Top 10 Best Photography Vests in 2024

By Ann Young 6 days ago Bags Reviews

Choose the best photography vest to carry all your gear on you without a bag.

best photography vest

best photography vest

Choose the best photography vest to carry all your gear on you without a bag.

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

humvee by campco safari photo vest

Material: Cotton| Number of pockets: 21

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⊕ Large sizes available and ample pocket capacity
⊕ Pockets with nylon-lining
⊕ Breathable mesh back
⊖ Not found

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

gihuo best photo vest

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

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⊕ 14 colors and 3 styles
⊕ Lightweight fabric
⊕ Strong stitching
⊖ Zipper on the wrong side
⊖ Poor quality velcro

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

beat the world men’s 9 best photo vest

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

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⊕ 11 color variations
⊕ Lightweight
⊕ Durable
⊖ Flimsy zippers

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

billingham photo vest

Material: Cordura | Number of pockets: 18

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⊕ Impressively breathable
⊕ Machine washable
⊕ Soft and noiseless material
⊕ Lightweight
⊖ Expensive
⊖ Few color options

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

ziker best photo vest

Material: Polyester, Nylon | Number of pockets: 15

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⊕ Breathable mesh back
⊕ Lightweight
⊕ Quick dry
⊖ Few color options

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.


6. AyeGear V26

Water and windproof photography vest

ayegear v26 best photo vest

Material: Diamond Membrane | Number of pockets: 26

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⊕ Discreet pockets
⊕ Waterproof and windproof
⊕ Breathable
⊖ Upper compartment is bulky

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.


7. Domke Photo Vest

Best for hot weather

domke photo vest

Material: Cotton | Number of pockets: 18

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⊕ Mesh panels for keeping you cool
⊕ Padded and quilted shoulders
⊕ Heavy-duty reversible zipper
⊖ Too long

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

flygo best photo vest

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

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⊕ 3 designs and 16 color variations
⊕ Breathable & durable
⊕ Resistant to drizzle
⊕ Lightweight
⊖ Flimsy zippers

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

bassdash best photo vest

Material: Polyester | Number of pockets: 18

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⊕ Adaptive suspension
⊕ Padded shoulder straps
⊕ Ventilated mesh back
⊖ May be too big for some

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

rothco uncle milty best photo vest

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

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⊕ 3 D-rings
⊕ Back pocket for an iPad or small laptop
⊕ 3 colors
⊖ Inaccurate sizing

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
Humvee by CampCo Safari Photo Vest
OUR CHOICE
  • Made of cotton
  • 21 pockets
Check PRICE
gihuo best photo vest
Gihuo Photo Vest
BEST VALUE
  • Made of polyester, and cotton
  • 16 pockets
  • 14 colors
Check PRICE
beat the world men 9 best photo vest
Beat The World Men's 9 Photo Vest
CHEAPEST
  • Made of polyester, and cotton
  • 9 pockets
  • 11 colors
Check PRICE
billingham photo vest
Billingham Photo Vest
PROFESSIONAL
  • Made of cordura
  • 18 pockets
Check PRICE
ziker best photo vest
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.

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.

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.

best photography vest

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

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