TideWe Review: StrutBack Turkey Vest

• Excellent price point ($140)
• Great ‘pocket placement’
• Kickstand style backrest; detachable
• Breathable design offers good air flow/circulation
• Integral / concealable blaze orange chevron on back
• Magnetic closure pot call pouches (2 / lower right side)
• Strong zippers feature circular pulls for ease of use with gloves
• Soft ‘silent’ fabric
• Plenty of pockets, pouches, and shotshell loops
• Thick waterproof seat pad

• A bit heavy (with Kickstand) at almost 8 pounds empty
• Sixteen (16) shotshell loops seems a little much to me, but that’s just nit-picky

There’s a lot going on with the StrutBack Vest, so let’s take it piece by piece.

The key feature of the StrutBack is, without question, the Kickstand style backrest. The rest, for those perhaps not familiar, is to provide back support in those set-up situations where the traditional tree isn’t available, e.g. a field edge, fenceline, or any sort of open terrain. The Strutback comes to your door in two parts – the vest, and the powder-coated tubular aluminum kickstand frame. Using the enclosed instructions, it took me just a couple minutes to work the frame into the upper vest pocket before fastening the four hook-and-loop wraps to secure it tightly. Done!

In the ‘open’ position, the kickstand extends a full eight (8) inches to the rear, providing plenty of stable support. At the base of each leg, large (3” by 3”) swivel ‘feet’ provide even more stability, as well as helping prevent the feet from sinking into soft ground. Finally, and at the touch of a spring-loaded tab, the legs extend an additional 6.75 inches independent of one another, thus making the challenge of setting up on uneven ground less…well, of a challenge.

To put it simply, the kickstand works as intended, and those hunters who frequent treeless or the aforementioned open ground should find it not only comes in quite handy, but fast and easy to deploy.

Moving to the interior of the StrutBack, the first thing I noticed is the ample padding; that is, that portion of the interior vest that rests against your back is well padded and channeled, per se, so as to allow for the maximum amount of air flow. In keeping with this concept of maximum air circulation, the sides of the vest are mesh rather than solid non-breathable fabric, as is typical with most. The righthand mesh side features a draw-string closure pouch meant, I would imagine, for a 12- to 16-ounce water bottle or similar hydration container. Finally, the waist (belly) strap and buckle, a nice addition by the way, is built into the back of the vest, where it can either be conveniently used or secured in place.

The inside lower left features a 6” by 12” zippered compartment below two separate button-up pockets meant, judging from their size, to hold diaphragm (reed) calls. On the lower right, another pair of diaphragm pockets above two 6” by 6” zippered pouches. Both right and left lowers are attached to the well-padded shoulder straps by adjustable quick-clip buckles; also, there’s an adjustable sternum (chest) strap. The shoulder straps each sport two molle-style attachments, as well as a hydration tube clip. On top of each shoulder, quick-clips hold the detachable game bag secure. And on top, a dedicated sturdy handle, something you don’t normally find on a turkey vest. Good call, TideWe!

Starting on the outside lower left, there’s a large 9” by 9” zippered pocket containing eight (8!!) shotshell loops. My thought is three or four per side would have been plenty; however, some hunters might feel better with more. Underneath the large pocket, there’s another horizontal compartment, this one access by a 6” vertical zipper located between the belly buckles. The lower right finishes with a 5” by 8” semi-circular zipper pouch with three striker loops alongside an open box call pocket.

The outside lower right is identical beneath; however, the front features a horizontal box call slip on top, with a pair of magnetic closure pot call pouches below, each of which has an elastic-topped mesh compartment ideal, I would think, for diaphragm calls or pot call conditioning tools, e.g. sandpaper, Scotch Brite pads, or chalk.

From top to bottom, the rear of the StrutBack is similarly loaded with features. There’s the previously mentioned handle, a definite ‘pro’ element. Below that, a 9” wide by 10” deep hook-and-loop secured pocket can be used to hold a hydration system. A large blood-proof game bag attaches to the top of the shoulder straps via quick-clips, and offers ample space for either the biggest Eastern gobbler or a large lunch! Interestingly, the game bag includes two 2” in-sewn magnets, one on either side, designed, I’m assuming, to hold the bag tight against the metal kickstand frame so it (the bag) doesn’t ‘bellow out’ when you’re moving from place to place. Finally, and just above the TideWe emblem on the game bag, a 6” by 6” flip-top pocket holds a blaze orange fabric chevron meant as a safety feature to be deployed when transporting a harvest gobbler from the field.

All in all, I’m a fan of what TideWe’s done with the StrutBack. I don’t often have call to use a feature like the Kickstand rest, opting in most instances to ‘go traditional’ and sit at the base of an oak, even if it means investing another minute or two in my set-up. That said, I can see where the Kickstand would come in awfully handy, not to mention being lightning fast, especially in some of the open ground common in parts of the American West and Plains States. Yes, she’s a touch on the heavy side, thanks to the namesake frame; however, the ‘pros’ far outweigh a couple extra pound when you consider everything the StrutBack brings to the positive side of the table.