Rothco Undercover Travel Vest - Lightweight Tactical Concealed Carry Vest for Outdoor, Hiking & Travel | Durable & Comfortable for Men & Women

Okay, after much handwringing, research and consideration, I pushed the "go" button and bought the Rothco Undercover Travel Vest, 3XL Black, choosing it over half a dozen models, versions and brands. My major consideration was 1) size and B) cheapness.Allow me to 'splain ....I am, to put it delicately, a portly fellow, having spent too much time behind a desk the last ten years of my career. I am now a happily retired adventurer, traveling the world (at least in my part of the world) and enjoying time on the road, the trail and wherever my little mind takes me. Having carried way too much gear in my previous life, I like traveling light, in a minimalist style, if you will. A vest with many pockets is a helpful tool, which needs no explanation if you've read this far. My thing is, I wanted one that was simple in style, low profile and didn't scream "LOOK AT ME!!! I'M CARRYING A LOT OF EXPENSIVE CRAP THAT MOVES FAST ON THE BLACK MARKET!!!" Or even worse, make you look like an Ernest Hemingway or Hunter Thompson poser.I also needed something that would accommodate my girth and didn't require me spending my son's inheritance to fund. And let's face it, us Plus Size folks don't have a lot of options, even though we all have lives to live and money to spend on clothes and gear, so kudos to Rothco for thinking "big." (As the kids say today, "See what I did there?")The Rothco Undercover Travel Vest, 3XL Black seemed to fill the bill. It has plenty of pockets, is low profile and it is inexpensive but not cheaply made. It also looks pretty good on my Rubenesque frame, which makes my spouse happy. Combine this with a cool button up shirt from Columbia or Gander mountain and you're ready to tackle the TSA and fight that old lady who took your aisle seat on the plane. Wear it with a nice white dress shirt and gray or black trousers and you'll be mistaken for someone who thinks he knows how to dress himself. Black is the new black, so it goes with pretty much everything, particularly in an urban environment, on airlines, at dinner, on a cruise, etc. I may get another Rothco Undercover Travel Vest, 3XL Black, only in Khaki rather than Black, for forays into the wilderness, nature hikes and visits to Cold Stone Creamery.Construction is nice, materials are nice and the design is pretty nice. There is no fancy wiring system for your headphones or a kevlar superstructure to support your laptop or MP5K and Glock. What you get is a handy, stylish garment that will carry pretty much everything you need for a walk in the woods or a day at the museum ... short of a full-on DSLR and 1000mm lens or a sniper rifle. This is not a $250+ vest, but it is pretty nice considering the price point. I can live with that.PLUSES are the pockets themselves. They are plentiful and well thought out in their arrangement and are discrete. When I was in the army I used to stuff the pockets of my uniform with enough crap to get me through a training exercise or mission without too much whining and crying; think knife, spare knife, multi-tool, another spare knife, stripped down MRE, flashlight, spare flashlight, simple first aid kit, another spare flashlight, hygiene stuff, triangle bandage (aka "doo-rag"), wallet, passport, map, notebook (paper not a freakin' computer!), pen, Sharpie, duct tape, another knife and flashlight, etc. But I ain't in the service no more and I don't wanna look like I was, Or like I think I was.Anywhooooo ... I especially like the subtle chest pocket (handy for your smart phone or your PPK) and slash pockets (gotta put your hands somewhere while you're waiting for your wife to tell you which vendor at the food court she wants to try out); they are barely noticeable, which I think is cool. The interior pockets easily secure your passport, wallet and other travel documents, but still remain accessible. I won't carry a laptop or tablet in a vest, but sometimes I might want my Kindle or even a paperback book (if I really want to freak someone out!). I also like keeping handy a small flashlight (okay, and maybe an even smaller spare), a pen and small note pad, maybe a spare lens and battery for my camera if the occasion arises. The same for handi-wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, first aid items, etc. again, if it's called for. A vest like this gives me the option of not carrying my "man purse" if I'm on a day tour and don't want the extra weight. It also allows me to keep the "ten essentials" for hiking in austere locations (Google this if you don't know what that is) on my person when that's appropriate.CONS are minor. The material is a wider weave that I expected and I wonder how easy it will be to keep clean (sand and dirt on black ... ewww!!! Maybe I should have gotten the khaki.) Only time will tell. I'm off on an adventure presently and so I'll try to post an update regarding wear and tear. Also -- and I'm being REALLY picky -- the pulls on the zippers are teeny tiny and I sometimes have to dig for them. That's bad if I need to access my emergency granola bar in a hurry, but it's a good thing if you're worried about pickpockets stealing your snacks.All in all, I think it's worth the money. It fits me and looks nice and carries everything I need for an adventure or just a drive to visit my mother. I held off on the extra star because it's pretty nice but didn't quite blow me away. (Maybe if it was made of microfiber rather than cotton? Would that make it more 'spensive? I dunno, you tell me.) But that's all right. I am a happy camper. And like I said, I may get another. Unless something better (for the $$$) comes along.It was hotNeed to order size up or double size up very slim fit ,great mobility is not a plusThere are too many pockets very useful.I can’t speak to the utility of the vest but the design is terrible. It’s like they didn’t realize that people need to wear it in public. I tried it on and was immediately horrified by how I look. The shoulders don’t taper down from the neck at all and just stick out straight. There are a good 2 inches between my shoulders and the “sleeves” of the vest. It is similar for the stomach. It hangs out a good 6+ inches off of my stomach. There is no way I can wear this in public.I returned this because the large was too big for me, seemed to be an extra large size and then some.Quality looked good except the zipper was hard to open and got caught on the fabricI absolutely love this vest. I work in a place where they don’t allow phones because they know for a fact the machinery isn’t properly operated and they don’t want people to know about it on the outside, and this vest has so many secret pockets that hide my phone well. If I put it into a pocket, you would have to be looking directly at the pocket containing my phone in order to barely see the outline of it. The only bad thing about this purchase is the chest pocket and the right front pocket both are ripped on the inside not allowing me to use them without my item(s) falling into the internal parts of the vest. Kinda disappointed about those but still a great product. P.S. as mentioned by another customer, the black vest is a HEAVY lint magnet. After 1 day of use (today), my vest started looking a bit white. P.P.S I’m 226 lbs 5’11.5 tall and the extra large fits PERFECT for me. It’s not small, it’s not big, it’s just a snug fit.Love this vest and wear it all the time. My concealed pistol never shows and people do not even know you are carrying. Has plenty of room to hold whatever you need plus extra clips. This is my new favorite concealed carry vest.I liked the look of this vest for travel purposes, so I ordered according to their size guide getting an XL. I am 6 foot tall and 97kgs so this seemed the appropriate size. Well it arrived and it was way too large for me, very baggy indeed so I returned it immediately. I just wish these providers would get their sizing right - how about actually getting someone to measure the item to accurately reflect the real size. Would save us a lot of time and effort returning stuff. Nuff said.Very good product ! I would just like to make a correction : the pockets are all good and deep. My only issue is that the material would have been much better if it was 97 % polyester and 3 % spandex !!! Hopefully the manufacturer will check out this fabric and make a even better vest . I would pay more to have superior fabric. Ie- like Eddie Bauer Atlas / Travex vest.Exactly what I wanted for early fall and late spring. Three useful pockets in front for phone, papers and car remote. Seems well made. Should offer a navy option.I bought this vest to carry a couple of GoPro cameras, extra batteries, wallet, passport, etc. when traveling around Belize making my folkart films Youtube video 'Making Belize'. I found it did the job well, was light and comfortable and looked good! [...]Needs an elastic in the waist as it fits quite large even over a n additional layer of clothing.I'm going to modify it myself as it does have great application for traveling and events where I carry extra 'stuff'