Rambling Review – Quilomene San Carlos Bird Vest
Why:
There are several good options for quality strap vests on the market. I’ve written about several of them on this blog already. For the early Arizona bird hunting season, I’ve had the opportunity to wear the Quilomene San Carlos Bird Vest and I’ve been really impressed with what this light weight strap vest has to offer.
First impressions:
Q5 Outdoors Products – Dan and Joanne Priest started Q5 Outdoor Products several years back and introduced the original Q5 Upland Strap Vest and the Q5 Centerfire Vest. Recently, the Priests brought the Quilomene line up of vests into the Q5 Outdoor Products fold, and now offer these highly renowned, field tested vests for sale. One of the coolest parts about all of the Q5 and Quilomene Vests is that a portion of each sale gets donated to Arizona Outdoor Adventures, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthy outdoor activities for underprivileged children.
Customizable and Adjustable – The Quilomene San Carlos Vest comes in two styles. One is a “Y” back and the other is an “H” back design. Both styles offer quite a bit of adjustments. When purchasing your vest, you are also able to choose a size based on your waist measurements. This ensures that the vest fits properly and carries any weight comfortably.
Storage – There is a total of seven pockets on the San Carlos vest, which makes it easy to carry all the essentials in the field. Lash straps are located on the back of the pack for stashing a jacket once the day gets warm. The bird pouch is spacious and capable of carrying a limit of quail easily. Although there are no water bottle pockets, there is a large hydration pocket on the interior of the bird pouch, and handy hose clips located on the shoulder straps.
Made in the USA – All of the Q5 Outdoor Products are made in the USA.
Field Use:
I’ve enjoyed using the Quilomene San Carlos bird vest so far this season. From the early dove season, to grouse hunting at 8,500′ in the mountains, and back to the valley for the quail opener, the San Carlos really shines in the field.
The first things that really stood out to me while chasing birds was how lightweight and slim fitting this vest is. It is a very simple design and even when loaded, it does not have a lot of bulk. This is beneficial whether you are hanging in field waiting for the next flight of doves, or slipping through the dark timber looking for grouse.
Another thing I really was impressed with was how comfortable the vest is, and how well it carried a load. With early season quail especially, I loaded up on lots of water, shells, and other odds and ends, and the vest was pretty heavy. Even with the vest fully loaded, the waist belt carried the weight really well. Although there are vests on the market with more pockets and carrying capacity, the Quilomene San Carlos handled the everything I threw at it.
Although I was extremely happy with the how much the vest was laid out and how much it could carry, I could see how a hunter with a dog might want a little bit more carrying capacity for extra water or designated water bottle holders. Quilomene has quite a few different accessories that allow these vests to be totally modular and customizable for each individual customer. Check out their accessories page for water bottle holsters and more.
Pros:
Made in the USA
Quality material and durable construction
Lightweight
Water bladder pocket and hose hooks
Portion of each sale goes to non-profit
Cons:
Lack of water bottle holders
Prognosis: The Quilomene San Carlos Bird Vest is an excellent lightweight strap vest option and worth looking at if you are in the market for a new vest.
* Disclaimer:
The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. 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. The Quilomene San Carlos Bird Vest was provided by Q5 for the purpose of 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.
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I’ve used a Quilomene vest for years long before Dan bought the old company. I was sad when they went out of business as my old vest had worn out. I ended up buying a Q5 Centerfire, before Dan re-designed the Quilomene, and I like that vest but I recently decided to buy another Quilomene. I love the changes that Dan incorporated in the new vest. Like you though, I only wish it had water bottle holders. Might also be better to have ventilation in the bird bag area like the Q5. Still my favorite vest though.
How large a bladder is the vest designed to carry?
I have a 2 liter bladder that fits perfectly.
However, I just thought of something. I have the full vest not the San Carlos. You can call Dan or Joanne. They are awesome to help with questions.
Do you have an idea if they fit women as well?
In my experience most of the upland hunting vests fit way to loose which results in a hassle walking through thick bushes.
Cheers
Sara
Sara,
I don’t have any experience with the vest in the field from a woman’s perspective. My wife tried the vest and with a bit off adjustments it fit her pretty well. I know that Q5 offers different size waist belts which helps to make the vest more customizable. Hope that helps. Take care.
Ben
Thanks for your reply Ben! I will look into it.
Cheers
Sara
Looks like you had fun there.