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Best Turkey Hunting Vests of 2026

Carry All of Your Gear and Calls When You Hit the Woods this Spring

Turkey hunting vests are one of those pieces of gear that seem simple at first glance but quickly prove their value once you hit the woods. A good vest functions as both storage and a mobile workstation, keeping calls, shells, gloves, decoys, snacks, and essentials organized and within easy reach. Modern vests typically include molded or padded slate-call pockets, box-call holders that prevent unwanted noise, and internal compartments designed to keep strikers, locator calls, and small accessories from rattling. Many also feature built-in seat cushions that flip down quickly—an underrated advantage when a gobbler hangs up and you need to sit dead-still for an extended stretch.

Comfort is just as important as organization. Well-designed turkey vests distribute weight evenly across the shoulders and back, reducing fatigue when you’re covering ground on run-and-gun hunts. Adjustable straps and breathable fabrics help them ride comfortably in warm spring weather, while rugged material stands up to briars and thick cover. Whether you prefer minimalist designs or full-featured vests with hydration compatibility and expansive storage, the goal is the same: keeping everything silent, accessible, and streamlined so you can focus on the bird. For many hunters, the right vest becomes a trusted companion season after season, making those chaotic, heart-pounding moments of turkey hunting a little smoother—and a lot more effective.

Our Pick’s for the Best Turkey Hunting Vests

Best Overall: Sitka Equinox
Best for Versatility: Final Rise Summit Turkey
Best for Comfort: ALPS Outdoorz Grand Slam
Best Budget: ALPS Outdoorz Long Spur
Best Chest Rig: FHF Gear Chest Rig Gen 2

Best Overall

Sitka Equinox ($269)

Category: Best Overall

Weight: 2 lb 12.5 oz

Attached Seat: Yes

What we like: The Sitka Equinox Turkey Vest impresses with its smart, pack-style design that balances lightweight mobility and serious utility. It really does fit more like a great pack than a traditional loose, floppy turkey vest. Its storage system is especially well thought out — magnetic-closure mold pockets keep calls dry and silent, while dedicated compartments for strikers and other gear help maintain organization without bulk. The vest’s adjustable strap system fits a wide range of body types (XS–XXL), and the removable dual-density foam seat deploys quickly yet remains secure when moving in the woods. A large hydration-compatible back pocket adds long-hunt versatility, and built-in safety features like blaze-orange flags increase visibility without sacrificing design. The Equinox is ideal for run-and-gun turkey hunting.

What we don’t like: The molded call pockets feel restrictive, and the magnetic closures can become unreliable in wet or muddy conditions. Designed for a more run-and-gun style, the seat lacks the cushioning needed for long sits, and its attachment system can feel awkward when moving through thick cover. For those expecting a fully feature-rich turkey rig, the Equinox may feel more streamlined than useful.

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Best Versatility

Final Rise Summit Turkey ($325)

Category: Most Versatile

Weight: 3 lb

Attached Seat: Yes

What we like: Final Rise is known for producing some of the best upland hunting vests on the market. They took one of their best products made a few adjustments to better fit turkey gear and added a seat. The Summit Turkey is a lightweight minimalist design that great for run-and-gun style hunting. The weight-bearing padded waist belt and non-padded shoulder harness work together for all-day comfort. Remove the seat and you have one of the top-of-the-line upland vests on the market. So if you do a fair amount of turkey and upland hunting this vest is for you.

What we don’t like: You’ll always lose specific functionality when you gain versatility, and the Summit Turkey is not an exception. The Summit Turkey lacks specially designed pockets for different call designs, such as pot/peg and box style. If you’re looking to do long sits the padded seat doesn’t provide as much padding as some other vests on this list, and it certainly lacks real comfort options like the kickstands on the ALPS Outdoors Grand Slam.

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Best for Comfort

ALPS Outdoorz Grand Slam ($131.25)

Category: Most Comfortable for Long Sits

Weight: 4 lb 10 oz w/o kickstand. 7 lb 2 oz w/ kickstand

Attached Seat: Yes

What we like: The ALPS OutdoorZ Grand Slam turkey vest is a highly practical choice for hunters who value comfort and functionality during long sits. Its signature “sit-anywhere” removable kickstand frame gives true freedom to set up in even the most awkward terrain, with adjustable legs and swivel feet that prevent sinking. The thick, fold-away memory-foam seat folds out quickly and securely, making it great for extended glassing or calling sessions. On the storage front, it excels — it includes pockets for slate, diaphragm, locator, and box calls; 5 shell loops; mesh zip compartments; and a smartphone sleeve you can use without removing your phone. While the frame adds bulk and weight (about 7 lb with frame), you can remove it to reduce the load when mobility is more important.

What we don’t like: The ALPS OutdoorZ Grand Slam turkey vest’s biggest issue is weight — the kickstand frame and oversized seat push the vest into bulky, cumbersome territory, making it far less friendly for run-and-gun style hunts. Even without the frame, the vest still feels bulky, and the numerous pockets can create a cluttered layout that’s tough to navigate quickly when a gobbler is closing in. The magnetic seat attachment is unreliable and often drops at inopportune times.

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Best Budget

ALPS Outdoorz Long Spur ($99.99)

Category: Best Vest on a Budget

Weight: 3 lb 3 oz

Attached Seat: No

What we like: The ALPS OutdoorZ Long Spur turkey vest is a highly adaptable lumbar-pack system built for both run-and-gun hunts and more deliberate setups. It features a sizeable rear-facing 500 cubic inch lumbar pack that gives you plenty of storage while keeping your profile low, and the shoulder harness is fully removable and paired with a large game bag, making it easy to shed weight when mobility is key. The waist belt is padded, includes zippered storage, and is adjustable from 33 to 61 inches.

What we don’t like: The lumbar-style setup can feel awkward for hunters who prefer a traditional full-vest fit, especially when carrying heavier gear, as it tends to shift and ride low on the hips. The removable shoulder harness, though versatile, adds complexity to adjusting the fit causing it to sit too low when fully loaded. For fast-paced or long-duration hunts, the Long Spur’s streamlined design may sacrifice comfort and accessibility, leaving it better suited for shorter or lighter outings.

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Best Chest Rig

FHF Gear Chest Rig Gen 2 ($150)

Turkey kit sold separately ($35)

Category: Best Chest Rig for Turkey Hunting

Weight: ~ 1 lb based on options

Attached Seat: No

What we like: FHF Gear has designed a comfortable and modular chest rig. The Chest Rig Gen 2 comes with FHF Gear’s Airframe Harness, so if you’re looking at an FHF Gear Bino Harness you can save some money by switching the harness between packs. When combined with the FHF Gear Turkey Kit the Gen 2 makes an excellent fast and light turkey kit. The Gen 2 has enough room for binoculars, diaphragm calls, pot calls and shotgun shells. This is a great kit, especially if you already have a good day pack to carry extra clothing, food, and water. Also available in a waterproof version, and other pursuit specific kits.

What we don’t like: This is not a true turkey vest. The chest rig is too small to carry a box call or even numerous pot calls. While great for light and fast you’ll have to carry a separate seat if you’re in wet conditions or plan to do long sits.

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Best of the Rest

Initial Ascent IA5K ($727.95)

Weight: 6 lb

Capacity: 5200 Cubic Inches / 85 Liters

Frame Swappable: Yes

Load Shelf: Yes

What we like: Initial Ascent is certainly one of the more comfortable packs on our list. Initially developed with a focus on comfort, they really hit the mark. We really liked the relatively narrow pack because it passed through brush and between trees pretty easily. Features a roll-down top so you can remove the lid, and an expandable 500 cubic inch front pocket. The IA5K sits in that sweet spot of big enough for multi-day while maintaining a compact enough design to be carried as a day pack. Looking for a slightly smaller pack? Check out the IA3K.

What we don’t like: Initial Ascent is a relative new comer to the hunting pack scene. Because of this there isn’t a ton of historical data to determine how it holds up in the long run. The biggest disadvantage of Initial Ascent packs is how hard they are to find to try on. It’s likely you won’t even be able to try on a buddy’s because there’s just not that many out there, yet.

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Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 ($559)

Weight: 5 lb 4 oz

Capacity: 4576 Cubic Inches / 75 Liters

Frame Swappable: Officially yes

Load Shelf: Yes

What we like: Why fix what ain’t broken? The Metcalf has been a mainstay in the hunting pack community for a long time with little changes. Mystery Ranch’s design is so good that while other companies continue to have new “generations,” the Metcalf 75 has remained largely unchanged. While the bag hasn’t really changed much, Mystery Ranch has updated their frame. They recently introduced the new ULTRA LITE MT, a lighter and dare I say “better” frame.

What we don’t like: Like the women’s version listed above, the Metcalf line (50, 75, 100) is officially capable of swapping different bag sizes onto the same frame. But as of now Mystery Ranch does not sell the bags or frame separately. They do claim this is in the works though.

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Sitka Gear Mountain Hauler 4000 ($590)

Weight: 5 lb 12 oz

Capacity: 4000 Cubic Inches / 66 Liters

Frame Swappable: No

Load Shelf: Yes

What we like: Great all-around pack. The mountain hauler sits close to the body and doesn’t shift around once fitted properly. Made out of a water resistant polyester material your gear will stay dry in all but the wettest conditions. We really liked the large front pocket for organization. The mountain hauler is pretty “simple,” but sometimes simple is good.

What we don’t like: Bag is not fully detachable from the frame meaning if you want to use just the frame to haul meat you have to keep the bag attached. The Mountain Hauler is not quite as comfortable under real heavy load as some of the higher ranked packs on our list.

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Stone Glacier Col 4800 ($699)

Weight: 4 lb 11 oz (on Xcurve Frame)

Capacity: 4800 Cubic Inches / 79 Liters

Frame Swappable: Yes

Load Shelf: Yes

What we like: Light, sleek, and durable. The Col 4800 has an internal spotting scope pocket to protect that expensive glass. With all the capability you need without all the extra “features,” the Col 4800 is a great pack for those looking to go further and pack heavier. Option to choose Xcurve or Krux frames.

What we don’t like: While the internal spotting scope sleeve does a great job of protecting your glass, it does make it a little more difficult to quickly access. The suspension system lacks a little padding when compared to some other packs like Kifaru, which can make it less comfortable when packing extra heavy. Hip belt pockets must be purchased separately.

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Stone Glacier Solo 3600 ($675)

Weight: 4 lb 5 oz (on Krux Frame)

Capacity: 3600 Cubic Inches / 70 Liters

Frame Swappable: Yes

Load Shelf: Yes

What we like: Designed specifically for being light and fast without compromising durability the Solo 3600 is yet another excellent pack by Stone Glacier. Choose the Krux frame to save a few ounces and maybe even have a better more comfortable fit. The Solo 3600 has a horseshoe zipper for easy access to the main compartment. This works well as a great day pack as well.

What we don’t like: A bit small for more than a couple of days. Dialing in the suspension system can be a little difficult, though once achieved we’ve found it very comfortable.