Final Rise Summit XT Strap Vest

Editor's Personal Pick — This is gear our editor carries afield.

Editor's pick: the strap vest our editor has hunted in for three seasons, and was glad to get a second time.

Why we picked this

Our editor has hunted in an earlier-generation Summit XT, in coyote brown, for the past three seasons, and this fall he got a second one. Before Final Rise he wore an old Filson strap vest. A full day working a pheasant field in it left him short on water and pockets, with a sore lower back, because a vest with no hip belt hangs everything from your shoulders. Three things put him in the XT: a weight-bearing waist belt with lumbar support, thin unpadded shoulder straps that stay out of the gun mount, and MOLLE webbing that lets the vest change with the hunt. It was a toss-up with the Hunt Redi Deviate; the padded belt and lumbar support, praised in the owner feedback he could find, decided it.

Quick specs

• Category: Vests

• Brand: Final Rise

• Style: Strap vest with a weight-bearing waist belt and MOLLE webbing

• Game bag: Structured, with a G-Hook closure; converts to an emergency dog carrier

• Hydration: Two bottle holders with two 32-oz bottles included; takes a vertical or lumbar bladder

• Weight: 3.2 lb

• Sizes: Belt S (22–27 in.), M/L (28–43 in.), XL/XXL (44–60 in.); torso under or over 20 in.

• Color options: Coyote Brown with Ranger, Black, or Blaze (the Blaze version carries 400 sq in of orange)

• Made in: USA (hand-sewn; 1000D Cordura)

• Price: $350 (Final Rise list price, October 2026)

• Use case: Long upland days where water is the heaviest thing you carry

• Editor's verdict: Three seasons in, still great.

The full review

The strap vest is older than Final Rise; Filson and Boyt have made versions for decades. The classic design hangs everything from the shoulder straps: water, shells, and birds. That's fine near the truck. In California, where water is the heaviest thing in the vest and the walks are long, it's the design's weak point.

The Summit XT moves that load to a contoured, weight-bearing waist belt, so the water and birds ride on your hips. The shoulder straps are thin, unpadded webbing. Padding on a strap sits where the gunstock wants to go, and these stay out of the way when our editor mounts his Browning Citori 12-gauge. MOLLE webbing runs across the belt, the straps, the sides of the game bag, and the outside of the shell pockets, so pouches go where you want them and come off when you don't need them.

Compared with Final Rise's standard Summit, the XT adds full 1000D Cordura construction, magnetic shell-pocket closures, the exterior MOLLE webbing, an internal Velcro point in each shell pocket for modular shell loops, and built-in jacket lashes. The game bag is structured, so it keeps its shape whether it's empty or carrying a limit. It also converts into an emergency dog carrier: the dog's torso goes between the panels, the bag closes, and it connects back to the harness. Our co-writer Peter tested his in a park with Alan, his English cocker, and it worked great, apart from getting Alan to cooperate.

What we love

• The weight-bearing waist belt and lumbar support — the load rides on your hips, which is where the all-day comfort comes from.

• Thin, unpadded straps — nothing in the way when the gun comes up.

• MOLLE everywhere — the vest changes with the hunt instead of being replaced.

• Emergency dog carry — the game bag converts, so an injured dog can be walked out.

• Three seasons, no wear spot — our editor hasn't found one yet.

What to know before you buy

• It's not cheap — $350 at Final Rise's list price. The standard Summit drops the 1000D Cordura, the magnetic closures, and the exterior MOLLE webbing for a little less (goHUNT lists it at $315).

• Setup takes time — the belt, the strap midpoints, and the rear attachments all have to be dialed in.

• Size by belt and torso — Final Rise sizes the belt (S, M/L, XL/XXL) and the torso (under or over 20 inches). The belt only bears the load if it sits on your hips, so measure first.

• The lumbar pad changed — earlier XTs had a single fixed lumbar pad; current ones are two-piece, with more room to adjust for girth.

• Watch the Velcro edge — the edge of the Velcro on the shell pocket can irritate your hand where it rubs; trimming it smooths it out.

• Orange is a separate version — the Ranger and Black colorways carry no orange; the Blaze version adds 400 square inches of it.

Where to buy

• Buy direct from Final Rise (brand-direct)

California Upland doesn't earn a commission on these links.

See also

• All Vests picks