EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

anybody know of a vest that is cut proof been catching alot of bad hogs lately and i done owned every cut vest there is to buy so called the best and top of the line and supposedly cut proof but aint none of it true to me.Im trying to get a few more years out of my dog cause it's hard to find a well-mannered catch dog. i turn loose pretty close for every bay pretty much lookin at the hog every time and a straight ear dog and they still cutting my vest like a rag. im running that new vest with the impact gel from razorback outfitters and it aint worth a flip on a bad hog.Any other types to recommend let me know.

Have you tried a breast plate from L3 Outdoors?  They are very nice.

Dont think you are gonna find a cut proof vest. I think the purpose of the vest is to minimize the impact and be resistant...not necessarily cut proof....but giving the dog flexability and movement. If you find something cut proof....it will hinder your dogs movement and probably be extremely hot...both being deadly for your dog.

I have had good luck with uglydog and cazadores.

Really like my ugly dog

Exactly on nothing cut proof! I'm all about lightweight and something that can breath and move and the dogs can swim in. That why I like anything that's made out of ballistic nylon. Armadillo is nice cause it's all 1682 ballistic nylon and you can wash it and it breaths really good.  Those Duncan vest are made out of seat belts which is ballistic nylon compressed hard together which is a plus too. On the catch dogs I feel you can make them less breath and add more material since there not running miles like my bay dogs. Also I've learned to not tighten my dogs vest to tight and let them be loose a little.

Vince

i have noticed a loose vest helps too. I make sure it is tight around there neck and that the last strap is tigh. that way its not such a solid hit when they take one.

Here a good post by someone about vests.

"Here is some information I posted on another thread last month talking about vests, their is and always is vest questions going on different hog dog forums, If you want feedback from others using over long time frame, use the "search" option on this forum and others and read up on what folks have to say. However you can't just walk into a sporting goods store and expect to have people with knowledge explain the differences between one vest over another, they don't have the knowledge to know, some places do carry dog supplies, but only know what the wholesaler tells them about them. If you are in Houston drive to Halletsville,Tx take your dog inside and try the vests on your dogs and get informed about the difference in price and purpose and please read the following that I wrote about this last month. ----


Claims that wearing one vest over another vest will prevent overheating are BS. Any dog can overheat under the right circumstances with or without a vest.

You are talking about Hunting Hogs, meaning it is unpredictable any time you turn your dog loose.

Facts:
There are about ten companies manufacturing vests. many more selling the same patterns with other names on them. The pattern and individual fit per individual dog are going to determine the range of mobility the dog has. Out of the vests available there are only 3 patterns I would even consider putting on any of my dogs.

Then you must understand the materials the vests are made from. Most people don't know the difference between Kevlar, Turtleskin, Ballistic Nylon or Cordula, and many different grades of those materials.

The sad part is most the people selling the vests don't understand how they work for hog dogs either, they are just trying to make a buck.

You may have a lesser vest that never gets cut through, then the next have one of the high quality vests get a poke through, in your mind the one that did not get cut is better, and that is not the way it works, just because the same dog did not catch the same hog, or stay caught the same amount of time all factor in the way the vest performed.
You cannot compare Apples to Oranges .


I have two types of vests that go on my dogs PERIOD. They are two different patterns (but similar) very similar materials Cordula Nylon (also known as Ballistic depending on who is blowing the BS your way) and Kevlar core.

Do my dogs overheat? NOPE, that is not because of the vest ,it is because of the way I handle my dogs, knowledge and experience help prevent this

Is IT ALWAYS Avoidable? NOPE, that is a risk you take turning your dog loose, sometimes things just happen like the hog breaking, say your prayers before you hunt.

Do the Vests Protect My dogs? Absolutely

Have my dogs ever been cut wearing a vest? Yes, they have, but the vest saved their lives 100 times over what the minimal damage the dog received in comparison to having to replace a dog, or the VET bills and down time for a dog to recover. My dogs have never recieved a life threatening injury wearing the vests.

How do I substantiate the claims I make? The proof is always in the Puddin. I have been using the very same vest for years, we recently have only added one new vest to our gear, same manufacture and materials as our older vests, but still use the same vests as we used to sell.
Here is the best proof I have to offer Captain Morgan 10 years old, Lucy Lou 7 Years old, Cotton 4 years old, Xerox 3.5 years old, Smoochy 3 years Old, these dogs were raised from pups here and are still here. all these dogs wear/wore the same vests and and are still protecting my catchdogs., and will for several more years. These vests are used several times a week year round.

Do the math yourself, but in my book it comes out about $50 a year or less to buy the best & keep my dogs safe, when I can get a few years out of the same vest . I don't know about yall but that is awful reasonable in my mind.

How Do Would I Go About Keeping my dogs from Injuries? Stay out of the woods!

I have seen people trying to find gear to cover all areas of the dog, this just gets ridiculous.
The more areas you cover on your dog, the more risk you put your dog in for not being able to move and take care of himself. I have seen dogs get put down on the ground by a hog and the not not be able to get his feet under him because the owner put too much on the dog where he was unable to move. Small/tight leg holes and vests that are too long on the body, hinder the dogs mobility.

A lot of people put the vest on their dogs and tighten them all the way up. That is like putting a straight jacket on your dog and telling him to go to work. One thing air can't circulate building heat, and two the can't get out of a bind when it gets down, Nor can it sit or lay with out cutting off circulation in its belly area.

By the way vests don't breathe. Anybody claiming that, well more BS. Most materials are coated for water protection and don't allow air to flow, and then when its layered. NO AIR at all goes through. The only air circulation is going to be through the air being able to flow between your dog and the vest.

The vests you see on dogs in Pen Work don't have to be the real deal. They only have to work for a few minutes at a time, so therefore most hold up and do the job well. When you are looking at a vest that will be on a dog for hours at a time, The Fit of the vest will be seriously more important in an uncontrolled environment, like in the woods.

If you want Guarantees - Buy Insurance

If want a vest to last and protect your dog, don't buy something with plastic buckles or cheap materials.
Just like trying to buy a good dog, look for something proven and tested. Anybody that can sew can make a vest, but experience puts quality materials with quality craftsmanship, then puts it to the test of time, and produces a quality product."

excellent post by TCB-Vince...thought I would bring it back to the top...

when looking at the big picture we realize that sometimes less is more...

we can fully cover the dog in a heavy vest and collar and the dog loses mobility and can drown if getting in the river after a hog...not to mention that the dog can over heat...especially an this time of the year...

Nothing is impenetrable but o strongly recomend hardcore vest the toughest ive run and way lighter then p&p

Do y'all also use them on your bay dogs?

I run bay vest on all my main strike dogs the youngh ones have to earn it first though my tri colored lacy got here first cut lacy man at 5 1/2 mths she's as crazy as can be call me up and ill shoot u a pic I lost ur #  got a new phone

some vests can breath, buddies got one that has small holes made all through out it with metal rings around em.. bout the same size holes as the ones on cowboy hats maybe just alittle bigger and it just goes back little past the front shoulders.. good little vest

I will be using the eyelets for my strike dogs just for the same reasons...light weight, cool, and the ability to breath, and the dog must be able to move freely...

I will be using the eyelets for my strike dogs just for the same reasons...light weight, cool, and the ability to breath, and the dog must be able to move freely...
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thats the word for it lol i couldnt think of it.. i use it on my cd