Over the years since I harvested my first wild turkey, which just for the sake of nostalgia and a bit of background when in Athens County, Ohio, in 1990, I’ve owned a lot of turkey vests. Each year, I went through the same routine. I’d empty out ‘Old Faithful,’ the simple vest I wore every year, and put everything into a new vest. I’d then wear the new vest afield for exactly one hunt. Home again, I’d take everything out of the new vest, return each item to its rightful pocket or pouch in ‘Old Faithful,’ and put the new one on the shelf. Every year. Same routine.
That is until I ran across, or rather was introduced to the StrutBack Turkey Vest from TideWe. In March of ’25, I was given the opportunity to test-drive the StrutBack, and while I’ve admittedly grown a little jaded over the past 35 years in the turkey woods, I liked what I saw. I liked how it was designed. I liked the ergonomics and the almost universal Strata camouflage pattern. The only thing I didn’t care for was the dry weight; rather, the almost eight pounds the StrutBack weighs empty. However, lose the Kickstand support, and the weight drops considerably, but we’ll discuss that in due time.
For 2026, and instead of looking at the StrutBack in its entirety, let’s look at some of the features I find most notable; those that set this vest apart from the dozens of similar pieces of equipment available today.
Table of contents
Simplicity of design
To be blunt, I’m not looking for fancy. No bells, whistles, or gingerbread. Rather, I’m looking for something that’s relatively simple; a vest that offers enough, but not so much as to require a Master’s in astrophysics to use. To me, a turkey vest and all of its components should be self-explanatory. If the enclosed instructions are longer than half a page, I’m going to start wondering if this the vest for me.
And while it’s true the Strut Back does come with instructions, they’re minimal and pertain only to the preparation and installation of the Kickstand back support. And truthfully, the design and process is elemental to the point of being self-explanatory. There’s that word again!
No where on the StrutBack do I find a button or pull or tab or mystery pouch/pocket that begs the question – “I wonder what that does?” Yes, the Kickstand adds weight; however, the designers crafted the StrutBack with the removal of the support in mind. Lose the frame, which weighs 2.3 pounds, and the vest drops to a very reasonable 5.4 pounds empty. Defeating the purpose of the StrutBack’s overall design? Perhaps to some; still, it’s an option for those wishing to cut a bit of weight.
Ergonomics
This to include how everything, i.e. pockets, pouches, zippers, and quick-clips, is situated or located, and how simple it is to open and access the various compartments. I know it sounds obvious; however, I’ve owned vests, albeit not for long, that proved next to impossible to use as intended once worn.
My primary criteria for a turkey vest in terms of ergonomics is simple. I need to be able to find AND access everything in the vest without ever taking my eyes off an approaching gobbler. I need to be able to reach and swap strikers, if necessary. The same goes for calls, be it box call or pot-and-peg. When it sit down and get myself ready to begin what I call ‘The Game,’ I want my head net and gloves within easy reach; rather, I don’t want to be hunting for my gear when I should be hunting that 150-yard longbeard.
With the StrutBack, everything is right where it needs to be. Pot call pouches on the lower right. Large looped zipper pulls, easy to operate while wearing gloves. A horizontal box call pocket, again on the lower right, with a tensioner, we’ll call it, designed to prevent those poorly-timed SQUACKS coming from an unrestrained call. Inside both the right and left sides are zippered mesh pockets, perfect for extra gloves, head nets, and smaller field incidentals, e.g Wet Wipes; these, too, armed with the same large easy-to-open looped zipper pulls. There are twin diaphragm / reeded snap-to-close pouches also on the inside for those who wish to pack diaphragms as such.
Padding and Suspension System
It’s unrealistic to think a turkey vest will wear like a $3,000 tailored suit; however, and because I’ll be wearing the garment for hours each day throughout the whole of a six-week season, I expect it to be comfortable. Or at least reasonably comfortable. Not overly warm should the temperature rise, as it often does. Adjustable, too, at least to an extent, so I can customize the vest to match the equipment I plan to carry afield on any given day.
The StrutBack addresses both comfort and adjustability in several different ways. Ample ‘Air Flow’ mesh-covered padding on the inside back allows for circulation and temperature regulation while providing a surprisingly soft pillow, per se, along with protection from all those hard edges, be it the Kickstand support or a big ‘ole maple tree. The drop-down seat cushion, too, being just shy of three inches thick adds to the comfort level. And while we’re on the seat cushion, it’s worth mentioning both the water-resistant and non-slip elements integral to the cushion, as well as the fact it can be quickly and easy removed entirely, if one wishes. Too, I find the magnetic ‘clip’ or locking feature to the cushion both innovative and helpful in keeping the seat in place and not flopping around.
According to the TideWe website, the StrutBack offers “18 adjustable settings.” Some of these involve the height of the seat cushion, while others deal specifically with the Kickstand support frame. To me, those carrying the most significance concern both vertical or length adjustments, as well as horizontal or front-to-back alterations. Fortunately, the StrutBack has plenty of both, allowing the user to custom fit the vest to one’s particular body size or situation, including such day-to-day variables as clothing, e.g. a bulky jacket, or when packing out a hard-won gobbler.
A characteristic that, to me, makes or breaks a turkey vest and determines to a great extent if I wear it into the field is the suspension system; rather, the shoulder straps. Too thin, and they cut into my shoulders. Too wide, and they can get hot, especially later in the season. No padding or insufficient padding, and they’re simply uncomfortable. A full three inches wide and covered on the underside with the same ‘Air Flow’ padding as is on the inside back of the vest, the StrutBack’s shoulder straps are incredibly comfortable, even when the vest is fully loaded with gear and – Hopefully at some point! – a heavy tom turkey.
A feature I overlooked in my original review of the StrutBack turkey vest is the integral waist belt. Now THIS is an improvement that puts the StrutBack lightyears ahead of the competition. So often, a fully loaded vest ‘sways’ or moves, sometimes dramatically, side-to-side as one walks. This adjustable waist belt / strap virtually eliminates that side-to-side movement and keeps the vest itself, along with all of its contents, solidly locked onto one’s lower back. Corny, perhaps, but the StrutBack actually becomes a part of you. It’s not uncomfortable. It’s not in the way. It’s not rocking side-to-side, threatening to throw you off-balance with every step.
In conclusion
There is no such thing as the ‘perfect’ turkev vest, any more than there exists the perfect car, perfect home, or perfect fill-in-the-blank. That said, TideWe’s StrutBack Turkey Vest comes awfully close, thanks to a long list of exceptional design features including a top-notch suspension system, excellent pocket placement and ease of accessibility, a high degree of comfort, the innovative KickBack support option, and multiple levels of adjustability and person-to-person customization.
Value? At $120, the StrutBack would be considered lower mid-range in terms of price, with similar Kickstand-style vests running from $75 to $190, depending on the make, model, and camouflage pattern. At this price and given the design features and amenities incorporated into the garment, the StrutBack is a tremendous value. Take care of it and it should take care of you and all your turkey hunting needs for a lifetime.
Author
M.D. Johnson
M.D. Johnson’s full-time outdoor writing career began in 1992. Prior to that, he worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife in their Outdoor Skills Unit, helping to coordinate hunter education courses and resources across the state.
