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A turkey vest is an ordinary piece of substances for chasing spring gobblers. However, they’re usually cumbersome, scorching, and their considerable pockets tempt you into carrying too many calls. In the event you’re searching for a leaner package, you’ll be able to put on a minimalist vest, a chest harness, or a hip pack.
I’ve tried all of them and, in my unending quest to search out the right name caddy, I used to be keen to strive another. I’ve been loading the Stika Turkey Instrument Belt with calls and taking it on hikes. After testing it for just a few weeks, I’m cautiously optimistic that my quest is over.
- Matches 30- to 46-inch waists
- Devoted pot name, striker, field name, mouth name, and locator name pockets
- Water bottle pouch (will be moved from left to proper facet)
- Flippantly padded seat
- Rainfly
- Accent pockets
- Seize deal with
- Obtainable in earth (brown), Optifade Subalpine, and Optifade Waterfowl Timber
- Value: $229
I’ve amassed a set of turkey calls, and I can in all probability justify carrying all of them. In any case, a tom may gobble to solely the lengthy field, the aluminum pot, the batwing minimize, or the trumpet name on any given day. However, I can also’t stand being weighed down by all these calls and prefer to spend all day operating and gunning. Compromises have to be made.
My answer the previous couple of seasons was a small fanny pack for carrying two pots, two strikers, a crow name, and a diaphragm. These calls lined me for many situations, but I wished to hold just a few extra calls and have higher group. Then Sitka launched their Turkey Instrument Belt. Reward be to the turkey gods, it was the reply to my name group prayers.
I’ve been engaged on filling my Turkey Tool Belt, getting it organized, and testing its consolation on lengthy hikes. Right here’s what I feel to date.
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Name Group
The pocket structure on the device belt is a factor of magnificence. It will likely be particularly appreciated by type-A hunters and those that have fumbled round searching for a name in a sea of vest pockets.
I’ve two pot calls, 4 strikers, a tube name, and 5 mouth calls in the primary compartment. All of them have devoted pockets which are simple to entry — with one exception. The underside striker is difficult to drag out as a result of it’s blocked by a strap that forestalls the compartment from opening past a 45-degree angle. Although the straps block that one striker, they serve an essential function. They cease the compartment from opening too far, which might dump your calls onto the bottom. You possibly can then preserve it open and use it as a name tray for simply rotating between choices. There are even vertical striker pockets to stay a striker in between calling sequences.
The highest pocket is spacious, and it’s the place I preserve my pot name conditioning package, a crow name, and an owl hooter. There’s additionally room for an extra pot name or different equipment.
The field name pocket is 11-inches deep, however I match my 11 ⅜-inch lengthy field into it. There was only a slight hole within the flap closure, which has a magnet and a wire for securing it shut. Its greatest characteristic is that it’s padded, so that you don’t have to fret about rubberbanding your name. I jumped up and down with out listening to a squeak. I don’t usually run a field name although, and I’m presently utilizing that pocket to carry my trumpet.
The compartment closest to the wearer homes a rainfly and might maintain skinny objects like a searching license, knife, or mobile phone.
Rounding out the belt are three accent pockets (together with one with shell holders) and a water bottle pocket that holds a standard-size Nalgene.
Consolation
The Turkey Instrument Belt stands proud out of your waist about 6 inches, and the majority of the burden is within the pocket farthest out of your physique. My totally loaded Instrument Belt weighs 3.9 kilos. That weight distribution had me questioning long-term consolation. However after mountaineering with my totally loaded Instrument Belt, it was surprisingly steady and cozy. I seen it was there, nevertheless it didn’t have an effect on my mobility.
The removable seat cushion isn’t made for consolation, and for those who hunt in a rocky space, you may need to carry a thicker different. However it should preserve your butt dry, heat, and cozy for an hour-long sit. I sprayed mine down with Sawyers Permethrin, so it’ll act as a tick barrier. Its greatest attribute is that it doesn’t flop round whilst you stroll and its unnoticed till its time to make use of it.
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Perhaps I’m alone on this, however organized turkey calls make me actually pleased. Preserving each name in a devoted place that’s simple to see and entry is the Turkey Tool Belt’s greatest power. I do know precisely the place all my calls are and might get to them with out wanting and with minimal motion. I additionally discover them far simpler to get to and find than a chest pack or vest.
One of many first issues I seen is that the metallic YKK zipper pulls jingle if you transfer. It’s not obnoxious, however I don’t need to danger sounding like Santa’s sleigh within the turkey woods so I’m silencing these pulls with warmth shrink tubing.
On the one hand, I like that the hip-belt pockets are safe with none of the floppiness you get from a MOLLE attachment. However, I additionally want they have been modular as a result of it could be good to customise the pocket sort and structure.
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Closing Ideas
In the event you love your turkey vest, this product isn’t for you. The seat isn’t as comfy as a vest, and you may’t carry as many calls. Nonetheless, if you’re a strict minimalist, this product is perhaps for you. It’ll rely upon for those who worth name group and the power to hold extra gear over mobility. In my view, a chest harness remains to be the best way to go for maximizing quick motion. I discover it simpler to stomach crawl, hike, and transfer by thick brush with a chest harness.
However, if you need one thing between a cumbersome vest and the Spartan minimalism of a chest pack, the device belt is good. You possibly can carry extra calls than a chest pack, and it’s nonetheless a lot lighter than a vest. I’ll use the Sitka Turkey Tool Belt by itself for Jap woods turkeys, however after I hunt Merriams or discipline birds, I’ll use it with a light-weight bino harness.
A ultimate level to contemplate is the $229 price ticket. The device belt is effectively made nevertheless it isn’t low cost for a hip pack; it’s nearer to the price of a premium vest. One profit is that you should use it for fishing, mountaineering, and whitetail scouting to assist justify the expense.
