look.
ALL VESTS
All three vests, have a multitude of pockets that are great for a photographer AND they have additional specialty pockets for the carry of a concealed weapon.
CCW vs SAFARI vs PHOTOGRAPHER'S VEST
There is a ton of overlap in these vests and categories. That said, if you're a CCW person, I recommend against getting a Safari vest or a Photographer's vest, they pocket layout on those other vests just don't have the CCW person in mind. Also many Safari vests have net sides and back which limits your ability to carry a holstered weapon on your waist. I would definitely pick between one of these three: 5.11, Rothco, Blue Stone Safety.
STYLING & CONSTRUCTION
Blue Stone Safety I got mine in the Olive Green. That was probably a mistake. It looks like it's out of Vietnam. Construction is FANTASTIC though. I will say that I love the Blue Stone Safety vest the most because it looks so stylishly cool but it's also the one that I will wear the least I can't pull it off guys. It's the second heaviest of the three. If you're going to be riding a motorcycle, this might be the vest that will offer you the most protection. It's also stiffer than the others. If you don't want to go "NAM" or "BIKER" you might want to go with the black. This vest is in a different category. It's not soft, it's stiff and strong. The Green American Flag patch on the front is a stroke of genius. The black version doesn't have the flag.
Rothco You blend in with this vest the most. It just looks like a photographer's or safari vest. It's light, it has lots of pockets everywhere. It just looks like the vest that a photographer would wear out in the woods or in the city in the summer with shorts.
5.11 This is a gorgeous vest and it's probably the vest that I consider to be best constructed with the most thought paid to professionals. If you're a cop, fbi, atf etc and you need to carry gear, look no further forget the other three. Get this vest. One thing about this vest, it has these huge special well hidden velcro closing compartments that accept accessories. You can get magazine pouches, handcuff pouches, holsters etc that you add to the vest so that you can conceal gear inside. Consider this extra cost if you're going to carry weapons and stuff on the vest itself. Accessories range from a few bucks to over twenty just fyi. I personally found that this extra stuff made the vest very heavy. The heaviest of all of them. I removed the extra velcro attachment pads (nicely removable) and you wind up with a lighter vest that weighs about the same as the Blue Stone but looks more like something you can wear out there as a photographer.
CONCEALMENT
All the vests have places to conceal weapons. I'm a large and I can tell you that concealing a carry size 1911 on these vests is not realistic. I even found that concealing a PX4 Storm Sub is also unrealistic. All the vests buldge badly with any kind of weapon on them. People won't know what you're carrying but they'll know you're carrying something bulky. Of the three, the Blue Stone has the best built in chest holster pocket. I seriously wouldn't trust the Rothco inboard concealed pocket holster with anything larger than a baby glock and even then I'm not sure...I don't think Rothco did much work on the inboard gun pocket. The Rothco's concealment pocket look like you might wind up brandishing if you open the vest up at all. The 5.11 has the most versatility and great concealment but you pay for it with bulk and having to pay for accessories. Without the accessories, you get a fantastic photographer's vest with back water bottle pockets but not a real concealment vest. On all of these vests, the most I'd consider concealing would be a baby glock or something like that. I'm a Large Size fyi so your milage may vary depending on your build.
However, if you strap your weapon on your belt with an outside the trouser holster, both the Rothco and the 5.11 conceal a commander nicely without printing. Don't go reaching for the top of the grocery shelf with your strong side, you will show though. If you're wearing an IWB, you're in much better shape and if you don't tuck your shirt, you have maximum flexibility with an IWB. Just remember, try to look as professional as you can if you're a CCW guy, you get a lot more milage with LEOs if you don't look like you just rolled out of bed.
I do carry extra magazines in the vest in the provided pockets. I like the Rothco built in pocket layout best and it's the best everyday vest for a civilian.
SIZING
Don't overthink it. I read all the reviews saying order one size down etc. I'm a Large, I've always been a large except when I'm in great great shape. I ordered a large for all three and they fit great. The Blue Stone was a bit shorter than I expected but it's a large. You know what size you are, don't overthink it unless your body shape is significantly outside the norm (and you know who you are), just order what you normally wear and it'll likely fit.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
All of these vests are really meant to be Concealed Carry Vests. That said, they do have a myriad of pockets and both the Rothco and the 5.11 can serve as decent photographer's vests. The Blue Stone is too cool and stiff to be a photographer's vest in green or otherwise. The biggest thing you'll notice is that these vests have fabric all around which offers a way to conceal a weapon on a waist holster. For true summer photographers, you might want a net back vest that's cooler temperaturewise to wear but doesn't have any concealment for belt holster. There are some great ones out there.
WEATHER / CLIMATE
The Rothco is definitely wins the summer cool rating from me eventhough it's made from cotton poly blend. The 5.11 though might win out in extremely humid and hot situations like Florida for being made of all cotton you can't beat 100% cotton in my book even though some of the newer synthetics do give it a run for its money. The Blue Stone seems like it's woven very tightly and might not breathe much so I'd stay away from that if you're going to wear it zipped up in the hot summer. Three season wear goest to the 5.11 easily with it's thick all cotton construction.
PROTECTION
These are vests so you're not going to get a ton of protection. If I'm going to be sliding or rolling on the pavement or going through thick brush, I'd reach for my Blue Stone vest the most of all of them. It's followed very closely by the 5.11 for most any other outdoor activity that's going to have me off the path or in the urban jungle. The Rothco offers the least protection from all but it has other attributes besides protection (like being very well vented, light and summery).
OVERALL
5.11 Best most polished professional vest. If you're in law enforcement and need to carry gear, get this. It's also 100% heavy cotton so it's great for spring/summer/fall....it might be uncomfortable in the hottest situations but it has good venting. I can't begin to say great things about this vest. It's one great vest. You might stick out for your professionalism.
Rothco If you're just the average run of the mill guy that wants to conceal in summer, get this. It's a great photographer's vest too. It's the lightest and the one I reach for most often. I won't win any style awards and it's CCW pockets are little more than a joke but it's long and you can carry an IWB or belt holster. It's not fantastic looking but hey, I'm not out looking for a date. You might stick out and the ladies are probably not going to look much your way. :-)
Blue Stone It's really a speciality vest in green (more of a tactical dude vest in black). It's trendy and stylishly cool, maybe too cool for some of us middle aged guys. If you're younger and can pull that stuff off, go for it you'll get most attention from the ladies in this vest. You might stick out for your stylish coolness. The American flag on the green version is awesome. I just wish it were a tactical patch that I could remove. It's sewn on.
MY FINDINGS
I'm not going to be concealing any gun that I'd reasonably carry on these vest's pockets(maybe a baby glock one day). I'm going to wear the 5.11 and the Rothco the most with an outside the belt holster concealing a medium sized weapon very nicely. I'm going to bring out the Blue Stone out to the range etc.
If I had to return one? I'd return the Blue Stone....it's too cool of a vest for me and the olive green is too NAM BIKER for me. In black it might be a different story.
If I had to have only one vest? I'd keep the 5.11 Tactical. It's the BEST balance of tough, heat tolerant, storage. I want that vest.
Which will I wear the most? The Rothco. It's the most summer like vest and the magazine pockets are realy easily laid out.
That said, I'm not returning any of these.
Honest reviews on 5.11 Tactical Vest
The 5.11 Tactical Vest was at one time a great vest to wear but it became very popular with law enforcement, military personnel, protective security details and OGA's that I have heard it referred to on many occasions as the "shoot me first vest" which is not a great selling point for most people. If you work for one of the prior mentioned occupations then do NOT get this vest as you will stick out like a sore thumb or worse become a bullet magnet.
For the rest of you this is a heavy duty cotton vest with tons of pockets. The material is very durable and rugged. All of the buttons and zippers work great. It is 100% cotton so you won't want to use this on a rainy day without a poncho or rain jacket. It is pretty heavy when not wet so getting wet would be a bad combination.
I especially like the pockets in the rear of the jacket which can hold water bottles. There are plenty of places to tuck all of your essential gear such as firearm (it has two interior concealed carry pockets), extra magazines, flashlights, knives, monocular, small first aid supplies, fishing gear, pen & pad, etc. There are so many pockets that you just might have a hard time remembering where you put everything.
Overall, this really is a great vest as long as you have situational awareness of your environment and don't stick out. If you are using it for hunting, fishing and hiking then this is a great vest that I highly recommend.
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Heavy duty cotton, triple stitched seams, tons of pockets, and available in XXXL. This is my camping vest. I have this vest stocked for any event that could possible occur on my family's camping trips. From accidents while fishing or needs on a hiking a trail, this vest has enough pockets to comfortably carry all that I require when camping. I especially like the rear water bottle pockets and inner map pockets, very handy. Why carry a waist pack or backpack on the trail when you can wear this?
