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Gone are the days when thieves could spot a tourist in a safari-looking travel vest! Today’s stylish travel vests are anti-theft products.
At first glance, they look like attractive windbreakers, but underneath the material, you can pack away passports, tickets, and cards protected by RFID technology—ideal travel gear for minimalist travel.
Here’s an up-to-date guide to the best travel vests with pockets for both men and women. Keep reading for a comparison table, factors to consider before buying, and six of the best lightweight travel vests on the market.
Best Travel Vests with Pockets Comparison Table
Choosing Your Travel Vest
Consider the following factors before buying your travel vest/gilet/windbreak.
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Materials
In warmer climates, your vest needs to be comfortable and breathable. Sweat is not sexy! It also helps if the vest can be washed in sinks and dried without wrinkles.
You can expect the top brands to offer a travel vest with a hidden pockets option so you can store your personal belongings close to you. Some even swap the day bag for a travel vest.
Zips tend to be preferred over velcro fastenings for extra protection and coverage, although velcro allows faster removal.
Lightweight
Go for a lightweight material that makes packing the travel vest in your day bag or carry-on luggage easier.
Airlines are becoming stricter on how much you can pack in your cabin bag; a lighter material will mean you can pack more.
Even better, wear the travel vest in transit and have your personal belongings close to your heart, literally!
Waterproof
Keep your back and chest dry with a waterproof travel vest.
It’s no fun trying to dry travel gear on small hotel heaters! A fast-drying travel vest will solve this.
RFID Protected
It’s not just pickpockets that are the issue in travel crime, today more established thieves can swipe our data from our bank cards and the like.
RFID travel products prevent these scams from happening.
Inside Pockets
The best thing about using a vest during your travels is the ability to hide your items.
A pickpocket in Barcelona attempted to get into Craig’s front pocket, but luckily, he was wearing a vest, and his wallet and phone were hidden inside.
Our Facebook community warned us about the high number of pickpocketing incidents in the city, so we were pleased to escape that situation with a positive story to share!
Aesthetics
You don’t want to look like you are going fishing when we are gallery visiting in Florence!
The way the travel vest looks is essential. Consider the style, the colour/color, and most importantly, the fit.
Travel Vest Review
1. SCOTTeVEST Travel Vest
- Weight: Featherweight
There is no denying that SCOTTeVEST is the Mercedes of the travel vest market, and with good reason, too.
The main material is treated Teflon, making it breathable but rain-repellent.
There are 26 pockets on the SCOTTeVEST Featherweight for both men and women vests.
You can tuck away phones (inside pocket), wallets, keys, one pocket with an extendable holder, sunglasses (front pocket), small cameras, and even tablets via a large inside pocket.
Ideal for moving through airport customs efficiently.
Interestingly, women’s multi-pocket vests tend to have fewer pockets; SCOTTeVest has not discriminated against the ladies!
With SCOTTeVEST’s patented Personal Area Network (PAN), you can discreetly listen to music or speak on your phone via earphones.
PAN allows you to hide cables within the jacket.
This is especially handy if you need to charge a phone via a battery pack; we recommend the Anker battery charger US / UK, as it stores two charges worth of energy.
RFID-protected pockets are especially for credit cards, blocking 13.56 MHz frequencies.
SCOTTeVEST has dominated the market since the Millennium and one of the features that fans enjoy most is the weight management system, which distributes the weight evenly across the garment.
In saying that, you don’t want to overload the vest, or you will be weighed down while sightseeing.
With just the necessities required for trekking, SCOTTeVests would make great hiking vests with pockets.
This is the leading brand on the market regarding vests, so let’s see if there are any SCOTTeVest alternatives!
- Pros: 26 pockets, RFID technology.
- Cons: Avoid packing too much for walking.
2. Bluffworks Oslo Vest (Men)
Woohoo! Our beloved Bluffworks has expanded beyond travel suits (read our travel pants review here).
Their newest travel product is the Horizon Oslo Vest.
This is the best-looking travel vest in our review, and it is best suited to those who like to look sharp during their travels.
Travel vests with inside pockets don’t have to look stuffy; the navy and black Olso Bluff vests are aesthetically pleasing.
Craig likes to match his vest with a plaid shirt or plain t-shirt.
This vest is his go-to transit coat, offering natural water resistance.
The main shell material is quick-drying polyester, making it machine washable.
This lightweight travel vest has five hidden pockets; the largest pocket fits a large phone.
Guess what? We had an attempted pickpocket situation in Barcelona.
As we entered the metro, a man stood up quickly just before the doors closed and brushed past Craig.
A local behind Craig nudged him to tell him that the pickpocket tried to get into his pocket.
God bless the travel vest!
Craig had his phone and wallet tucked into the INSIDE pockets, so there was nothing for the pickpocket to get.
The vest closes via a zipper, keeping those internal pockets safe.
The collar stands up to give it that sophisticated look.
It can be worn on top of shirts or under a suit jacket, like the ridiculously stylish yet practical Gramercy Blazer, which is perfect for travel.
This is an all-year-round winner and a stylish summer vest with pockets.
- Pros: Stylish, quilted, lightweight.
- Cons: Men only.
» See here to shop for Bluffworks Oslo Vest «
3. 3,000ft
- Weight: Unknown, but reviews state it is lightweight
A celebrated cheaper alternative to the SCOTTeVEST is the 33,000ft travel vest for men US / UK and women US / UK.
The material is 100% polyester and machine washable.
This vest is aimed at shoppers who want a windproof, lightweight vest that will keep them warm and dry.
The outer material is said to repel water.
There are two internal pockets on the 3,000ft, two exterior hand pockets, one large zip pocket at the back, and a chest pocket, which fits all the usual travel items.
There is an extensive range of shades to choose from, so if you like the 33,000 ft vest, you can buy additional ones.
- Pros: Economical, water resistant.
- Cons: Some report runs small.
4. BALEAF
- Weight: Unknown, but reviews state it is lightweight
One of the newest travel vests is the BALEAF US / UK for women.
Its sleek design offers a neat, slim-fit look over a shirt or long-sleeved top.
Similar to the 30,000ft vest, the material is 100% polyester and machine washable.
The vest collar zips high against the neck to keep breezes out.
There are two utility pockets with zippers outside and two inside pockets to secure valuables, which are ideal for hiking.
Customers like that the vest has discreet drawstrings on the inside.
The vest comes in mostly neutral tones with a few brighter options for bolder shoppers.
- Pros: Attractive.
- Cons: Marketed for women.
5. North Face
North Face is a brand used for weekend gear and travel.
Always slick, the Thermoball Vest (men US / UK and women US / UK) is good-looking and stylish.
This down vest has the North Face trademark quilted squares, which sit flat, so don’t make you look big and bulky.
It comes with large pockets for storage, although these are not discreet or RFID like the SCOTTeVest.
There are over 25 shades and designs, including camouflage and classic navy.
Windproof and water-resistant, the Thermoball runs a little on the large size.
- Pros: Stylish.
- Cons: Runs big.
» » Buy man US / UK and woman US / UK « «
6. Allegra K Quilted Gilet
The Allegra K Women’s Gilet Jacket Stand Collar Lightweight Quilted Zip Vest US / UK is a popular choice for a ladies’ vest.
It is marketed more as a fashion item than travel, but reviews say it is well made and of good quality for the price.
It comes in various shades, including baby blue and pale pink.
The quilted vest has a silver zipped front and two zipped pockets.
- Pro: Lots of shades.
- Cons: USA true to size, UK mixed reviews for sizing.
» » Buy Allegra K Women’s Gilet US / UK ««
7. Little Donkey Andy Men’s Lightweight Softshell Vest
Readers have purchased this vest for its windproof capabilities, making it a good contender for hiking, running, and golfing.
This Little Donkey men’s vest US / UK is also water repellent.
It has three layers.
The surface is treated to repel water; the middle layer is breathable and made from a waterproof TPU membrane, while the outer layer is made from synthetic polyester.
There are three external pockets.
According to customers, the vest runs small, so consider going up a size if purchasing.
It is lightweight at 10.09 ounces.
- Pros: Waterproof
- Cons: No inside pocket
» » Buy Little Donkey Vest for Men US / UK ««
Final Words
Travel vests have moved on vastly from the stuffy old beige safari-looking days! Now, there is not only a choice of shades but also seasons.
You can pack as little or as much as you can carry and use the travel vest to move swiftly through security and safely through cities.
Which travel vest do you prefer? Tell us below.
Thanks for the useful review – can I ask your advice?
My husband is tall (6ft 3) – which travel vest would you recommend?! We will be travelling for three months and he will have to keep three passports, plus money and phone in his vest (gilet!).
I am 5’8 and a size 12, will need to keep three passports, plus money, phone, notebook in mine.
At the moment veering towards Scottevest and Ayegear, but have seen a review saying the Ayegear is short. Also like the Bluffworks but think it may be more for everyday than for travel?
thanks so much, Clarey
Gilet! Craig always slags me for calling it that. Ok, so the Bluffworks is what Craig wears on every trip. He now has the blue and the black and he was not a ‘vest’ person before. It is really nice and tidy on, very modern. Looks great with a tartan shirt underneath. Craig is 5ft 9 and wears Bluffworks XS but he is really thin [not by choice!]
ScotteVest are the first and still industry leaders. There’s no vest for women for Bluffworks so why not get one Bluff [men] and one Scottevest [w]?
Let me know how you get on!
Great thanks! Do you buy the Bluffworks directly from US or is there a UK distributor (can’t find one)?
It’s the just US, unfortunately! Might be best SCOTTeVEST x 2 then. This is their page direct [not Amazon] – SCOTTeVEST, there’s a massive Black Friday deal on.