Best shooting vests: here are our top picks

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If it’s too warm for a shooting jacket  our selection of the best shooting vests will add that extra layer to keep you comfortable. (You’ll find our list of the best fleece gilets for shooting here.)

What Guns are looking for in the best shooting vests

Shooting vests  (or waistcoats) should be made from fabrics that allow you to swing through the gun without restriction. They should also be breathable. Shoulder padding helps with gun mount and recoil and roomy pockets mean you have enough cartridges for the drive. (Read these tips on cartridge safety.)

Fabrics can be tweed, moleskin, canvas or nubuck leather.

Some Guns like to start off wearing a shooting vest underneath their shooting jacket, layering their kit to allow for changes in weather. Breathability is necessary and whilst fabrics don’t have to be waterproof, they should be windproof and resist the rain. (Find our list of the best shooting jackets here.)

Keen Gun Liam Stokes, CEO of the British Game Assurance organisation (previously British Game Alliance) says: “You will often see me wearing a shooting vest – I wear a heavy tweed one when the weather is chilly. I like its vast pockets. If you don’t want to wear a bulky shooting jacket then a shooting vest is just the thing, you’re warm and you still feel fairly smart, particularly if it’s tweed.”

New in the field this season? Read our advice on what to wear shooting.

Our top choice

Schöffel Mens Ptarmigan Tweed Waistcoat II £249.95 – £329.95

This is our top pick of shooting waistcoat (vest) because it’s well-made, well-designed, looks good and stays looking good. You can even wash it. Choose this shooting vest and we predict it will be a trusted companion in the field for many seasons to come.

The best of the rest – our pick of the best shooting vests

1. Seeland Mens Key-Point Waistcoat £88.95

Best for early season shooting

• Material:  65% Polyester, 35% Cotton
• Colours: Pine green
• Sizes: 36-48
• Washable: No

+ Lightweight, low-noise

+ Large cartridge pockets

+ Handwarmer pockets

+ Reinforced shoulder panels

There’s nothing worse than feeling hot and bothered when you’re trying to shoot your best. This waxed shooting vest is light, waterproof and perfect for cool autumn days when you need an extra layer but don’t want to wear a bulky coat. It has a zip-up pocket for your valuables and a game pocket too.

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2. Seeland Men’s Skeet Vest £66.09

Best for recoil

• Material: Polyester
• Colours: Duffel green, black
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL

+ Flexible shoulders

+ Spacious cartridge pockets

The mesh material used on this vest means it stays light and airy even on the hottest days. There are pockets for gel pads on the inside of the shoulders. Thoughtful details on this shooting vest, like the chest strap for shooting glasses and a strap for hearing protection mean that this is a good choice for clay pigeon shooting competitions or practising at the range. (Find more clayshooting vests here.)

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This lightweight waistcoat will certainly give you your money’s worth as you can wear it all year around. Use it as a layer in winter underneath a coat or on its own in warmer spring and summer weather. Two large open pockets give easy access to cartridges and a rear lined game pocket will carry your quarry home. There is also a handy inner pocket for your valuables.

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4. Alan Paine Mens Rutland Waistcoat £164.95

Best for wearing without a tie

• Material: 60% wool,  25% scrylic , 10% polyester
• Colours: Dark moss, lichen, linden
• Sizes: S, M, L, XXL

+ Nehru neckline

+ Soft contrast moleskin collar

How an instructor chooses his best shooting vests

Mark Heath of the West London Shooting School is a fan of shooting vests

We asked Mark Heath of the West London Shooting School and Shooting Times contributor what he looks for in a shooting vest. He said: “In summer I like a cotton vest, in colder weather tweeds. I look for something well cut, in not too loud a tweed. It has to be comfortable with easily accessible pockets for cartridges when I’m teaching shooting and gameshooting.

“Remember if you’re wearing a shooting vest with decent bellows pockets you don’t need to bother with a cartridge belt. ”