Vests
Rothco tactical vests put pockets and warmth on your core while leaving your arms free, which is why they work for so many jobs. This section covers 19 styles, from range and patrol wear to travel and safety.
- Tactical and utility vests: the Tactical Recon Vest, Spec Ops Tactical Vest and Ranger Vest, plus a kids' Ranger Vest and a Fred Bear camo edition made with Bear Archery.
- Concealed carry vests: the Plainclothes Concealed Carry Vest, the V2 Concealed Carry Soft Shell Vest and the Concealed Carry Backwoods Canvas Vest.
- Insulated vests: the E.C.W.C.S. Fleece Vest, midweight polar fleece with grid fleece side panels, a full-length zipper with a storm placket and chin guard and a drawstring hem, in black or coyote brown, plus the Quilted Woobie Vest.
- Travel and safari vests: the Uncle Milty Travel Vest in adult and kids' sizes, the Undercover Travel Vest, the Deluxe Safari Outback Vest and a Convertible Safari Jacket whose sleeves zip off.
- Safety and duty vests: 5-point breakaway safety vests in standard and security versions, a Security Ranger Vest and an EMS Rescue Vest.
Pick a vest for the job first, then for warmth: a pocket-heavy recon or safari vest for carrying gear, a fleece or woobie vest for a warm middle layer, and a breakaway vest when you need to be seen.
A note for service members: DA PAM 670-1 lets commanders authorize ECWCS jackets as outer garments with OCP, but these are commercial vests, not issue items. Wear them off duty, at the range or under outer layers where your unit allows. Details below.
How to Choose Tactical Vests
A vest should match how you carry gear and how warm you need to be. Here's how the types in this section compare.
Tactical and Ranger Vests
Recon, Spec Ops and ranger vests are built around pockets: magazines, a radio, notebooks, a flashlight and shooting accessories, all reachable without digging through a bag. They're popular for range days, airsoft and hunting. These aren't armor carriers; if you need plate protection, see our plate carrier vests.
Concealed Carry Vests
A concealed carry vest covers a belt holster or holds a handgun in an internal pocket when it's too warm for a jacket. The Plainclothes vest looks like a casual travel vest, the V2 soft shell vest adds weather resistance, and the backwoods canvas vest suits rural and hunting wear. Practice your draw with an unloaded firearm, and follow the carry laws where you are.
Fleece and Woobie Vests for Warmth
Insulated vests keep your core warm without bulky sleeves, so you can wear one under a field jacket or soft shell, or alone on a cool morning. The E.C.W.C.S. fleece vest uses grid fleece side panels to vent heat when you're active, and the woobie vest packs down small.
Travel, Safari and Fishing Vests
Multi-pocket travel vests such as the Uncle Milty and Undercover models keep passports, phones and tickets on your body rather than in a bag. Safari vests give photographers and anglers the same organization outdoors.
Safety Vests
A 5-point breakaway vest tears away at the shoulders, sides and front if it's snagged, which protects anyone working around moving equipment or traffic. The EMS rescue and security vests add identification for responders and guards.
Sizing Tactical Vests
Size a vest for the layers it goes over. A pocket vest worn over a hoodie or jacket needs more room than one worn over a T-shirt. Load the pockets with what you actually carry and check that the vest doesn't sag or ride up. Insulated vests should fit close enough to hold warmth but leave room to zip a jacket over them. Kids' sizes are available in the ranger and travel styles.
Tactical Vests and Military Uniform Regulations
For Army Soldiers, DA PAM 670-1, paragraph 4-7f, lets Soldiers wear ECWCS jackets and trousers, including the Layer III fleece jacket, as outer garments when the commander authorizes it. Cold weather items worn with OCP need to be OCP pattern or a matching color such as coyote brown, and under paragraph 4-7q the Soldier is responsible for any commercially purchased item meeting military specifications.
Where Our Vests Fit
Our Rothco vests are commercial designs, not issue items, and the regulation's outer garment paragraph names ECWCS jackets and trousers, not commercial vests. A coyote brown fleece vest worn as a hidden layer under an authorized outer garment is a question for your chain of command. Pocket, safari and concealed carry vests are for off-duty, range and civilian wear. Unit policy can always be stricter than the regulation.
Care Tips
Empty every pocket before washing, close zippers and hook-and-loop flaps, and wash fleece vests inside out to reduce pilling. Hang canvas vests to dry so they keep their shape.