The 10 Best Travel Vests
Updated by · How we research
Can a travel vest replace your personal item on a flight? Of 10 compared, cheaper ScotteVest options included, the ScotteVest Best Travel Vest leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Load any pocket vest with a tablet and a water bottle and it turns heavy and boxy, so a small bag still makes sense for bulky items. A travel vest is a sleeveless layer built around pockets, many of them hidden, so a passport, phone, tablet and cables ride on your body. Frequent flyers, photographers and day trippers wear them.
At a Glance
Editor's Notes
October 18, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The ScotteVest Best Travel Vest, built to stand in for a personal item on a flight, takes over from the older ScotteVest RFID. Most of the old list had disappeared. The Columbia Silver Ridge II, AyeGear V26, Carhartt El Paso and ExOfficio Sol Cool FlyQ are no longer available, and the Weekender Air had no current price. We also dropped the Foxfire Thunder and the Gihuo Reversible in favor of vests with better documentation. Plenty of readers still look for the AyeGear V26. It's gone, and the Rothco Undercover is a good place to start for a cheaper vest with lots of hidden pockets.
The ScotteVest 101 and ScotteVest Q.U.E.S.T. stay. ScotteVest holds five spots because it's the specialist in this category, and each of its picks is a different design. Readers asked for alternatives, so the Rothco Undercover, Humvee 21-Pocket and Gihuo Multi-Pocket cover cheaper ground, and the Columbia Ascender II is there for anyone who wants a vest that doesn't look like gear.
We found no lab tests of travel vests, only travel writers' reviews, most of them based on free samples. We relied on makers' specs, those reviews, a security expert's view of RFID theft and recall checks.
March 08, 2021:
If you don't want to carry a backpack around all day on your adventures, a travel vest is the way to go. They are packed with pockets to hold all of your valuables and documents, yet most are designed not to look bulky or give away the fact that are loaded up with your important stuff.
During this update we noticed we were lacking in options for women. While we had the ScotteVest 101, that was previously our only recommendation for the ladies. We decided to remedy that by replacing a few of our men's options, and the two new additions this time around are the Carhartt El Paso and ExOfficio Sol Cool FlyQ.
We like the Carhartt El Paso because it manages to avoid an overly utilitarian look, which is partially because of its stylish print, and partially due to the streamlined design that features a drawstring to cinch the waist tight. Despite that, it still offers 11 pockets to stash your stuff. Many will also appreciate the lightweight cotton material that is highly breathable, yet still very durable.
The ExOfficio Sol Cool FlyQ is sort of the opposite of the El Paso. While it, too, has the drawstring waist, it does have more of that utilitarian appearance due to its solid color, of which it is only available in a neutral tawny or black. However, we understand some women may prefer this style. It is also notably warmer than the El Paso, despite the misleading name, and it is made from a UPF-rated fabric that is Teflon treated and antimicrobial.
June 11, 2019:
Travel vests are the ideal way to keep important items on hand, while still keeping them concealed from prying eyes. If you've ever worried about leaving your cash, travel documents, and electronics in your hotel room, but have also been hesitant about carrying them around town with you, these are the solution to your dilemma.
We realize that wearers' desire for style and pocket concealment differs based on their intended use. For example, someone going out on a safari or an extended hike will care more about utility than style, whereas somebody who plans on walking around town in their vest will want many hidden pockets and a more fashion-forward look. Because of this we won't make recommendations based on those factors, since you know your intended use better and can gather much of this information by simply looking at their photos. Instead, we will point out which vests are best suited to certain climates, and then you can combine that knowledge with the information in our reviews regarding number and types of pockets to choose the best model for you.
If you plan on adventures in very hot climates, such as Southeast Asia or the Middle East, we recommend the Weekender Air, Foxfire Thunder, and FoRapid Safari. All of these are made from lightweight material and have mesh components for airflow. If your travels will take you through temperate climates that have warm days and chilly nights, we recommend the ScotteVest RFID, ScotteVest 101, Rothco Undercover, and AyeGear V26. These options are durable and breathable, yet can help stop chilly winds and keep your core warmer. The ScotteVest RFID, ScotteVest 101, and AyeGear V26 are also water resistant, too, and can keep light rains from damaging your electronics and travel documents. For those cold weather excursions, we recommend the Columbia Silver Ridge II, ScotteVest Quest, and Gihuo Reversible. With a heavier-weight fabric, they should help keep you nice and toasty.
Special Honors
Bluffworks Horizon Vest Bluffworks makes travel clothing that's sold mainly through its own site. Its Horizon vest is a quilted, lightweight vest with seven pockets, and Wandertooth's review found it suits spring and fall travel but needs to hang dry. It's a good pick for anyone who wants a vest that looks like regular clothing with a few useful pockets. bluffworks.com
Pockets: Count Less, Check The Layout More
Ports or channels for charging cables help if you travel with a power bank.
Pocket counts are partly marketing. ScotteVest lists 26 pockets on its Best Travel Vest, while Travels With Elle counted 24, 10 outside and 14 inside, and found that so many pockets took some getting used to. What matters more is where they sit. A zippered inner pocket big enough for a tablet, a passport pocket against your body and a couple of zippered chest pockets cover most trips. Ports or channels for charging cables help if you travel with a power bank.
Hidden pockets are also a modest security win. Tortuga's roundup points out that zippered chest pockets are harder for a pickpocket to reach than a back pocket or the outside of a bag. No vest makes you theft-proof, though.
Then think about weight. A vest carrying a tablet, a water bottle and chargers hangs on your shoulders all day, and Travels With Elle found that a loaded vest got heavy and bulky. If you plan to fill every pocket, size up so it still zips over your clothes, and keep the heaviest items in a small bag.
Match The Fabric To The Weather
Most pocket vests are thin shells for spring, fall and air-conditioned planes. ScotteVest rates its flagship and lighter vests for mild weather, and only its quilted and fleece models add real warmth. More Time To Travel found the lightweight Featherweight breathable at about 0.6 pounds, while the 42-pocket Q.U.E.S.T. weighs 1.6 pounds empty.
Cotton safari vests breathe well in heat but turn heavy when wet. A Wearify roundup notes that the Humvee cotton vest soaks through in rain. Softshell vests, like Columbia's Ascender II, block wind and shed a light shower but carry far less. For cold flights or chilly evenings, a packable puffer adds warmth and stuffs into a small sack, but it holds almost nothing.
Check the care label before a long trip. ScotteVest's vests are machine washable, while Wandertooth's review of the Bluffworks Horizon notes that vest should hang dry.
RFID Pockets, Airport Screening And Carry-On Rules
Many travel vests advertise an RFID-blocking pocket. The threat is smaller than the marketing suggests. In a Techlicious report, KnowBe4 security expert Roger Grimes said he hadn't seen recorded cases of RFID credit card theft, since a reader has to be within inches and card data is encrypted. Treat an RFID pocket as a small bonus, not a reason to pay more. Some travelers still like a shielded spot for an e-passport.
At security, a vest comes off in one piece and goes through the X-ray scanner with everything in it, which beats emptying pockets into a bin. Liquids in your pockets still count toward the TSA's 3-1-1 rule, so put them in your quart bag, and a vest with many metal zippers may need its own bin.
Wearing a vest is a popular way to stay under strict personal-item limits on budget airlines, but it's a workaround, not a rule. Airlines can count what you carry, so check your carrier's policy before you fly.
How we researched this
We compared 19 travel vests, read the makers' specifications for the 10 picks (the makers' own sites blocked our requests, so these came from their retail listings), read hands-on reviews by travel writers, most of whom received free samples, analyzed owner feedback, read a security expert's view on RFID theft and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no independent lab tests of travel vests.
Sources (8)
- Travels With Elle: ScotteVest Best Travel Vest review
- More Time To Travel: best lightweight travel vest for men
- Tortuga: best vests for travel
- Wandertooth: men's travel vests with hidden pockets
- Wearify: travel vest roundup
- Techlicious: are RFID wallets worth it?
- TSA: liquids rule
- CPSC SaferProducts.gov
Frequently asked questions
What's a good alternative to a ScotteVest?
The Rothco Undercover is the closest match for less money: about 24 pockets, including a tablet pocket and cable ports, behind a plain front. For a classic visible-pocket vest, the Humvee 21-Pocket costs even less.
Can a travel vest get me past carry-on fees?
Sometimes. Wearing your gear can keep a bag under a strict personal-item limit, but airlines set their own rules and can count what you carry. Check your airline before you fly.
Do I need an RFID-blocking pocket?
Probably not. A security expert quoted by Techlicious says recorded RFID card theft is rare because a reader must be within inches and card data is encrypted. It's a minor extra, mainly for passports.
Are travel vests warm enough for winter?
Most aren't. Typical pocket vests are thin shells for mild weather. Quilted or fleece vests add warmth, and a packable puffer works as a light layer under a coat.
Can I wash a travel vest in a machine?
Most ScotteVest vests are machine washable, per the maker. Some others, like the Bluffworks Horizon, should hang dry. Empty every pocket first.
Is the AyeGear V26 still sold?
Not at the moment. It's unavailable, so we removed it. The Rothco Undercover is a good replacement if you want lots of hidden pockets for less money.
