GEAR REVIEW BY DJ CLARK: Pineo Falconry Upland Bird Hunting Vest

While planning for the 2014 Pheasants Forever Yellowstone Valley Chapter’s annual fundraising banquet, I was introduced to Doug Pineo of Pineo Falconry by a mutual friend, and Doug was kind enough to offer one his upland training and bird hunting strap vests as a donation for the banquet.  Pineo Falconry has been in business since 1968, primarily serving the falconry community by offering high-quality products that are made in the USA.  Pineo Falconry first introduced the AVATAR Hawking Vest back in 1994 and they've been continuously updating it ever since.  Not surprisingly, the vest began to draw substantial interest from upland bird hunters, and so was born a variation of the AVATAR vest that came with shot shell loops in the front compartments.

I was particularly interested to get a look at the Pineo Upland Bird Hunting Vest, because I had been wanting to add a strap vest to my arsenal of gear.  The vest that Doug sent was a size Medium in Hunter Orange and it lived in my basement along with most of the other silent auction items leading up to the banquet, so I had more than enough time try it on and check out all of the features.  I liked what I saw and I fortunate enough to be able to purchase the vest in the silent auction at the banquet (thanks to my wife’s bird-dogging efforts!).  I've used the vest now for most of a full upland bird hunting season, so I thought I’d write a quick review.

As I mentioned earlier, the Pineo Upland Bird Hunting Vest is a strap-style vest.  The pocket compartments and game bag are constructed of a combination of 1000 denier water and blood-proof Cordura nylon fabric and heavy duty mesh panels that allow for quick cooling of killed game.  The zippers on the game bag and front compartments seem to be well-made.  The zippers and snaps are specifically designed to be able to be operated with one hand.  The male ends of the snaps are installed on nylon loops that extend out away from the pockets, thereby allowing you to loop a finger under the snap and use your thumb on that same hand to pop open the snap.  Pretty clever. 

The front pockets have three chambers.  Two are enclosed under the snap flap on the front of the pocket.  The front chamber contains five (5) shot shell loops and ample space for loose shells, your cell phone or other items.  Behind that front compartment is a separate one that closes with a Velcro-style fastener.  No shell loops in that pocket – just more room for gear.  The third chamber on each front pocket is accessed via a zipper located on the “inside” side of the chamber.  The zipper opens from the bottom up.  I’m not sure why that is, but I have no doubt that there is a very specific reason.  I've used those zipper pockets to hold birds (huns and sharptail fit easily and a rooster will fit as well if you’re fine with folding the bird up into a ball) at times, but I generally also keep water bottles for my dog in there.  The “outside” sides of these compartments are mesh for breathability.  The location of the zippers makes for quick and easy access.  The fact that the zippers open from the bottom up has made me wonder about keeping anything valuable in there (like a cell phone or camera).  If you didn't get the zipper fully closed, something could fall out, though it hasn't been a problem for me so far.  There is one good-sized zipper pocket on the inside of the vest, presumably meant for keeping valuables in.     

           

The game bag on the back of the vest can be accessed via long, vertical zippers on eight side of the bag.  The side panels where the zippers are located are mesh for breathability.  The back panel is solid and it’s orange on the model I have.  There are also two snaps located at the top of the vest that allow for insertion of a hydration bladder or you can carry other items back there, such as non-collapsible telemetry equipment (for you field trialers or falconers) or a fly rod case).  The game bag on the back isn't particularly big.  I’d say you could comfortably fit two roosters in there and maybe a third if you had two, but you also still have the two vented pockets in the front if you need additional space.

The shoulder straps on the Pineo Upland Bird Hunting Vest are adjustable, as is the buckle strap that closes the vest in the front.  At the bottom of each shoulder strap, there is a plastic tether ring for attaching I gear.  As you’ll see in the photos of my vest, I keep a retractable tether for my handheld GPS attached to one of the rings, which allows me to keep my GPS receiver in one of the flap pockets.

The sizing for the vests is based on body weight ranges as follows:

Small: Under 110 lbs.

Medium: 110 to 180 lbs.

Large: 180 to 240 lbs.

X-Large: Over 240 lbs.

The model I own is a Medium and it fits me very well with room to spare on the adjustment straps even though I’m 6’-0” tall and weight 210 lbs.  The straps are easy to adjust depending upon how much clothing you are wearing under the vest.  If you decide to order one these vests and you’re concerned about what size to order, I would suggest discussing it with Doug directly.  He was very responsive when I contacted him with questions about the product.

As the 2014 upland bird hunting season draws to a close (insert frown), I can honestly say that my expectations for the Pineo Upland Bird Hunting Vest have been met and even exceeded.  In particular, the quality of materials and construction seems to be excellent.  I have no doubt that the vest will hold up to all the wear and tear that I can give it over the next decade and probably more. 

If you have any questions or comments about this review, please don’t hesitate to contact me at thedonald78@gmail.com.  Happy hunting!