autumnridgetraders Lightweight 16 Pocket Vest for Fishing, Photography or All Outdoor Activities

This vest has the right weight, the right pockets and the right colors. I use it primarily for photography. The vest has a similar number of pockets to the Rothco Uncle Milty, which I have used for years. The Milty is better built, but is made from a cloth and almost three times as heavy, (worse when it absorbs water). It is also not as well ventilated as the Autumn Ridge for Summer. Stil, two things keep the Autumn Ridge from perfection.First, the Velcro on the pocket flaps seems a little dicey. There is not a big enough hook and loop patch there to be confident it will stay closed in field conditions, and I have had pockets pull open and spill when I am not careful putting the vest away. I found a $120 XQD card (Nikon loves those pricey things) loose in the trunk of my car under the vest.Second, I am not sure about the sizing. I am 6’3” 190 lbs, and I usually wear a large tall. I bought an XL, because I wanted this one to go over my winter wear. It seems a little large, even for that. The shoulders of the vest extend well past mine even with a puffy coat. I like the padding in the shoulders a lot, but I am not sure that is the way it was supposed to fit. It is definitely too large for me without a sweater. The specs only show the Large as having 1/2” smaller shoulders—not much difference.I don’t expect perfection for this excellent price, and after I use this XL vest for the Winter, I may buy a large or medium for the Summer. At this price, I can afford more than one.

First of all, this is obviously not a high end branded vest. It is although a very affordable vest made very well for the price that you pay. I have no issues with the quality of this vest and would give it a green light to anyone who wants an affordable utility vest for either fishing or photography, etc. In my case, I am an amateur photographer and I LOVE it! I am 5'8" and weigh 180, medium build with somewhat of a flabby stomach and your typical out of shape dad bod for a man in his mid forties. Not saying I am fat at all, but I think most of you know what I mean by the description I give of myself. Anyhow, the size Medium fit me perfect. I am glad I read as many reviews of this vest before deciding on the size. The size Large would have fit too big on me. So, If you are somebody that can identify with a similar physique as myself, a size Medium will fit you just fine. If you go any smaller, will fit you too tight, any bigger and it will fit you way too loose. So, if you are around 5'8" and weigh 180 pounds or so, give or take a few pounds, a size MEDIUM will fit you great.

I got this vest to use as a photographers vest and I couldn't be more pleased. The fit was almost perfect, the large was just a bit big for my 42 inch chest, but not a problem. There are plenty of pockets for all the gear I need to carry including two large pockets that fit my telephoto lenses. The two large pockets have zippers that extend across the top of the pocket and down one side of the pocket, making for an easily accessible, yet secure storage area. Other pockets have Velcro closures.The mesh provides ventilation which was much appreciated recently as I did a shoot out in a meadow on a hot June day. I lowered the rear solid cover and the remaining mesh kept me quite comfortable, certainly not the case if it had been solid fabric, but I could always raise the solid panel in the back if I wanted a bit more warmth. The panel folds easily into it's own pocket in the rear of the vest.There are two D rings, one behind the neck and one on the shoulder for attaching a clip that could hold a hat or anything else you desired. The clips are adequate plastic and are sturdily attached to the vest. The vest is also fairly light in weight which makes it comfortable to wear for an extended period of time.I might add that the seller, who seems to be the manufacturer, contacted me right after the sale to make sure I was pleased with the product.I am sure this vest would be excellent for fishing as well, and it is great as I photographer's vest. A very good product.

This lightweight vest might just prove to be one of my favorite clothing items I own. I am trying to get back into photography after many years and after purchasing a DSLR camera, I seemed to need an extra pair of hands. I needed "stuffable" pockets without resorting to using the fanny pack I've used for years. Because I am an avid walker, I carried a phone, pepper gel, keys and other items on the fanny pack and was starting to resemble a pack horse. I scoured the internet looking for a photographer/fly fishing vest and ordered two of these vests, so one was always clean. It has 16 pockets and is very breathable thanks to the lightweight fabric and mesh ... you can even remove the back portion of the vest for more ventilation, perfect for a long day of walking and taking pictures. I did make a mistake by ordering the vests in XL based on the reviews that the vests ran small. I could have returned them, but opted instead to hold onto them for Winter and simply layer up with a heavy sweater. I ordered two more vests ... one M and one L so I am good to go for all seasons now. I liked the khaki color too. The customer service was excellent as well with the Seller (Mike and Lisa) touching base to ensure I was pleased with my purchase.

Really well-thought-out. Comfortable, lightweight and great design. Love it.