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After wearing, testing, and fishing the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest, we bring you this full hands-on review.
Finding a piece of budget fly fishing gear that exceeds expectations is what anglers want. For many pieces of equipment, we choose to make a large investment, but not everyone’s budget allows for all high-end gear.
Table of Contents
- Fly Fishing Vest & Pack Reviews
- About the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
- Build and Construction of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
- Fly Fishing Vests & Packs
- Pockets & Storage
- Waders & Boot Reviews
- Features
- Watch the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest Review Video
- Price of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
- The Overall Fit & Adjustability
- Cons of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
- Waders
- My Personal Thoughts and Opinions about the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
Fly fishing vests are one place many anglers hope to find a quality vest that’s within a smaller budget. The Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest is one of those vests that far exceed expectations despite the low price.
In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into the vest, its quality, its features, the price, the overall fit, the cons, as well as some of my personal thoughts.
We purchased the vest ourselves, so there is no bias within this review. Plus, at Into Fly Fishing, we pride ourselves on being honest and accurate regardless of whether or not a company chooses to send us something.
Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
Order the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest on Amazon.
→ Don’t Miss Our Full List of The Best Fly Fishing Vests in 2023
About the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
The Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest is available on Amazon for around $35 depending on the color or any promotions. It definitely is in the budget category in terms of fly fishing vests. However, it still is made with quality materials.
The reviews on Amazon are high with over 1,200 people giving it an average of 4.6 out of 5. This is why we chose to order it and test it, so you guys can see if it’s worth the hype and the money.
Build and Construction of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
The Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest has the quality anglers want. Even with the low price, Kylebooker did not skimp on the materials. The zippers, pockets, and gear loops are able to withstand plenty of wear and tear for multiple seasons.
Materials
The vest is made of both polyester and mesh. The front side of the vest is primarily polyester with some mesh pockets, and the back is entirely made of mesh. There are two layers of mesh on the back, so if you do happen to rip through one, you have another that’s going to keep you protected.
Zippers
The zippers on the Kylebooker Fishing Vest have leverage pulls. These make life easier on those days when your hands are cold or wet. Plus, the zippers are high quality and can withstand being stretched if the pockets are filled with gear.
Gear Loops
The gear loops on the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest have quality stitching that allows them to withstand the continual pull from tippet spools, sunglasses, forceps, and nippers. The D-ring on the back has two different seams, so anglers don’t have to worry about their net pulling it off the vest.
Pockets & Storage
There are 17 interior and exterior pockets on the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest.
On the outside of the front of the vest, anglers will find similar pockets on each side. At the top, anglers will find a water-resistant zippered pocket that’s a few inches deep. This pocket isn’t large enough to fit your phone, but it can store some smaller accessories.
As anglers work their way down the vest, they’ll find a protruding pocket that’s perfect for a medium-sized fly box standing vertically. There is plenty of room for this box, and it even has room for a smaller box if necessary.
On the front of that pocket, there is a smaller zippered pocket that can store leader, floatant, and other smaller accessories. The front of this pocket has a plastic sheet that will protect your gear in case of a fall. So, your fly boxes should be safe.
Near the middle zipper, you’ll find there’s a large zippered pocket that has plenty of room for your cell phone. Otherwise, a tall fly box will easily fit in here.
On the sides of the vest, there are small zippered pockets that would be perfect for your floatant tubes. You can store one on each side if needed.
On the back of the vest, there are two pockets. On the bottom of the backside, there’s a wide pocket that can easily fit a water bottle. Whether you’re carrying a plastic bottle or a Nalgene, there’s room for you to store it.
The other pocket on the back is a large pocket with button clasps. This is a pocket for anglers to put a rain jacket, layers they’ve removed, or even an extra fly rod. It’s a catch-all pocket perfect for the angler who carries a lot of gear.
On the inside of the vest, Kylebooker has done a nice job. There is a velcro pocket at the top that has plenty of room for a cell phone, snacks, or hats and gloves. On the bottom side of the inside panels, there is a zippered pocket. It’s actually split into two separate pockets that could store car keys and a fishing license.
Features
There are a few features on the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest that make it unique. The first feature is the styling of the pocket on the back of the vest. Instead of a traditional zippered pocket, this pocket has two snappable buttons that allow anglers to stuff even more gear on the inside of it.
Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
Order the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest on Amazon.
Another necessary feature of this vest is the large D-ring on the backside of it. This D-ring is double-stitched, so it’s going to stay in place with no fear of tearing. It’s the ideal place for anglers to attach their net.
One of the final unique features is the clip on the inside of the upper-left pocket. This clip is where most anglers would hang their tippet spools. Instead of a gear loop, anglers can snap their spools into the clip. It’s a small feature, but it does make life that much easier.
Watch the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest Review Video
Price of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
The Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest is going to cost anglers around $35. This is definitely on the more affordable side of fly fishing vests. For the amount of storage and quality of the vest, you’re getting a wonderful deal. Most other vests in this price range do not have the quality that the Kylebooker vest does.
The Overall Fit & Adjustability
The Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest has both adjustable waist and shoulder straps. The length can be adjusted anywhere from 20 inches to 24 inches via the shoulder straps. So, depending on how low you want your vest to sit, you can adjust it to make it work for you.
The waist straps can be adjusted to be anywhere from 40 inches to 61 inches, so anglers of all sizes are going to be able to make this fit for themselves. The straps can be tucked into the vest, so they aren’t in the way as you’re trying to move through tighter terrain and making your casts.
The vest is a comfortable fit. The shoulder straps are extremely comfortable and quite breathable. The polyester and mesh material don’t cut into your shoulders, and you won’t be feeling as if you’re sweating profusely throughout the day.
Cons of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
One of the primary cons of the Kyle Book Fly Fishing Vest is that the top pockets on the vest are quite shallow. The pockets would be a good place to store a cell phone or a fly box, but their shallowness of them makes it impossible. They would function well as a place to store leaders or other small accessories, but other than that, they aren’t an overly functional pocket.
Another con and it may not be a con for everyone, is that the front of the vest is essentially the same on both sides. Anglers aren’t going to get as much versatility as they may need or desire with the front pockets. All of the pockets are the same size, so gear storage can be a challenge if you have more than one or two larger items.
One final con of the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest is that it’s not as easy to adjust the length of the vest as some would like. It only can get to 24 inches long, so the taller anglers may find themselves with a bit shorter vest than they would like.
My Personal Thoughts and Opinions about the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
Overall, I would recommend the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest. The vest is comfortable and versatile and has essentially everything an angler would want for a day out on the water. For around $35, anglers are going to get a vest that’s going to last them multiple seasons.
One of the main things I like about the vest is the buttoned large pocket on the back of the vest. I like to be as prepared as possible while I’m fishing, so I either bring extra layers or want to have room in case I need to remove any.
Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest
Order the Kylebooker Fly Fishing Vest on Amazon.
When I’m fishing, I go far into the backcountry and always need some extra room for any gear I need. This vest is comfortable enough for me to hike on those warm days while still storing as much gear as I would like. Plus, I’m able to cinch it tight enough that it doesn’t get hung up when I’m hiking in those tighter conditions.
This pocket at the back has more than enough room to store a rain jacket, sweatshirt, and even some hat and gloves if needed. The opening on the sides is even a place where I could store an extra fly rod. It’s one of the more unique pockets I’ve seen on a fly vest.
The water bottle pocket on the back of the vest as well as the D-ring makes this a fully functional vest. There is little space wasted, so I appreciate that Kylebooker makes the most of the material.
Another thing I found to be useful was the gear hook on the inside of the left-side top pocket. My tippet spool is far easier to attach to a hook, so this small detail allows me to access my tippet spools quite a bit easier.
The number of gear loops, the quality of the vest, the ability to adjust the fit, and the overall comfort make this a hard vest to beat for around $35. In terms of all of the affordable vests we’ve reviewed, this is my favorite. It has everything I need to keep me comfortable and properly equipped for all of my fishing excursions.
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