13 Best Utility Vests in 2025, According to GQ Editors

The best utility vests are born from the same function-before-fashion ethos as field watches, aviator shades, and fatigue pants. You’ve got multiple pockets, tough fabrics, and a roomy fit that lets you cast a line or climb a ladder—or, you know, reach for your phone without dislocating your shoulder.

And yet, the utility vest’s MacGuyver vibe has suddenly arrived on the style scene, regardless of whether the wearer spends his weekdays doing manual labor or Slack triage. Makes sense: an array of zip, flap, and mesh pockets in asymmetrical layouts can hold tools or a spare MagSafe charger. Techy fabrics like nylon, canvas, and cotton twill can shrug off surprise rain showers or a dripping iced latte. Linen and mesh make sure you can breathe on the job site or the job hunt.

We’re hitting peak utility vest now because it’s one of the few styles you can wear over T-shirts (including simple white tees) without looking like you’re seeking $2 million at a $20 million valuation. Suddenly a basic shorts-and-tee look gets a layer that adds both panache and pockets. If you’re worried about looking too Cabela's-core, you can play against type by pulling on a utility vest with cargos, jeans, canvas sneakers, hoodies, or boat shoes.

We’ve found the best utility vests, covering Americana style, techy minimalism, Italianate flexing, and a surprise heater from Amazon.

• The Best Overall Utility Vest: L.L. Bean Double L Waxed Upland Vest, $159
• The Best Splurge Utility Vest: Polo Ralph Lauren Utility Vest, $348
• The Best Budget Utility Vest: Flygo Men's Casual Cargo Vest, $30
• The Best Technical Utility Vest: Stone Island Water-Resistant Nylon Utility Vest, $860
• The Best Denim Utility Vest: Snow Peak Takibi Denim Vest, $345
• The Best Linen Utility Vest: Todd Snyder Linen Utility Vest, $248
• The Best Heavyweight Utility Vest: Randy’s Garments 12-oz. Cotton Duck Canvas Easy Vest, $164

L.L. Bean

Double L Waxed Upland Vest

$159

L.L. Bean

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• Pockets galore
• Machine washable
• Waxed cotton for weather-resistance

Cons

• Not lightweight
• The silhouette is wide, so double-check the sizing chart

L.L. Bean doesn’t chase trends so much as it carries classics, which has put the Maine brand in menswear’s sights lately, between the resurgence of the barn coat and a recent Japan Edition pop-up in NYC that had lines wrapped around the block. Its Upland Hunting Vest is waxed-cotton wonder, made in tandem with British Millerain, a legendary purveyors of wind- and water-resistant fabrics since 1880.

There's a large, lined front-entry pouch for stashing essentials, plus roomy lower pockets perfect for snacks, gear, or more snacks. Waxed cotton means it’ll keep your torso dry in the rain (sorry, arms) and that the vest that—like Bean itself—only gets better with age.

Polo Ralph Lauren

Utility Vest

$348

Polo Ralph Lauren

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• Fully mesh-lined
• Two back waist zipper pockets

Cons

• The upper back zip pocket may be a tough reach, but the thought is there

No matter what trends unfold in menswear, King Ralph remains a reliably stylish and blissfully fad-resistant safe haven. This utility vest, in a stealthy black, hits Polo’s wearable-but-elevated bullseye.

Crafted from 100 percent nylon with a breathable mesh lining and water-repellent finish, this vest can handle everyday life (and a sudden afternoon heat wave) with ease. It’s also got enough pockets to make a cargo pant blush: one at the right shoulder, two on the chest, four at the waist, a few on the back…enough that, frankly, we lost count.

Flygo

Casual Lightweight Outdoor Fishing Work Safari Cargo Vest

$30

Amazon

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• $30! Buy two!
• Available in a crazy number of colors
• Removable back panel for breathability

Cons

• Runs small; go up one or two sizes
• Zippers can feel flimsy

Here’s what you need to know: Lots of pockets, very little money, next-day delivery. Flygo’s utility vest isn’t made by a heritage brand or a Japanese label with Type-A tendencies, which maybe makes it the most honest of the bunch.

Nylon-poly fabric isn’t luxurious, but it is quick-drying, wrinkle-resistant, and tough enough to handle most excursions—particularly if they stay on the sidewalk. We really like the removable back panel that converts the Flygo into a full mesh vest, offering maximum ventilation. With 15 pockets total, you could wear this trail running—or to your local coffee shop “cubicle”—and ditch the backpack entirely.

Stone Island

Water-Resistant Nylon Utility Vest

$860

Nordstrom

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• Rain-resistant tech fabric with stowaway hood
• Adjustable front belt with buckle

Cons

• The adjustable belt sits in the way of the rear pocket
• A Stone Island piece with a Stone Island price

Stone Island’s iconic compass logo remains a fashion flex, but the brand’s real strength is going full mad-scientist mode when it comes to textiles, often reinventing existing materials with wild dying and coating techniques. Case in clothing: its utility vest is made from a three-layer fabric, with an outer nylon over a breathable, water-resistant membrane, backed by a whisper-thin polyester base. That nylon outer layer also has a water repellant finish that makes liquids bead up and roll off.

The vest also brings a black ops-by-way-of-Milan vibe, with 3-D pockets more than ample enough to handle your everyday carry (keys, phone, existential dread) and an adjustable front belt with a buckle that cinches everything in. Plus, a secret: a stowaway hood that pops out of the collar, for when it turns out your weather app fumbled the bag. Again.

Snow Peak

Takibi Denim Vest

$345

Snow Peak

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• Fits-over-everything shoulder straps
• Ideal for camping, since it’s fire-retardant

Cons

• Very oversized

A denim vest conjures visions of handlebar mustaches and reruns of American Chopper, but Japanese outdoor brand Snow Peak reboots the look with a utility-forward twist. Its Takibi vest—takibi meaning “gathering around the fire”—isn’t just a fire piece of menswear, it’s literally fire-resistant.

Made from a flame-retardant fabric milled in Japan that’s been blended with modacrylic and cotton, this vest means business. Adjustable over-shoulder straps a la overalls combine with a zip-front closure to let you slip the Takibi over lighter jackets and shells with ease. Which means, with its two billowy front pockets and one massive back pouch, you’re able to carry anything you need for the campsite.

That said, we’re more likely to throw it over a crewneck sweatshirt, then add some Stan Ray utility pants and Red Wings, and happily leave the cross-body bag at home.

Todd Snyder

Linen Utility Vest

$248

Todd Snyder

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• Lightweight linen
• Two oversized patch-and-flap pockets

Cons

• Since it's linen, it’s dry clean only
• Two pockets make it lighter on the “utility” than others

From knit polos to easy suiting and everything in between, Todd Snyder has a knack for making it absurdly easy for guys to get dressed. Take this beautiful cigar-colored vest, for instance: it's a masterclass in making something that can veer costume-y into a piece that’s approachable.

Made from 100 percent linen, it's unlined, garment-washed, and soft as your favorite summer beach shirt. Toss it over a polo, pair it with some matching linen pants, and finish it off with moc-toes. Better yet, pack it for vacation—this utility vest looks equally good with your favorite swim trunks, a bare chest, and a margarita.

Randy's Garments

12-oz. Cotton Duck Canvas Easy Vest

$164

Huckberry

Pros & Cons

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Pros

• Made in USA
• Heavyweight at 12oz.

Cons

• A dual front flap pocket would be a great addition to the side welt pockets

Randy’s Garments is much newer than its workwear wave competition (Carhartt, Filson, etc.), but this vest is further proof that the made-in-USA label can hang with the originals. The hefty 12-ounce duck canvas vest feels like it could be dragged behind an F-150 and come out looking fine, which means it’ll hold up just fine for a weekend flea market crawl.

With two deep welt pockets and bar tacks placed right where they count, this is a vest built for the long haul. Obviously, you could pair it with some rugged work pants, but maybe flip the script and throw on some white jeans for a full oat milk latté look (actual oat milk latté optional).

Carhartt WIP

OG Classic Vest

$218

Huckberry

We know it’s hard to put your beloved Carhartt Detroit jacket into hibernation for summer. But for every door that closes, a window opens: Carhartt’s OG Classic Vest deletes the arms but keeps the rest. It’s ready to soak up a spring-summer workwear patina like a champ.

Nike ACG

Black Iguana Vest

$175

Nike

Nike ACG’s was inspired by a true story: the sub-brand’s designers once teamed up with biologists to make tiny, stylish vests for Jamaican iguanas. That lead to the Black Iguana Vest, designed for hot, wet conditions. A removable bottom portion transforms into a cross-body bag, so you’re ready for whatever the day—or the ecosystem—throws your way.

Finisterre

Organic Cotton Basset Gilet

$120

Finisterre

Cornwall-based Finisterre makes a tough-as-nails fisherman sweater built for blustery winters. Now, its spun up the ideal transitional layer: light enough to grab on the way out the door every day between now and mid-Fall, like a stylish emergency blanket.

Engineered Garments

Khaki Fowl Vest

$370

SSENSE

Engineered Garments showed surprising restraint with this vest—shocking, considering the Japanese brand’s usual “more is more” approach to storage. Of course, this is EG, so the Fowl vest plays with proportion, featuring a cropped front and an elongated back, much like the label’s signature shirt silhouettes. And that self-tie fastening? Just the right amount of EG weirdness to keep things interesting.

Barbour

Modified Westmorland Vest

$385

Barbour

Barbour is best known for its waxed jackets and unbeatable outerwear in general. This all-cotton utility vest isn’t made to shrug off a London downpour, but it is lightweight enough for the kind of heat Ol’ Blighty rarely sees.

Universal Works

Twill 4-Pocket Gilet

$140

END

British label Universal Works makes some of the best overshirts in the game, but its vests are slept on. This clean version in a rugged khaki twill is practical, lightweight, and low-key in the way you want for a wear-it-with-anything layer.

Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.

Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.

We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.

To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.

We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.

Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.

Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative version on this list for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)