Best Shooting Vests of 2023

When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

When you are target practising or hunting, it is best to have all of your equipment close by so you can focus on nothing else but a target in front of you.

Shooting vests are an essential part of a gear you should take with you because they will make your shooting experience more comfortable and practical. If anything, you won’t have to bend down each time and reach for the ammo, it will be right there, in your vest pocket.

Top 10 Sporting Clays Shooting Vest

Best Shooting Vests

1. Browning Vest Ace Shooting Black/red

Specification

  • Comfortable
  • Practical
  • Durable
  • Lightweight
  • High-quality made

The first shooting vest we wanted to present to you is this black and red one designed for professional shooters. It’s created to satisfy every need of a person who is in a field with a weapon in his hands.

It is made from a combination of polyester and spandex, it has a two-way front zipper and a smooth nylon full-length shooting patch. It’s very lightweight, super comfortable, and quite durable, so you will be able to use it for years.

The designers made sure to leave enough space in the front and back area for your team’s name. The side tab adjustments will allow you to custom fit it. There’s enough room in the vest’s pockets to hold all your essentials. There are even bellows shell pockets.

The classic cut, the quality of material, and the fact there are many useful pockets made this vest very popular among shooters. It comes in different sizes, and the manufacturer claims it will fulfil all your expectations.

2. Allen Ace Shooting Vest With Moveable Shoulder Pad

Specification

  • Breathable
  • Comfortable
  • Recoil pad
  • Adjustable
  • High-quality made

The best shooting vest will be suitable for both left-handed and right-handed people. And this one in front of you is exactly that. It is very practical, durable, and lightweight, so when you wear it, you won’t even notice it’s on you.

The vest’s design is very stylish, and it has a two-way front zipper. The adjustable side straps will allow you to make this vest fit your own body shape and size, but bear in mind that it comes with only two options regarding this matter.

It features a mesh body that will provide you with cooler wear, and movable shoulder and recoil pads that will provide you with some extra comfort. The vest has shell and hull pockets where you can keep your ammunition, pocket knife, eye protection for shooting, your shooting gloves, etc.

Thanks to the materials the manufacturer used this vest is very breathable, so you can use it even on hot summer days because you won’t get extra sweaty. Overall, it is a great vest for the money, you won’t regret investing in it.

3. Utg True Huntress Female Sporting Vest

Specification

  • Comfortable
  • Adjustable
  • Many pockets
  • Durable
  • Unique design

Now, if you are looking for something extraordinary, a quite unique shooting vest that will make you stand out in the crowd, this is definitely the product for you. It is a stylish but super practical piece of hunting or shooting equipment that will make all the difference.

This is a sporting vest for ladies only that features a smart cut and many details that were made with consideration for all female needs out in the field. It comes in a grey color with beautiful blue stitches and accessories.

It’s very durable and made of synthetic polyester with inner nylon mash – a combination that will offer you a super comfortable piece of cloth for shooting expeditions. The elastic cords on both sides will help you adjust it for your size (from 34 to 44).

The shooting vest includes a great number of pockets that are designed to fit the specific needs of a female shooter. The two chest pockets with high-quality UTG zippers are suitable for earplugs, protective glasses, and smartphones, for instance.

4. Browning Trapper Creek Vest

Specification

  • Large pockets
  • Adjustable
  • Classic design
  • Breathable
  • Durable

The old-school hunters will want something more simple out of their shooting vest. They don’t need it to be stylish or modern looking, just practical. This one made by Browning is a perfect match for those types of people.

It has a classic design, it’s made from high-quality materials, and it has a 100 percent poly mesh body that will allow you to have good ventilation. The breathability of the vest is very important, especially if you plan on wearing it all day long.

This product is lightweight, so it won’t feel like a burden on your back. It comes with a full-length garment washed cotton twill shooting patch, as well as with built-in recoil pad in the shoulder. The main features, however, are its pockets that are super large. They can welcome shells but also other pieces of shooting equipment.

It’s adjustable on both sides, it has a two-way zipper in front side, bar tacks at stress points, and four shell pockets. It is a great option for hunters, campers, and people who like shooting at ranges.

5. Gamehide Switchgrass Upland Field Orange

Specification

  • Oversize
  • Durable
  • Lightweight
  • High-quality made
  • Comfortable

This here is an oversized shooting vest that comes only in one size. It is designed to be worn over the jacket, during cold days, so you can have your shooting essentials on you, just in a reach of your hand. It is practical, very durable, and lightweight.

The vest is made of cotton canvas that has a soft and pleasant texture, and the stitching is on the highest level of quality. The base is brown, and the details are bright orange color, so you will be noticed from far away. Front shell holders have fabric gun protectors, which you will find to be very useful. You will have 16 of these.

Shoulder areas are quilted, so you will feel extra comfortable while you are shooting. The front part is attached with a strong zipper, and there are also two large pockets where you can place all the additional gear like eye protection or earplugs.

The manufacturer is suggesting to order a smaller size if you are going to wear it above a t-shirt only. The shoulder patches and rear panel will increase your safety in the field, and the vest is built to withstand different weather conditions as well as rough usage.

6. Primos Gunhunter’s Vest

Specification

  • High-quality made
  • Many pockets
  • LED light and compass included
  • Durable
  • Practical

Primos Gunhunter’s vest is made from high-quality material this brand is proud of. It is built to be worn in different climate areas, and for all weather conditions. It can withstand rough usage, and it’s tested for the toughest situations in the field.

This shooting vest is ideal for both professional hunters and beginners in this field who need a piece of clothing that will fulfill their shooting needs. Pretty much, it is a vest for all sorts of people who are willing to engage in some outdoor activities.

Two ends of the vest are attached with several buttons. There are many outer pockets that will be useful for all your pieces of gun gear, especially for shells, and you will be able to approach them easily. It features safety harness opening, elastic shooting stick pocket, interior pocket for your phone, and two other large interior pockets for storage.

The best thing, however, is that this vest contains small LED light and a compass attached on two front zippers. There’s no doubt that the manufacturer thought about all your needs. The vest is a bright orange color so you will be detected in a field no matter how far you are.

7. Browning Bird’n Lite Strap Vest

Specification

  • Shoulder pads
  • High-quality made
  • Durable and rough
  • Lightweight
  • Efficient

According to many reviews, this is the best shotgun shooting vest in the market at this moment. It looks like a part of a uniform, and it’s mostly mesh. This vest is made from a cotton and polyester, its super durable, padded, and extremely practical.

We are talking about a heavy-duty strap vest that’s suitable for activities like hunting in the field. It is created to be quite similar to vests military uses, but it is adjusted to civilian and their needs. The product is made from high-quality materials, and it’s resistant to all sorts of weather conditions.

It is a dual-tone vest – orange on one side, and khaki on another. There are shoulder pads up, and extra-large pockets at the lower area and they are connected with belts that can be easily detached. Thanks to that shoulder pad, your shooting experience will be very comfortable and pleasant.

The vest is constructed in a way that allows it to distribute weight equality. There are many pockets you will find in it, including the one for a bottle of water, the one for the license, those for shells, etc. You will even get a built-in rucksack.

8. Browning Vest Ace Shooting Teal for Her

Specification

  • Comfortable
  • Resilient
  • Elegant design
  • Many pockets
  • High-quality made

Now girls here is something for you once again. If you are a lady hunter, and you like spending your time hunting or target practising, you will appreciate a shooting vest that can hold and keep your ammunition and other gun accessories.

It has a polyester and spandex based construction which proved to be very comfortable and resilient, and it has a smooth nylon full-length shooting patch. The design is classic and elegant, with beautiful details, like a colored two-way front zipper.

This vest includes a choke tube and many valuable pockets you can use to keep all your essentials close by. It’s lightweight but very durable, and it will probably become the obligatory part of your shooting gear. The manufacturer left some space so you can add the name of your team if you like, both in front and the back.

There’s even a pocket at the bottom part of the back that will prove to be very useful, and thanks to the side tab adjustments you will be able to make it custom fit. The vest is machine washable, and very comfortable to wear.

9. Utg True Huntress Female Sporting Vest

Specification

  • Durable
  • Adjustable
  • Stylish
  • High-quality made
  • Lightweight

This is another female sporting vest that has some interesting and unique design, as well as many pockets and details that will prove to be super useful in the field. It will fit each woman perfectly thanks to the elastic cords on both sides that can be adjusted.

This vest is all black piece, and it’s created from durable synthetic polyester material that has an inner nylon mesh. You will be able to wear it for an extended period of time, and it will feel very comfortable towards the end of it.

The front and back panel are connected with cords and 110 pairs of eyelets, so you can make this vest fit the woman who wears size 34, to those ladies who are buying clothes size 44. All the pockets installed are very practical and useful, and they can be opened with a zipper.

With this vest, you will get quite a fashionable look, but also great movability and excellent durability. This product is designed to withstand all sorts of weather conditions. It can be worn on top of a shirt, or over a jacket.

10. Bob-allen 30197 240m Shooting Vest

Specification

  • For right-handed people
  • Durable
  • High-quality made
  • Breathable
  • Comfortable

The last item on our list is this classic looking dark green vest that can be used for any sort of outdoors activities. It is one of the best shooting vests since so many hunters tend to include it into their essential gun equipment.

It has a V-neck hole, high-quality two-way zipper, and it features high tensile and durability with all Browning gear. The material is very breathable, so you will be able to wear the vest all day long during summertime, and you won’t get sweaty and uncomfortable.

There are a lot of pockets and compartments that can hold all your essential shooting gear line ammunition, earplugs, shooting gloves, eye protection, etc. Everything will be in the reach of your hand when you are wearing this vest.

The thing with this particular shooting vest is that it’s designed especially for the right-handed people, everything is placed in a way to be natural and easy to them. This item is very affordable, and it will serve you for years to come.

How to Choose the Shooting Vests

Shooting vests are extremely practical and useful because they can carry all the essential equipment you may need in the field. It is a clothing piece that can hold your ammunition, ear protection, eye protection, and all other items you may need while shooting. So this is the list of features you should be looking for in a good vest.

How to Choose the Shooting Vests

Pockets and Storage

The number of pockets and the storage capacity they can provide you with are the most important things about shooting vests. There are some that have only ammo carriers, while others will allow you to place in the additional items like documents, gloves, protection gear, etc.

Also, it is crucial that you can reach in them easily and naturally, so your equipment and ammo can find the way to your hands in a second.

Color

Shooting vests usually come in earthy neutral colors, but they can also be colored in some bright and light tones.

Even though most hunters don’t like for their vests to stand out too much, it’s not so bad to be recognizable from a great distance, just in case there’s some kind of a problem in a field. And those orange or yellow vests can provide you with exactly that.

Related Article: Best turkey hunting vest

Handedness

It may sound silly, but shooters need to determine which one is their dominant hand in order to buy a suitable vest.

For example, right-handed shooters should choose a left-handed vest or the ambidextrous one, so the shoulder patch that will make you feel comfortable while shooting will be on the right side. The area that will be pressured by the stock is padded and thicker for recoil absorption.

Temperature

For many shooters, this is the make or breakpoint. Some vests have good breathability and ventilation systems, so your skin will be able to breathe and not overheat after some time under it.

If you plan on using the vest during summer days, this is a must! But if the plan is to use it on a fall or wintertime, the other type of vest, the one that can keep the warmth, might be the better option.

Brand

In the world of shooting vests, two names are well known and respected. The first one is the Browning Arms Company which manufactures firearms and outdoor gear. They have great products for affordable prices, and their vests will last for years to come.

The other brand known for its vests is Gamehide – a company that specialized in hunting apparel. Their product will withstand different weather conditions, and they will allow rough usage, which is important for the field experience.

Why Do I Need a Shooting Vest

Frequently asked question

Why Do I Need a Shooting Vest?

We cannot say that you won’t be able to hunt or shoot without your vest on, but it would be good to have it because it can make the whole experience more pleasant and effective.

These vests have many pockets and other hidden compartments where you can store everything you may need in the field. Also, they can be a sign of recognition of your team if competing, and they can provide you with additional comfort when shooting.

Why Is a Recoil Pad in a Shooting Vest So Important?

Recoil pad will protect your shoulder from feeling pain because the additional padded material inside of the vase in that particular area will lower the level of pressure the stock makes when shooting. It will bring an extra layer of comfort.

Are Shooting Vests Waterproof?

Well, most of them are not waterproof. But they are designed from materials that can dry very quickly, and usually, they have drain holes inside of the pockets, so in case you get wet, the water won’t collect and manage to damage your weapon and other gear.

Are Shooting Vests Durable?

We cannot claim that every vest you can find in the market is durable, but in general, they are made from high-quality materials that will allow you to use them for a great number of years. They are usually built to be able to withstand rough usage since the hunting is pretty much always happening in the woods or some other kind of a field.

Conclusion

Some things, like shooting vests, are crucial if you want to have full and undisturbed hunting or shooting experience. You need to feel like you got everything under control, and this little piece of fabric will provide you with exactly that. Investing in a vest will pay off big time, especially if you choose the one that’s super durable and efficient with all of its features.

We made sure to enlist all the best vests in the market at this moment and to point out what should be your main concerns about it. We hope we were helpful.

Related Articles