Best for Travel: Flygo Men’s Mesh Fishing Vest

Let’s talk fishing vests!

Yes, you can use a fishing vest for, say fishing—but they are useful for so much more. Take travel, for example.

One clever travel hack when you travel by plane: use a fishing vest to carry heavy items like charging cords, batteries to charge a cell phone, laptop chargers and more. That’s because most airlines count the vest as a coat . . . and a coat you are wearing isn’t a carry-on. 

This is helpful when you are flying an airline that has strict weight and size limits for carry-ons. You can stuff extra items into the vest.

Fishing vests that have somewhat flat pockets are probably the best bet for travel. (Other vests with gusseted pockets have more capacity, which is better suited for fishing and hunting).

For the best fishing vest for travel, we liked Flygo’s mesh vest. This one is a reader favorite—and after looking at several other brands, we would agree: it is well-made and perfect for a plane trip. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Lightweight.

• Mesh is breathable.

• Affordable.

• Zippers work smoothly.

• Flat-style pockets are discreet.

• Anti-wrinkle fabric.

• Various colors available.

What Needs Work

• Hook and latch closures can catch on mesh.

Best For Fishing: Flygo Mens Summer Outdoor Work

When we interviewed the fishing enthusiasts among our parent readers about fishing vests, one tip we heard from anglers time and again was to look for gusseted pockets. Basically, these are more puffy-type pockets that allow for more storage of fishing gear. We looked at several brands of fishing vests before deciding this one by Flygo (yes, again—the brand impressed us with its quality) is the best bet for fishing. Here’s why:

What We Liked

• Sturdy.

• 2 hidden inside pockets.

• 16 pockets! Yes, 16.

• Breathable mesh fabric. 

What Needs Work

• Sizing could be more consistent. Go by the measurement chart, not the “small, medium, large” markings.

Best For Photo Gear: Ziker Men’s Mesh Breathable Openwork Camouflage

Another great use for fishing vests is to hold photo gear. If you are a shutterbug and need lots of pockets for lenses, memory cards and batteries, a vest like this one by Ziker would be our choice. It impressed us with its overall construction and quality.

What We Liked

• Breathable mesh.

• Super lightweight.

• Variety of colors.

• Affordable.

• Multiple pockets.

What Needs Work

• Sizing could be more consistent. Use the measurement chart as the best bet for ordering, versus the general sizing.

Best For Hunting: Lentta Mens Fishing Outdoor Safari

For outdoor adventures, this vest by Lentta would be our pick—sturdy enough for hunters, yet the lightweight mesh makes it great for anglers and hiking. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Well-made.

• Lightweight.

• 16 pockets!

• Zip pocket on back.

What Needs Work

• Large logo? The sample vest we tried didn’t have a logo, but we see online reports that some folks got a vest with a large logo on the pocket. That can be a problem as some employers prohibit gear with logos.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!