Gun Dog Forum

Looking into getting a new hunting vest, so far im am looking at the quilomene and the filson and thought that I would see what you guys use and what the pro and cons of each are ... THANKS

Easy question

Buy one of these:
http://www.wingworks.biz/

Great construction, simple design focused on functionality.

JMO,
Dave

I like the Quilomene vest. I have had one for about 5 years. The internal bladder eliminates the need for water bottles. Carrying a lot of water makes the vest heavy, but all the weight is supported on your hips. I did remove the bite valve (trying to use it to water the dogs is a pain). I replaced it with a Hydrolok valve, which makes watering the dog(s) easy. Also, the opening to the game pouch is very easy to access when putting in game, but I have never had a bird fall out.

I think it’s a great vest.

I bought a nice Filson strap vest.... Love it.
It is rugged and simple.

Don't know about the others, but I'm a big fan of the Filson pro guide strap vest. Plenty of functional pockets, big bird pouch with easy access:

http://www.filson.com/product/index.jsp ... uide+strap

I use a Mothers here. Had it about three years now. Sucker is tough as nails and carries very well.

Dave Quindt wrote:Easy question

Buy one of these:
http://www.wingworks.biz/

Great construction, simple design focused on functionality.

JMO,
Dave

+1

I love mine!!!

Doug

Ricky Ticky Shorthairs wrote:

Dave Quindt wrote:Easy question

Buy one of these:
http://www.wingworks.biz/

Great construction, simple design focused on functionality.

JMO,
Dave

+1

I love mine!!!

Doug

+1 again.
I will never buy anything else after carrying mine for over 100 miles so far this year.

I like the water bottles better than my camelbak and the weight distribution on the WW vest is amazing (probably a lot like a quilomene).

BDBUzi wrote:

Ricky Ticky Shorthairs wrote:

Dave Quindt wrote:Easy question

Buy one of these:
http://www.wingworks.biz/

Great construction, simple design focused on functionality.

JMO,
Dave

+1

I love mine!!!

Doug

+1 again.
I will never buy anything else after carrying mine for over 100 miles so far this year.

I like the water bottles better than my camelbak and the weight distribution on the WW vest is amazing (probably a lot like a quilomene).

Mine showed up last night. Wonderfully constructed and I'm excited about a hunting vest - who knew that would be possible. I look foward to trying to wear it out.

+1 to gonehuntin.

I am a true mothertech.net convert. And they have had some great specials lately, don't know if they are still running. I bought 6 of them for my hunting buddies.

Rob

Is the wingworks gamebag a rear loading vest only or can you front load it as well?

Prairie Hunter wrote: The internal bladder eliminates the need for water bottles.

Which is exactly why I wouldn't buy one. Bladders are a pain to fill, a pain to keep clean and a pain to maintain.

Plus, when a dog looks like they need water ASAP to cool them down, water bottles are what you want to get the job done.

JMO,
Dave

wfkgsps wrote:Is the wingworks gamebag a rear loading vest only or can you front load it as well?

Rear only. But it's very easy to reach back and put a bird in there without taking off the vest.
Since I got my WW, I never use my camelbak nor my front loading vest.

Dave Quindt wrote: Bladders are a pain to fill, a pain to keep clean and a pain to maintain.

Plus, when a dog looks like they need water ASAP to cool them down, water bottles are what you want to get the job done.

JMO,
Dave

You're supposed to maintain a bladder? I'ved never cleaned mine. Ever. Just fill them and use them every year. I actually carry a bottle on each side, plus the bladder. I also carry a folding dish so I don't waste all the water in the bottles. If you ever try it, you'll find in a lot easier to carry 100 ounces of water on the middle of your back than on each side.

Thanks for all the replys... Rob and gone hunting which of the mothers vests do you have and do you use the hydro pak with it... I do like the wingworks but can you carry enough gear in that pack, and hold enough shells to stay out all day.. Thx

How many shells do you need to take? Even in Az on quail what is the limit? Get a cheap vest and get some of those old mexican badieto shell belts.

I have the second generation Mother's vest in XL I'll sell for $75. Nice vest but after seeing the wing works first hand this season that thing is the best built vest I have ever seen.

I've worn out a filson and a boyt strap vest and a carhartt hunting vest (that was a nice vest).Wing works is without a doubt the toughest vest I have ever seen. And it is built with the hunter in mind. You can actually get a bird in it yourself without twisting your arm off. Hands down worth every penny.

Here's what I carry in my vest (Wingworks):

Licenses and stamp
Plug (if applicable)
Chokes and wrench
Shells (usually about 25-30 rounds including a couple steel rounds just in case)
Rain jacket
Fleece hat
Blaze orange ball cap (although it's usually on my head)
Leash
Gloves
Jerky
Power bars
Candy (such as life savers or licorice for when the cotton mouth strikes)
Whistle
Chukar calls (if applicable and they're not around my neck)
Cell phone
Car keys
Garmin Astro (clipped to the sternam strap and secured with a lanyard)
Birds if I play my cards right.

All that fits and I pack it for 4-10 miles a day multiple times a week.
The weight adjustment system is second to none. If you need to take weight off your thies, you tighten the shoulder straps then simply loosen them if your shoulders get tired (when you fill the game bag )

Be careful with the Mother's, as Mike implies, I think you have to take it off to get a bird in the bag.

WOW!!!!!!!!
I'm not carrying enough stuff!!!
You are making me look good to my wife.(she thinks I have a lot of crap)
this is my list
garmin
tri tronics
hand full of shells
water
and the vest
and phone
oh and i'll take $50 for the vest. any takers?

Yeah, seems like a lot.
But you just never know when you spend a majority of your time chasing after the devil birds (aka Chukar).
You could be at the top of a steep canyon one minute, and rolling down the next...

I was a little worried about storage space when I first got my vest. But I couldn't be happier. With the shell pockets being as deep as they are, I just put my shells in the right side, and fill the left side with the items mentioned.

There are also two little zipper pockets behind the water bottles that I use to store licenses, choke tubes, etc...
And I use the spare pocket in the back pouch (they say you can store a bladder in it as well) for my hat, gloves, and jerky.

I do like the wingworks but can you carry enough gear in that pack, and hold enough shells to stay out all day.. Thx

Saw you were in Az. so wasn't gonna mention the Bagmaker figuring this vest is more than you'd need down there but if you wanna comfortably pack around a bunch 'o stuff that's the one I'd get. Better than Wingworks IMO for weight, comfort, functionality, getting birds in/out, probably equivocal lumbar support systems, not sure if WingWorks has bladder pouch for water in addition to bottle holders but Bagmakers does. You could pack a hundred quail in this thing and the shells to bag 'em. Developed from real life use.

http://www.initial-attack.com/mm5/merch ... ory_Code=H

Favor,

That's not a vest, that's a girdle with a game bag attached!

I have this one:
http://mothertech.net/hunt_ws_daypack.html

Which they are currently selling for $60 online (they have a new model). I bought 6 of them for $35/each as a returning customer. I love the hydration pack, and yes you can easily put game in it without taking it off. I don't have any experience with the others recommended - they could be just as good or better. I am happy with mine.

That's not a vest, that's a girdle with a game bag attached!

Haha, yah, I might be needin' to have 'em lengthen the waist belt!! That's gotta be a lot easier than losing weight!!

Dave,

I often run 2 dogs at a time. In arid, warm conditions, I often carry at least 100 oz. of water. That is hard to do with water bottles. Plus, water bottles are more cumbersome to me. Even when I’m not running 2 dogs, I often water other dogs in the hunting party, so I like to carry lots of water.

Filling the bladder is actually pretty easy with the siphon tube and a 5 gallon water cooler. I don’t have to clean the bladder that often, but it’s not that difficult or time consuming when I do. I’m not that sure what you mean by difficult to maintain. As long as you don’t punch a hole in it, there is no maintenance.

I guess it comes down to what works best for you. The Quilomene vest is what works best for me.

Thanks for all the replys.. I run with 2 dogs on the ground at a time so I need to make sure that I have enough water for the dogs and myself.. I am going to look into the wingworks and the Quilomene, I like the wingworks but from the pics I was worried that the front pockets were to small but after reading some of your posts it sounds like they are plenty big enough...

Born2Hunt wrote:Thanks for all the replys... Rob and gone hunting which of the mothers vests do you have and do you use the hydro pak with it... I do like the wingworks but can you carry enough gear in that pack, and hold enough shells to stay out all day.. Thx

It's the big one. Can't remember the name. Here's some pictures of modifications I made to it. It's perfect for me now.
I added split rings to the shoulder straps. I hang my transmitter on one with a locking caribiner. I run the water tube through one also so it isn't flopping around. I added another set of rings and hand that camera bag on it with caribiners. I like having a camera at the ready all the time and this is the best way I've found to do it.



This picture shows the back. I was always getting crud in the bid pocket so I sewed velcro on to close it.


Here you can see the mesh side pockets. I sewed them partially closed so water bottles wouldn't fall out. I also carry a foldable bowl in that mesh pocket.



This show the gps pouch on the side. I slipped it on over the belt so it was always handy. Never go in a grouse woods without the gps.


I kept modifying it over the three year period. Now I think it's about perfect, for me anyhow. I can carry 164 ounces of water when it's really hot out, plenty of shells, camera, gps and whatever else I want. Everything is very handy and fast to get at.