Rambling Review – The Q5 Bird Hunting Vest
Why:
The brutal landscape and sweltering heat of the southwest can make Arizona quail hunting a rugged experience. Having the proper equipment is critical. Dan Priest is an Arizona quail hunter with more than 50 years of experience in the desert chasing birds. He has put his vast knowledge to the test and designed one of coolest and well thought out bird hunting vests on the market. The Q5 Upland Hunting Vest is the first generation of this vest and Dan is already working on a new and improved model.
First impressions:
– Made in the USA – The Q5 Upland Hunting Vest is made in right here in the Arizona White Mountains.
– Accesseries – There are so many adjustments and attachments for the Q5 that it’s difficult to know where to begin.
- 2 Large shell pockets
- 2 Small shell pockets
- 2 electronics pouches
- 1 daypack attachment
– Material – The Q5 Hunting vests is built with 1000 Denier Nylon fabric and comes in Digital or Orange Camo. I am a big fan of the Digital.
– Fully Adjustable – With adjustable straps on the back of the Q5, the vest can be customized to different body types. With a few different straps to pull and tug on, the Q5 can be adjusted so that the hip belt rides comfortably and distribute the weight of the vest.
Field Use:
I spent a good portion of the season hunting in the Q5 Vest and was nothing but impressed. Although the vest is made of a highly durable material, it is extremely lightweight. Fully loaded with shells, water, first aid kit and camera, the vest distributes the weight right onto the hips with a heavy-duty, load-bearing belt.
The main portion of the bird hunting vest has 4 pockets for all the odds and ends that hunters carry into the field. There are also a couple of straps located on the bottom of the pack where a fleece or shirt could be attached after the chill of the morning wears off. I found that the zippers rattled a bit too much for me, but some black athletic tape did the trick. In my opinion, the Q5 excels in the hot southwestern environment. Its light weight, but rugged build can stand up to the harsh desert, while the well-ventilated back makes it ideal for warmer temperatures.
Although I think the Q5 Hunting Vest excels as a bird vest, the creator Dan Priest went one step further. The “bird bag” and pockets are actually able to put taken off and substituted for a daypack. The Day pack is also made of the 1000 denier fabric and seamlessly fits into the shoulder straps and weight bearing belt. It is a pretty cool option for someone who is looking for a bit more than just a bird hunting vest.
The vest comes with a couple of other cool features. Both the “bird bag” and “daypack” are hydration bladder ready and there is a tube clip on the shoulder strap that makes the hydration bladder a very easy addition to the vest. The two front pockets (although plenty big enough) can be substituted for even bigger pockets. The vest also comes with two electronic pouches that fit right on the shoulder straps. All these extras are included with the original vest purchase, so you can customize without having to buy anything aftermarket.
One of best aspects about purchasing the Q5 Hunting Vest is:
A percentage of the proceeds go to Arizona Outdoor Adventures, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthy outdoor activities for underprivileged children. Go to www.azoutdooradventures.org for further information.
- Daypack Attachment
Pros:
Made in Arizona
Great design and well thought out
Lightweight
Great for warm weather
Durable 1000 denier fabric
Semi-customizable with different attachments
Cons:
Cost (although this vest is worth it)
Zipper tabs are noisy (After speaking with Dan about the zippers, future vests will have a rubberized cover on the zippers to cut down on noise.)
Prognosis: I truly believe that the Q5 Upland Hunting Vest is an excellent choice for any upland hunter, but particularly Southwestern hunters. The vest is a great lightweight option that carries a full load very comfortably in the field. I look forward to see what future Q5 vests are going to have in store.
* Disclaimer:
The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. The Q5 Upland Hunting Vest was provided for the purpose of this review. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.
Nice rig. Day-pack makes its awesome.
I like the look of it. Also, I like the yoke around the shoulder area. Would any bladder fit it and is there a place to attach a couple of water bottles for the dog?
Thomas,
The vest is bladder ready and has a spot for a liter or two bladder to fit into and a hook on the shoulder strap for a camelback hose. Any of those back 4 pockets would hold large water bottles for a dog as well.
Ben
how much room in the bird bag. Can you load birds in it easily?
Bruce,
There is plenty of room in the bird bag for many birds. The rough dimensions of the bag are 16″ long, by 6″ wide, and almost 7″ deep. Since the bag is built to be sort of stiff, it makes loading birds very easy. I don’t know where you’re located, but if you’re here in Arizona, you’re more than welcome to stop by and check it out. You can compare it to the Filson and the Wingworks vests too. The Q5 is very nice.
Ben
I recently purchased a Q5 vest, before the changes. Can I buy individual components for the my currant vest?
thanks
John
Great question John. I would get in contact with Dan Priest over at AZQuailToday at q5outdoorproducts@gmail.com. He’d be able to help you out with that. I had a chance to check out the new modifications and the vest is dynamite.
Ben
I’m looking hard for a hot weather vest. However, mine will be used for blue grouse, ptarmigan and prairie grouse in Colorado and Nebraska. Is the bird bag big enough for a limit (3) of grouse? (Not that my mediocre shooting will ever produce a one morning limit!)
Steve,
Absolutely, you’ll be able to get a limit of grouse into the Q5. It’s a great, lightweight, and durable vest. Best of luck.
Ben
Great vest I wonder do they have any color?
Clifford
I am very interested in the Q5 vest but in Nebraska where I live and the Dakotas and Kansas where I hunt there are still a few pheasants to be had. You describe how it holds “shells, water, first aid kit and camera,”. I’m old and not much for political correctness so now and then I like to take a few pheasants in my wanderings, that said I don’t see much room for pheasants to be transported in the Q5. Am I incorrect? What caught my eye was the electronics attachment and it’s placement, I like it and need it!!
I would appreciate your feed back if you can help me hall pheasants and quail w/a Q5.
Thank you,
J Pecha
p.s. Don’t get me wrong I carry a camera, shells, water etc. Also, I like plastic hardware as it does not damage the butt stock of my guns as metal WILL.
Sir’s,
Will the electronics attachment hold a Garmin/Tri Tronics model “Pro 550” with ease?
Thanks,
J Pecha
Jerry,
Great to hear from you. The Q5 and the Q5 Centerfire vests are very nice. In my opinion, the original Q5 vest (the one shown here) is a great vest and the game bag will definitely hold a couple of pheasants. If you are looking for a bigger game bag, you should look at the Q5 Centerfire vest (http://azwanderings.com/q5-centerfire-upland-vest/). The bag is much bigger and the whole vest has more storage. I cannot speak to the electronics attachment and it’s ability to hold your Garmin/Tri Tronics. You should give Dan Priest an email. He is the owner of Q5 and will be able to steer you in the right direction (https://www.q5outdoorproducts.com/crm.asp?action=contactus). Hope that helps. Take care and good luck this season.
Ben
What do you do with the straps so they are not hanging and swinging all over the place? Cut them or Bobby pin them?
You know. I never really have a problem with them. I can see from the picture they are hanging, but you can tuck them back on themselves to keep them from swinging. They haven’t been an issue for me. Thanks for the question Austin. Take care.
Ben