While a turkey vest might not be as crucial to your spring success as, say, your turkey calling skills or your camo choice, it is crucial to keeping you organized and comfortable—and it serves as somewhat of a lifeline when the moment of truth comes and you have to take that shot on an aggressive, love-crazy Tom.
I tested the new Sitka Turkey Vest, the Equinox, during spring season in Kentucky and found it not only has all the essentials (including top-notch waterproofing for those rainy spring days), but it executes each of them perfectly. At full price, I think it's well worth the $249 price tag.
First Impressions
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I've always appreciated the ingenuity, and tech-oriented products that Sitka has to offer. From their partnership with incredible industry leaders such as GORE, to smaller details like the inclusion of Polygiene into a lot of their whitetail gear, it's clear that the research and development side of Sitka is working overtime. But it certainly is possible to go overboard on a turkey vest.
Several brands have launched their own line of turkey vests, all attempting to satisfy a few basic needs of turkey hunters. The best turkey hunting vest come with just a few things, done well: adequate call pockets, necessary concealment, basic technical features, and of course, comfort that lasts all day.
The first thing I noticed with this Sitka turkey vest was how awesome the Optifade Timber pattern printed onto the vest. While designed for waterfowl hunting, it blends in flawlessly to the not-yet green woods here in the midwest when hunting spring thunder chickens.
What also caught my eye was the amount of pockets available for my calls, and, more specifically, the clamshell, quiet close, magnetic pocket design that will carry my slate calls as well as my diaphragm calls together. While that seems like a no-brainer design, I have yet to see it be incorporated into any other vest.
And truthfully, it's a game-changer.
Another feature that, while standard on most vests, seemed to be carried out better in this Equinox, was the deployable seat cushion with silent pull-straps.
In The Field
Sitka Gear
My first time using the Equinox turkey vest was on opening day of the Kentucky turkey season last year. It was pouring down rain my first morning out, so the birds were quiet. The one thing on my mind: "Is this $250 vest going to be waterproof? It better be!"
The truth is, I was blown away by just how well this vest shed water. Maybe it's to be expected, especially when dealing with a vest that has 75-denier brushed-face polyester woven fabric with durable, water-repellent finish.
Given that the birds weren't being very chatty, the morning required us to adapt and develop a more mobile strategy, thus initiating the run-and-gun method. With some vests that I have used in the past, running-and-gunning can be a bit of a hassle with the deployable seat bouncing off the back of my thighs as I try to stealthily hide behind brush and covertly make my way towards the sound of a curious Tom.
Not with the seat on the Equinox turkey vest: With easy-lift straps and deployable buckles, I was able to lower and raise my seat between each setup in a matter of seconds. There was no discomfort as I carefully approached my next checkpoint or as I awaited that thunderous gobble, cueing me in on the Toms exact location.
Equinox Turkey Vest Specs and Features
- Cost: $249
- 75-denier brushed-face polyester woven fabric with DWR
- Adjustable pack-strap system, sizes XS-XXL
- Clamshell, quiet-close magnetic pockets
- Right and left side pockets for strikers
- Two blaze orange safety flags
- Deployable and harnessed foam seat cushion
- Removable fowl slip noose
- Available in Optifade Subalpine, Timber and Earth
Final Thoughts
Sitka Gear
Overall, it's pretty hard to find any fault with this vest. While the price tag is a bit steep, the quality of this turkey vest truly speaks for being worth every penny.
For the minimalist hunter who is okay with a couple of pockets and a seat slightly more comfortable than the ground, you could definitely save the money and get by without it.
But for the hunter that is looking for every edge and every technical advancement to add to his hunting arsenal, look no further than the Equinox Sitka Turkey Vest.
READ MORE: 23 Practical Gifts for Hunters This Holiday Season
