Review
I’d like to start off by saying, my name is Casey Trantham. I am a gun dog trainer and bird hunting guide/mentor from Lexington, North Carolina. I have been involved in training gun dogs most of my life. I have made a lot of connections with people from many different walks of life. I have noticed, no matter how young or old, no matter how short or tall; the right vest can ensure the hunt keeps going. In fact, the wrong vest can stop the hunt in its tracks, due to hunter fatigue and discomfort. It’s important that all equipment has the proper fit and functionality, especially your vest, boots, and gun. Join me as I discuss why I think the High Plains Gear vest is the best out there.
Fit & Functionality
I am 5’7” and 170 lbs. In my experience with previous vests, they have either rode too high or too low. Before finding High Plains Gear, I always struggled to find the perfect fit. In other words, other brands of vests, simply fell short. This is very important when you have multiple birds in the vest, whether it be ruffed grouse or pheasant. Getting your limit of birds can weigh on your shoulders, when it needs to be on your hips.
One thing I have noticed about the High Plains Gear team, is the attention they give to detail. When you order a vest, they try to ensure you receive the very best fit for you. With your order, you receive one free belt exchange. This is essential to ensure proper fit. As far as the shoulder straps themselves, the width is perfect. Even without the chest strap fastened, the vest stays centered on your shoulders. Definitely something lacking in other brands that I’ve tried.
Price Point
Based on my observations of the High Plains Gear vest in real life situations in the field, the vest is priced very well, if not underpriced for the performance it offers. If you purchase one of these vests, you will get proper fit, durability, and top of the line performance at middle of the road price. You can’t go wrong with a purchase like this; you just simply can’t go wrong. The vest does everything that you need at a tremendous price point.
Durability
I am very pleased with the materials used. The versatility and overall toughness of the High Plains Gear vest is top tier. And I use the vest five days a week. If I’m not hunting, then I’m using while training dogs and their owners in the off season. The vest itself is in my pickup truck or dog box at all times. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who puts a vest through as much stress as I do. After a couple years of use, the vest I have now is showing very little wear other than some sun fade from the North Carolina heat. It has not ripped or torn at all; the buckles and collapsible pouches still work perfectly. You can tell that Rhys and his team have gone the extra mile to give you a durable and tough piece of equipment.
Versatility & Storage
Being from North Carolina and traveling the country hunting and training, I like how versatile the bird bag on the vest is. I can fill the bird bag with everything needed to run retrievers or pointing dogs in a training field. I will have a frozen bird, a Dokken retriever dummy, and some freshly killed pen raised birds shot in the training field in the bird bag on most days. While hunting, I have enough room for all of my gear and harvested birds in the vest. There’s also room for extra bottles of water for me and the dogs. Which leads me to my next topic, the water bottle holder. The material it’s made of is very durable and seems to be a one size fits most holder. Personally, I have used the holder for everything from a 16oz plastic water bottle to an athletic style tumbler bottle. The collapsible pouches are perfect to hold my phone in one and my shells in the other. High Plains Gear also offers a larger pouch for those that like to pack heavier to stay prepared for any situation that may arise.
Conclusion
Whether it be training in North Carolina, hunting in the northwoods or Dakota’s, this vest can do it all and has been proven effective for me for years. I’m more than happy with my purchase of the High Plains Gear vest and I think everyone else will be too! Something to ponder on, this is a veteran owned company, an American made product, and field tested in some of the most extreme conditions North America has to offer. Contact Rhys and his team asap to order your HPG vest! Happy hunting!
Casey Trantham
Owner, Cedar Grove Gun Dogs