A few years ago I was on a quest to find the most versatile, durable, comfortable, and customizable upland hunting vest on the market. I tried over 7 game bags and couldn’t find a product to satisfy my needs. In 2018, I purchased a Q5 Upland Bird Belt and I’ve never gone back.
The Problem with other game bags and vests
Hunting upland birds can be a grueling experience – I’ve walked up pheasants in snow with sub zero temperatures and I’ve chased blue quail in dry sunny 80 degrees. The wide range of conditions make it difficult to find a vest that works for all upland hunting trips. The Q5 Upland Bird Belt provides a durable game bag option. It allows the hunter to layer clothes underneath in cold weather and is lightweight enough to wear with a t-shirt.
Whether you’re road hunting for birds or walking 15 miles a day across country – comfortability is of the utmost importance for an upland hunter. A typical road hunter might prefer a quick grab game belt or shell pouch. In my experience, game belts sag and twist when loaded down with shells or birds. I’ve experienced these uncomfortable happenings a lot during dove season.
A cross country hunter might prefer a vest/backpack when chasing birds up and down canyons. I find that these options cause you to sweat, add weight to the shoulders, and be cumbersome when you need to quickly shoulder a shotgun. The best upland backpacks can be pretty expensive too.
A Solution – Upland Hunters Rejoice
Cue the Q5 Upland Bird Belt. It has reinforced padding that sits at the waist and reinforced nylon straps that tighten down to avoid a sagging bird bag. This belt can be worn with or without nylon straps that go over your shoulders. Either way you won’t sweat through your gear or have an issue shouldering your shotgun. I have yet to have a low hanging mesquite tree or cactus rip this game bag.
Most game bags are one size fits all and don’t provide the option to customize to your needs. They are made with deep front pockets that can “fit a box of shells” although most hunters are lucky to shoot their gun four times on a walk. This is what sets the Q5 Upland Bird Belt apart. It is designed with a Velcro and button connection system for multiple attachable options. For example, I run two elastic shell holders on the front of my belt, a water bottle holder, and the game bag. I also have space to connect my Garmin Alpha controller to the belt. Q5 has multiple options on their website.
Q5 products are proudly made in the USA and the company is now located in Texas. I’ve been very pleased with their customer service, attention to detail put into their products, and two-year warranty. If you’re in the market for a new upland bird bag system then I would consider all of their product lines.
