A newcomer to the upland gear scene, Final Rise was founded by chukar hunting nut and MtnOps VP of Marketing and Sales Matt Davis. Using years of experience of using other vests, the best bits of technology from the backpacking sector, and lightweight yet durable material Matt produced the Final Rise vest which he and his wife sew in their Utah home. It utilizes PALS webbing to create a base for mounting pouches, bottle holders, and really any other accessory you can think of.
The vest comes with two ammo dump pouches, bottle holders, and an oversized game bag with an internal pocket for holding a hydration bladder. I’ve found that early in the season I like to run a 3 liter hydration bladder along with the bottles for maximum water for both me and my dogs, but pare down to just the bottles for late season when snow flies and birds are more mature. The more load you put in the bag, simply adjust the waist strap as you would a backpack and make sure the straps are square on your chest with the sternum clip, and the tension is relieved on your shoulders. I’ve taken the vest to 13,000 foot tall mountains looking for ptarmigan, to the vast badlands of North Dakota for Sharptails, and to not-quite-Kansas looking for Bobwhite and pheasants. It’s a system that can be changed around but is excellent overall for the bird hunter who wants a lightweight customizable vest option that’s rugged to boot — $300.
