To make the most of your trip, you need to pack and dress as light as possible. Those heavy jackets or hoods from the past are not suitable for every trip.
Besides, they do not offer good enough space or pockets to organize your stuff most securely. Carrying them on your trip either in transit or while having a foot tour could be a very hectic program for the tourists. The modern travel vests have solved that problem by quite a margin.
They are more of an anti-theft jacket that beats the conventional style quotient by a god margin as well.
You will have several secure pockets to carefully organize your valuables, which could be easy to access as well, as and when needed.
On top of that, such a travel vest is extremely lightweight and hardly adds anything to the overall weight of your belongings.
Best travel vest reviews
The modern travel vest today is available for both men and women. The specific styles and colors make them apt for a particular gender.
On top of that, there are some unisex travel vests as well that makes a great deal. Let us find the best available travel vests below:
SCOTTeVEST RFID Blocking Travel Vest for Men
This is the most exclusive and feature enriched travel vest that men travelers could think about. It comes with as many as 26 useful pockets. You may carry your entire backpack stuff by utilizing its pockets and willing to carry such a load. The vest itself is quite lightweight. It has the highly desirable Teflon-treated poly-fabric which is water and stain-resistant.
The stuff is also machine washable and this makes it ideal for your long trips. This vest is also coined as a gadget-friendly one as the pockets can be utilized to put your smartphone, portable charger, tablets, and the associated cables and wires in an organized manner.
The manufacturer has engineered this sensational vest with RFID blocking pockets to keep your credit card safe and secure. It can work to stop 13.56 MHz RFID frequencies which are quite sufficient for the practical needs one may have. It is suitable for all types of travels and here you get the best value for your money.
Here is a quick preview of our top 5:
#1, SCOTTeVEST RFID Blocking Travel Vest for Men
#2, MIER Lightweight Vest Hood with 8 Pockets for Men
#3, Rothco Undercover Travel Vest
#4, SCOTTeVEST RFID Travel Vest with 18 Pockets for Women
#5, Allegra K Stand Collared Lightweight Quilted Zipped Vest for Women
Pros
- You can walk through airport security by simply putting off this vest and not unloading your stuff.
- This vest offers 26 pockets, which arguably are the maximum pockets to have in a vest.
- You get this vest with a useful RFID blocking pocket as well.
- The stuff of this vest is stain-resistant, water-resistant, and machine washable as well.
Cons
- With so many pockets, it becomes more like a lumpy looking vest.
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MIER Lightweight Vest Hood with 8 Pockets for Men
If you are having a hard time finding a comfortable and reliable travel vest with pocket then this one might make your life easier. The stuff of the jacket is quite comfortable and durable and the manufacturer has made it to last for a long time. The brushed fleece of the vest comes with lightweight warmth while giving a very comfortable fit.
It also acts as a windbreaker which is a great advantage for travelers who are heading towards cool areas. You will also get with a hood that you can attach or detach as per your needs and requirements.
The 8 pockets are ideally designed and quite practical to suit the needs of the travelers. There are 2 secure-zip pockets on the sides, 3 internal zipper pockets, and a couple of internal storage pockets as well.
Moreover, a very useful hidden pocket is also there just by the left chest pocket for easy access. The travelers find it quite suitable for long journeys.
Pros
- The vest comes with a useful attachable/ detachable hood.
- It serves as a windbreaker as well with its lightweight fleece.
- You will get this vest with 8 practical pockets along with a hidden pocket as well.
- The vest is water-resistant as well which is suitable for tropical area trips.
Cons
- There are some loose stitches identified at places that may require cleaning before using.
Rothco Undercover Travel Vest
Travelers on a city tour need not have a vest as if you are out on safari. This special travel vest from Rothco is an all-rounder in all aspects. It is a unisex travel vest that brings equal value for both men and women. You can opt for this one whether you are on a city tour or hiking somewhere in the wilderness.
The product comes with 12 useful pockets and in a perfect discreet and sleekly designed vest. This does a perfect job to blend in well while keeping all your belongings safe.
A hidden inner pocket is there to carry the valuable stuff such as your wallet, mobile phone, and passport, etc. A table-sized pocket is also there that could be used for carrying your gadgets securely, such as your e-reader or tablet, etc. The vest is available in three neutral colors that could suit both men and women.
Pros
- The vest is equally well suitable for both men and women as it is a unisex vest.
- The vest comes with 12 highly productive pockets.
- There is a special hidden inner pocket to store your wallet, passport, and mobile, etc.
- It offers an excellent sleek and discreet design that matches with the needs of the travelers.
Cons
- The vest is not waterproof and could be a problem if you are heading to a rainy area.
SCOTTeVEST RFID Travel Vest with 18 Pockets for Women
The ladies will find it hard to beat the quality and productivity of this travel vest. It comes with a total of 18 pockets and in varying sizes to give a customized fit. There are also hidden pockets to securely put your smartphone while it is getting charged through a portable charger.
You will also get this with an RFID blocking pocket on top of a clear touch pocket, which the active women travelers highly prefer. The vest has the lucrative Teflon-treated poly-fabric that puts it in the league of the best lightweight vest for female travelers.
They are setup up well by a convenient crotch strap. This crotch strap brings a supplementary webbing piece for the sake of preventing the equipment from getting riding up.
The stuff is machine washable, stain-resistant, and water-resistant as well. You are suggested to maximize the available pockets and keep all your most critical stuff close to you. You will be able to get through the airport security smoothly and accessing any stuff in any pocket will be convenient.
Pros
- The women-specific vest comes with 18 useful pockets including hidden pockets as well.
- The vest gives a perfect fit in varying sizes and you will highly enjoy its lightweight fabric.
- There is a productive RFID pocket to securely place your wallet with credit and/ or debit cards.
- The Teflon-treated poly-fabric of this lady’s vest is machine washable, stain, and water-resistant.
Cons
- The zipper of the vest is a bit hard to put apart and back together.
Allegra K Stand Collared Lightweight Quilted Zipped Vest for Women
This is one of the most popular choices among women travelers particularly because of its lightweight and a few other quality features. The manufacturer has given due importance to the aesthetics of the vest and made it an excellent fashion item as well. On the productive side, it is excellent to work against cold weather and a strong breeze.
The much-needed warmth comes from the fully lined inside of the vest that provides the comfort and warmth you need. The stuff of this vest is 100% polyester. The material is machine washable both from inside and outside, which is a good handy feature for such regular items on trips.
The vest offers a slim fit to women with reasonable zippered pockets to securely place your valuables and other belongings. It is also padded just to the point that you feel great comfort while wearing it on your trips and tours.
Pros
- The polyester vest for women is quite warm to counter mid-level coldness.
- The stuff of this jacket both from inside and outside is suitable for machine washing.
- The gilet is ideally padded to make this slim-fit comfortable wear on all trips.
- Ladies may get this stylish vest in a range of different colors of their choice.
Cons
- The zipper of this vest is not super smooth and this could be a concern at times.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Travel Vest
The following are the frequently asked questions with answers that will help you a great deal in the best usage of your travel vest:
Q: What is the maximum number of pockets I could get in a travel vest?
A: You can get a travel vest with as many as 26 pockets. However, the ones with 12 to 15 pockets are much more practical.
Q: Can I carry my iPad in the travel vest?
A: Yes, travel vests are offering dedicated table-sized pockets for carrying iPad, tablets, and smartphones, etc.
Q: How many types of vests I could choose from?
A: You may choose to buy either a zipper or Velcro closure vests. The zipper however is the most preferred one due to its secure pocket and helping in wet and cold conditions.
Q: Does a travel vest come with a hood?
A: Travel vest may or may not come with a hood. It is a supplementary feature that could be found mostly with the warmer vests suitable for cooler areas.
Best travel vest buying guide
The majority of the travel vests look quite similar at a glance but the stuff of these vests varies quite a lot. On top of that, some other features need to be evaluated to take your final decision about a specific vest to be purchased. The below factors would help a great deal in making that decision easy and favorable for you:
Travel vest versions you can find online
The travel vests for both men and women can be categorized into the following two types:
- Zipper – The zippers are considered to be a good option for the safety and security of your belongings. The best zipper vests from the top manufacturers make it extremely hard for the pickpockets in the tourist areas to get hold of your belongings. If you are more concerned about theft then a zipper vest is the optimal option for you to consider.
- Velcro – if theft is not the primary objective for you to wear a travel vest then Velcro vest can be a good option for you. You must note here that the Velcro vests are not as secure as the zippered vest. It is rather a type of travel vest that is much more suitable for those who are on hiking trails most of the day. On the flip side, rain and having a Velcro on could just ruin your water-sensitive stuff inside the pockets.
Material
Travel vests can be purchased in a variety of different material types. Some of the most popular garment types to look here are cotton, polyester, and nylon. You can pick one based on your preference and the durability of the material, besides other features it has got to offer. You may also need to consider the type of weather that you would encounter at your travel destination. You can then choose the appropriate material.
For the tropical places, the travel vest with polyester and nylon stuff is considered the best option. It is because of their ability to dry muck quickly. However, if you are planning your trip to a very cold place such as Iceland then a woolen or cotton travel vest could be the best deal for you.
You also need to ensure here that the vest you are trying to shortlist for purchase is made from the best material and it is made to last long as well. You will be in safe hands if you pick any of the products that we have mentioned above in our top products section.
Pockets
One of the major advantages of a travel vest over a conventional jacket is the number of things you can carry. The travel vests are ideally designed to enhance comfort while carrying quite a few stuff along. A good number of pockets is pivotal for keeping all your things completely protected and safe.
If you are a traveler carrying multiple gadgets then there are some vests to accommodate such stuff in the pockets in a highly secure manner.
Some of the manufacturers offer as many as 26 pockets in a vest including some concealed conduits as well to carry your cables and wires. If you want a vest with lesser pockets to carry lesser stuff then there can be a god range with 10 pockets.
RFID Vests
If you are traveling with your passport, credit cards, and debit cards in your pockets then consider the vests with RFID blocking technology. This is a technology-enriched feature to prevent any unauthorized wireless access of your cards from thieves.
Quick Drying
Just as mentioned above in the ‘Material’ section, the stuff like nylon and polyester tend to dry much quicker as compared to cotton or woolen type vest. If you are going out for a one day trip only, such as to hiking then the quick-dry material might not be a priority for you.
But, if you are on a multiple-day trip or overnight camping then it is required to have a quick dry vest. It is important as you need to wear the vest again the following day after it got wet earlier.
You may also have to wash it at night and want to wear it again tomorrow after it gets dried up. Therefore, you need to check here for the vest’s ability to dry quickly to suit your needs.
Water and Stain Resistant
If you are traveling to someplace with lots of rain then a water-resistant vest could be a good deal. Similarly, travelers on a hectic tour would also want their vest to stay clean where a stain-resistant vest is ideal. There are such vests available to prevent any liquid to soak into the material.
Comforts
Travel vests can be quite deceiving and tricky to select. If you find a vest that is practical but not comfortable then just don’t go for it. You need to have a travel vest which is not only productive but also comfortable throughout your trip.
Conclusion
A travel vest can be a great thing to have on your trip. It is a lightweight vest with multiple pockets to keep your valuables in a very organized manner.
They are designed to securely carry your gadgets as well. The modern travel vests come with RFID technology as well as preventing thieves from getting unauthorized access to your credit or debit cards. You may choose the travel vest either in the zipper of Velcro form, just as per your preference, or maybe the type of tour you are on.
These vests add great value by coming in different materials that you could choose as per your preferences and needs.
You may choose travel vests in the material of cotton, polyester, nylon, and even woolen. On top of that, the vests are also available in water and stain-resistant stuff to make your life much easier on trips.
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