Top 10 Best Photography Vests in 2024

10 Best Photography Vests & Jackets in 2024

Looking for a reliable method of carrying your gear? The exact vest you need will depend upon the amount of equipment you own and your photo genre.

Some people need a couple of pockets and others need 20 pockets of different sizes. Besides, a wildlife photographer would probably need a khaki color vest to camouflage themselves, while a wedding photographer would need something more lowkey, like black or beige.

There are a lot of different vests in a huge range of colors, shapes, and sizes that will help you cut down on space while having access to everything you need, wherever you are.

1. Humvee by CampCo Safari Photo Vest

Best photography vest – FixThePhoto’s choice

Material: Cotton| Number of pockets: 21

I would definitely call this model the best photography vest. The design is impressively durable but lightweight, made of pure cotton, available in two colors and able to withstand active wear.

It counts a total of 21 pockets to fit every necessary detail. The nylon lining will protect the items in the pockets. Much thought was obviously put in the pockets because they come in a variety of shapes and places to conveniently hold items like a wallet, a lens, a passport, and a number of other things.

This vest for photographers has other convenient small touches like the front snap enclosure, side tabs to be loosened or tightened, rings for clasps. The mesh back allows you to be cool in a hot environment.

I want to single this model out as the most durable and convenient way of carrying around gear and accessories.

2. Gihuo Photo Vest

Best value vest

Material: 20% Cotton, 80% Polyester | Number of pockets: 16

The garment counts 16 pockets: 5 zip pockets in different shapes, 5 Velcro pockets, 2 concealed outer slant hand pockets, a pair of zipping deep inside pockets on the top and another pair on the bottom.

The vest is made of lightweight no-crease material with strong stitches. It can also resist humidity from morning dew to a slight drizzle. The pockets can fit everything you need.

This is the best photography vest in terms of color and style. It can become a great present for your photographer friend or even yourself.

3. Beat The World Men's 9 Photo Vest

Best budget vest for photographers

Material: 90% Polyester, 10% Cotton | Number of pockets: 9

If you find most photographer vests too bulky and lacking elegance, this model, which comes in 11 colors, could be the right match.

The design is distinctive because of the concealed zippers and the absence of pocket flaps. It is lightweight and has a smooth design. The seams are reinforced where stress may be an issue.

The developer could use better zippers or a few snaps instead. The ones used here are too flimsy and tend to get stuck or separate, plus they are pretty hard to substitute.

This is the best photographers vest for people with distaste for bulging pockets. Big lenses or similar items might not fit but the vest can still hold many objects and hide that fact from the view while letting you access everything easily.

4. Billingham Photo Vest

Best vest for professional photographers

Material: Cordura | Number of pockets: 18

Made of soft and finely-fibred Cordura 500 material, Billingham Photo Vest is perfect for the cases, when minimum noise has crucial importance. It is indispensable for wildlife photographers and even comes in a discreet khaki color, although this restricts you when the surroundings differ drastically.

It has 18 conveniently placed pockets, 12 of them on the outside, distributing the weight of your belongings in a clever way. This allows you to take a reasonable amount of gear with you and not feel encumbered.

The flap design at the back allows the air to reach your back and take away some of the heat.

To sum up, this is a comfortable and lightweight photographer vest which preserves the freedom of movement and does not show signs of wearing for a long time.

5. Ziker Photo Vest

Best for women

Material: Polyester, Nylon | Number of pockets: 15

Women photographers struggle to find the best photography vest because most of them are too big. Luckily, this brand thought of designing a model specifically for women.

The vest is robust and practically weightless, plus it takes little time to dry.

There are only two color options, khaki for blending in and red for standing out. The vest has many pockets of various shapes that can fit and secure many items. The mesh on the back makes sure you don’t overheat.

• Check out about recommended bags for women photographers.

6. AyeGear V26

Water and windproof photography vest

Material: Diamond Membrane | Number of pockets: 26

You will probably find this model in every photographer vest review because of it’s versatile, well-balanced, durable, and crease-free design.

It counts as many as 26 pockets, most of them being distributed on the inside and only 7 hidden on the outer front and back part. Incredible features are the two touch-sensitive pockets that allow you to use gadgets with sensor screens without taking them out of the vest.

The camera vest was designed for use in a hot climate so it keeps you cool at high temperatures. Apart from that, it doesn’t let the air through and keeps your belongings safe from water. You can work in showers and snow without fearing anything.

On the outside, it looks pretty minimalistic, but considering the amount of gear it can store, hardly any vest can do better.

• Read more about best photography gloves.

7. Domke Photo Vest

Best for hot weather

Material: Cotton | Number of pockets: 18

Considering that this company makes the best camera bags it’s easy to imagine that the Domke photo vest will be of equally good quality.

The vest is made of pure cotton, even the mesh parts at the back and front, and is machine washable. You have 18 pockets to hold small and large items and since some are concealed the vest doesn’t look too bulky.

There are a few cargo pockets, sealed zipper pockets, large capacity back pouch, separate holders for pens and bottles, plus two hand warmers.

Unlike the common bomber-style design of camera vests, this one is longer, reaching way below the belt. On the one hand, it allows you to fit more stuff or larger items, on the other hand, it might feel cumbersome and prevent you from easily moving around.

8. FlyGo Photo Vest

Comes in 16 colors

Material: 35% cotton, 65% polyester | Number of pockets: 16

Regardless of the field of photography you work in, you will find the best photography vest to match your needs there. Just select one of the styles and 16 colors that work the best.

Whether you need to fit extra lenses, or tiny memory cards, or different equipment pieces, you are likely to find at least one of the 16 pockets to fit them comfortably.

All filled up, it might look a bit bulky. The vest is reliable, breathable, and dries very quickly. If you often find yourself working in a hot environment, then the mesh on the back will help you stay cool. It’s a great photographer waistcoat for summer.

9. Bassdash Photo Vest

One size fits all

Material: Polyester | Number of pockets: 18

This is the best photography vest among the adjustable ones. The straps on the shoulders and waist are very sturdy and can be adapted to your size, which makes it an ideal match for the majority of photographers.

If you wear smaller sizes, it might feel too big on you, though.

The fabric dries fast, lets air through, and weighs next to nothing. The vest can be worn in a variety of environments including the hot summer days and the wet fall ones.

With padding and the mesh insert, you will feel comfortable moving in this loaded vest for photographers.

There are 18 pockets scattered around, 14 of which have concealed zippers of high quality. This allows you to stay organized and efficient.

10. Rothco Uncle Milty Travel Vest

Most stylish vest

Material: 55% Cotton / 45% Polyester | Number of pockets: 17

This photo vest has numerous pockets inside and at the back to fit all your gear. The latter is even big enough for a tablet or even a laptop. The stitching is reliable and overall the vest is convenient to wear and move around in.

The mix of polyester and cotton ensures that the waistcoat is breathable, durable, and crease-free. On both sides, you have convenient D-rings that can be used to clip things on them and free your hands.

This vest comes in the three most convenient colors: khaki, olive, or black.

Many people claim that these camera vests come one size bigger and you should keep that in mind when placing an order. In all the rest, this model is great and one negligible manufacturing flaw shouldn’t prevent you from considering it.

List of 5 Best Photographer Vests

Image	Name	Features
	Humvee by CampCo Safari Photo Vest OUR CHOICE	Made of cotton 21 pockets	Check PRICE →
	Gihuo Photo Vest BEST VALUE	Made of polyester, and cotton 16 pockets 14 colors	Check PRICE →
	Beat The World Men's 9 Photo Vest CHEAPEST	Made of polyester, and cotton 9 pockets 11 colors	Check PRICE →
	Billingham Photo Vest PROFESSIONAL	Made of cordura 18 pockets	Check PRICE →
	Ziker Photo Vest FOR WOMEN	Made of polyester and nylon 15 pockets	Check PRICE →

How to Choose a Photography Vest?

These are several things you need to pay attention to in order to find the best photography waistcoat:

SIZE: Probably the biggest marker of comfort is the fit of your new vest. If it doesn’t fit you right, you will be distracted from work with constant adjusting. Make sure it isn’t too loose or too tight when you try it on in a shop. If you’re buying online, seek for the manufacturer’s sizing guidelines and also comments of other people.

• View more about the best camera holster.

NUMBER OF POCKETS: The second most important thing is that there are enough pockets on the waistcoat to fit all the important items. Consider the amount and size of gear you need and see if the pockets can comfortably distribute that. Also, mind the method of fastening, because a press photographer vest shouldn’t have Velcro unless you want to make loud noises every time you need something in the pocket.

• Read more about high quality rolling camera bags.

FABRIC: A lightweight blend of materials with ventilation mesh will help you avoid overheating in hot environments. Even though a lighter vest is generally more comfortable to use and care for, get a thicker one if you’re going to work outdoors in winter.

EXTERIOR PROTECTION: The walls of the pockets should be thickened and padded. This way you will make sure that if you carry a fragile object, you won’t damage it by pushing against a hard surface.

WEATHER RESISTANCE: If you happen to work outdoors sometimes, select a vest made of a material that offers some protection and with a number of sealed pockets. You need to feel secure that dust, mud, rain, or snow won’t damage your equipment while you’re doing your job.

Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more