Building A Cut Vest

[t-dog]

This has been the subject of discussion a few times lately between myself and some other hunters. Anybody that’s been around hog hunting for a while have seen the evolution of our cut vests.  I’m all about running vests on dogs that are going to catch out or are catch dogs. THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, TO EACH THEIR OWN. I still think our vests have room for improvement and in talking to to Cajun in his website post, it was evident that the changes I think need to be made are a possibility. Most of us live in the south where it’s pretty darn hot and the humidity is through the roof. Dogs don’t sweat through their skin like we do or a horse does on top of the fur coat they wear year around.  The more protection you put on them the more body heat that gets trapped in AND the more mobility they lose.  Think back to football pads. They started off small and light weight but didn’t render the necessary protection so they found material that was better for protection. In doing so the pads got bigger and bulkier. They became restrictive to the point that they players that needed to be agile couldn’t flex and bend where and when they needed to. So, they found better materials and started to down size to the point that some players don’t even look like they have shoulder pads on. Catch dogs need that same mobility and flexibility. The vest on the Kemmesabbe dog in Sweden is an example of lighter and more flexible. My other idea is the number of layers needed to provide protection. When a dog gets cut, we usually have to roll the hide around to see any muscle cuts. This is because the hide rolls when the hog hits it just the same as the vest when it’s hit.  I’ve had hogs cut all the way through the vest as most of you have. Knock on wood, I’ve never had a dog killed by getting cut through a vest or even seriously cut, but I have had a some minor skin cuts on pass throughs.  I believe this is because of the ability of the vest to flex and roll. I’m not sure so many layers are necessary to creat this deflection. The bay vests do the same thing with fewer layers. Yes you get more pass throughs so there is a limit. I really believe our American vests could benefit from materials like the Twaron material.  I believe like the Swedes in lighter and more mobile and I also believe like the Aussies in less coverage to prevent trapping in extra body heat. I recently had a vest modified and I really like it so far. The only thing that would make it better in my opinion is if it was still lighter and more flexible.  What are y’all’s thoughts?


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[Shotgun66]

Good topic T Dog. I think we would have a great appreciation for how effective vests are if we took the time to consider how many vet bills and dog lives they save. I always look at my vests after catching a boar with shanks and say “ vest did it’s job”. I feel like our American vests are durable and offer good protection. They fall short on heat management.
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I worry mostly about my catch dog overheating or drowning in a vest. I have thought about strategically punching or drilling 1/8” to 1/4” holes through one of my vests just to see if it would remain structurally sound enough to remain intact, deflect cuts, let out heat & water if needed. Maybe even put eyelets or grommets in the holes. I’m sure an accomplished vest maker could build one that would work. The labor cost would obviously go up but I would gladly pay it. Basically a “perforated “ vest.


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[Slim9797]

Anything but southern cross. That is all...


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[t-dog]

There are several brands out there and each brand has several styles. I’m VERY particular about the way a vest fits my dog. Every brand and every style aren’t the right fit for every dog. Example, I have two vests made by one company but two different styles. The medium vest was bought and fitted for my 90 pound catch dog. The large was for the 80 pounder. Both dogs move way better in the medium. The large restricts them a little through the shoulder where the medium allows good extension. 


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[HuntingHeritage]

 This is something I have some interest in, I have about 50 square feet of CUT-TEX pro material if anyone wants to work with it send me a message.

 https://cut-tex.com/

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h9csbLfcwA

[t-dog]

That’s pretty neat stuff


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[Judge peel]

I have had and used every style of vest I have always run very rough dogs. I put water and air holes in my vest. The bay dog vest I go to bout the ribs with a neck bib don’t like the collars attached. It hinders movement. On the catch dog vest I will have the vest few inches longer no leg flaps just adds weight and stiff ness they don’t work any way. I like a 3 layer vest it will stop 90% of damage. Bout the only thing that stops over heating is don’t run them when it’s hot. I hear lot of guys that put vest on a dog after they have hunted the dog for 4 yrs well guess what the dog is going to push just as hard as with no vest and get hot. It’s a fine line like keeping a woman happy you have to get it just right


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[jsh]

I have an old Hoot Gibson 4” sling strap cut collar for over 10 years - I still use it today.  Seems the older it gets, the tougher it gets. I put together a couple vests out of the material and custom made them to fit the dog.  I think I have a picture of the prototype. I need to do it again and take it to someone with an industrial sewing machine. Not a finished product obviously, my plott cross was wearing it in this pic and he moved very well.





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[Cajun]

Here are the best they make over in Sweden. One of the factors involved is they don’t have the heat or the water to contend with like most of the south. I would like a catch dog vest or especially a running dog vest made out of that lighter material.



Like I mentioned before their bear dog vest have neon green or yellow on one side and orange on the other side so they know which way the dog is facing.


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[t-dog]

Cajun do they even have sleeves on the hind legs?


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[Cajun]

T dog, I think he was cut by a hog and that was a bandage.
  Jsh, That sure looks like a functional vest and I would not think there would be any cuts all the way thru that material.

[Cajun]

Just to show y’all how far Vests have come. This is a heavy canvas vest made out of sling material back in the 70’s. It was bulky but my bulldog Billy could move ok and I don’t remember any cuts on him that the vest covered.


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[t-dog]

I wish I had pictures of them but I remember leather vests and the old wet felt vests back in probably the 90’s. Both were hot, heavy, not flexible, and like an anchor when they were wet. But......dogs didn’t get cut where they covered.


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[Austesus]

Interesting topic! I am currently running a Southern Cross Ultra Flex Strike vest and really like it. My only real complaint with it is that the holes on the straps for the buckle have started to expand and tear up, I’m probably going to have to get someone to repair it before a buckle comes loose while a dog is running. I have a hardcore hog dogs vest as well that is a strike vest, I think they called it the bikini vest. I don’t like it quite as much as the southern cross when it comes to fit, but Michael is very nice to deal with and I had him make the leg holes a little bigger so that when the dogs are running and stretching out their legs aren’t getting binded up.

One thing that Hardcore does that I really like, is adding flotation. Costs is very cheap and I had a full length vest for my old RCD and it let him swim effortlessly for MUCH longer, like having on floaties. I want to see about having it added in to a strike vest too (I have transitioned away from full length vests) but my concern is that the placement of the flotation wouldn’t be in the middle of the dog and might be out of balance so their front would be floating up more than their back and mess up their natural swimming.

I also like having the collar attached. If I have a separate cut collar I prefer the Hardcore collars. I think we are at a day an age where technology and competition is speeding up the evolution of everything, to include cut gear. I would like to take a dog for an in-person custom fitting one day and see what kind of difference that would make.


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[Austesus]

Thought some of you may like this. These dogs belong the The Unit. I’m guessing this is somewhere between 01-05. I’ve never looked in to the military vests, but maybe we should be looking at how they compare to ours since those dogs work in them even in 100+ degree temperatures.


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