Best Motorcycle Vest With an Inside Gun Pocket
The pick is Legendary Outlaw Leather Motorcycle Vest, from $325, rated 4.98 from 53 reviews, with Legendary Gunslinger Leather Vest, from $220, rated 4.94 from 51 reviews as the wider-size alternative running S through 5XL. Both are American-made leather with dedicated interior pockets rather than a general-purpose inside pocket that happens to be large.
What a gun pocket actually is
A purpose-built interior pocket with a reinforced opening, usually positioned for a cross-draw, and often mirrored so the vest works for a left or right-handed carry. The reinforcement is the part that matters: a plain patch pocket in thin lining stretches out of shape under weight and stops holding position.
A vest pocket is not a holster and does not retain a firearm. It carries one, and the difference is significant enough that most people carrying in a vest are carrying in a holster inside the pocket.
The models
Legendary Outlaw Leather Motorcycle Vest, from $325, rated 4.98 from 53 reviews. Leather with gun pockets, the top of this group
Legendary Gunslinger Leather Vest, from $220, rated 4.94 from 51 reviews. Gun pockets, sized S to 5XL
Legendary Reaper Leather Club Vest, from $215, rated 4.89 from 93 reviews. Club vest with a gun pocket, the most reviewed of the group
Legendary Peacekeeper Vintage Leather Vest, from $184.99, rated 5.0 from 24 reviews. Vintaged finish with gun pockets, the least expensive of these
How to check one before buying
Look for a reinforced or bound pocket mouth rather than a raw edge, a pocket depth that covers the full length of what you are carrying, and interior pockets on both sides. A single pocket on one side halves the vest's usefulness for a left-handed rider and is a sign the feature was added rather than designed.
The legal point
Concealed carry law varies by state and, in several states, by locality, and carrying across a state line can change your legal position entirely. A pocket in a vest is a garment feature and is not a permit. Check the law where you ride rather than where you bought the vest, and nothing here is legal advice.
Frequently asked
Do gun pockets come standard on leather vests?
No. Plenty of leather vests have no interior pocket at all, and plenty have a general pocket that is not reinforced. Check the specific model rather than assuming.
Is a leather or a textile vest better for carry?
Leather holds pocket shape better under weight. Textile is lighter and cooler. Both work if the pocket is properly built.
Should the vest be sized larger for carry?
Size it to fit closed over what you normally wear. A vest sized up to make room for carry sits badly at speed and flaps.
