Sylmar, Cuga or Other?

walk213

walk213

Active member

This trip to Eastern, Colorado started out with a lot of action as Echo put me on birds just minutes into our hunt. We only hunted about an hour when I made a non-lethal shot on a rooster. Echo barreled through multiple barbed wire fences chasing the running pheasant. While she retrieved the bird, she tore her ear up. I could not stop the bleeding, so we headed home. The ER vet put sutures in and shelved her for 10 days. I am thankful that she is ok. and she will recover soon.

Echo also blew the straps on her Sylmar Body Guard Dog vest when going under a fence wire. She literally ripped a buckle off the vest.

What is the best dog vest on the market and why? I want protection, mobility and comfort.
 
From my experience with dog vests I don't think they get any better than the Sylmar. They also provide excellent customer service so if I was you I would contact them and tell them about your experience. I'm sure they will make it right with you and they are right there in Colorado. From your video it would appear that your dog could use a little larger size vest.
 
I have both of my Vizsla's in a Cuga. A buddy that has a GSP loved them and he bought one for his dog. The advantage is no buckles to deal with and full protection on the back of the dog. The material is super tough. As we walk, I hear the vest scraping on the branches of trees, thorny thickets and at times fences when they are worked up and excited. My puppy is very aware and respects fences but when dialed in on birds she must have misjudged the fence several weeks ago and tore open skin on her belly back by her back leg. No protection will be offered by any vest there. She probably could have had stitches but I treated it myself and put her on IR for a week.

The mobility and comfort is perfect. They have a regular and narrow version. Not sure how the regular version fits a lab but I am guessing you would go that route. The narrow version is perfect for pointers like Vizsla's and GSP's. No rubbing spots at all.

I can't speak to the other brands as I don't have experience with them. As much as the protection, I like the added visibility. My brown vizslas stand out so much better with the vest. That cover you are hunting blends perfectly with Echo's color. The vest helps pick her up quickly.

Great video. Love the hop 50 seconds in. Thanks for sharing the video.
 
I run Sylmar but Cuga looks interesting. My dogs hang the buckles when getting in and out of the crate and on fences as well. I've sworn by Sylmar but may try the Cuga.
 
I’ve had great luck with the Mendota skid plate but am intrigued by the cuga might try one out as the skid plates are about 5 years old and showing their age.
 
I'm digging the love for the Cuga vest. I just picked one up for my dog after she encountered a barbed wire fence and gave herself a deep cut that required 12 stitches and a 2 week stint in IR that would have been prevented if she had a vest. Haven't been out with her to get a chance to use it in the field yet, but will this weekend.
 
NDPheasant said:
I have both of my Vizsla's in a Cuga. A buddy that has a GSP loved them and he bought one for his dog. The advantage is no buckles to deal with and full protection on the back of the dog. The material is super tough. As we walk, I hear the vest scraping on the branches of trees, thorny thickets and at times fences when they are worked up and excited. My puppy is very aware and respects fences but when dialed in on birds she must have misjudged the fence several weeks ago and tore open skin on her belly back by her back leg. No protection will be offered by any vest there. She probably could have had stitches but I treated it myself and put her on IR for a week.

The mobility and comfort is perfect. They have a regular and narrow version. Not sure how the regular version fits a lab but I am guessing you would go that route. The narrow version is perfect for pointers like Vizsla's and GSP's. No rubbing spots at all.

I can't speak to the other brands as I don't have experience with them. As much as the protection, I like the added visibility. My brown vizslas stand out so much better with the vest. That cover you are hunting blends perfectly with Echo's color. The vest helps pick her up quickly.

Great video. Love the hop 50 seconds in. Thanks for sharing the video.
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I am glad your pup is fine. Echo's stitches were costly.

Thank you very much for the insight. Echo usually works well around wire. This field is loaded with trash. There were a lot of birds running around and she was on them the entire time. I was concerned from the start because of how fast she was working. When I clipped that rooster in the left wing, I knew that she was going to have to hustle.

We will get the Cuga today.
 
walk213 said:
I am glad your pup is fine. Echo's stitches were costly.
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Just out of curiosity, what did your stitches run? Where I went I was shocked at how cheap it was considering it was a Saturday afternoon and they were the only vet open anywhere within an hour of me. They weren't an ER vet, just a normal vet that was open on saturdays. My dogs 12 stitches on her chest and 6 stitches on her leg ran me just $225.
 
You will puke. I did. $700. Emergency room vet.

Nothing was open in Eastern, Colorado (tried Wray, Yuma and Fort Morgan). Ended up in Castle Rock. Once I was there, I was stuck. Incredibly nice people, but I feel taken.
 
walk213 said:
You will puke. I did. $700. Emergency room vet.

Nothing was open in Eastern, Colorado (tried Wray, Yuma and Fort Morgan). Ended up in Castle Rock. Once I was there, I was stuck. Incredibly nice people, but I feel taken.
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I think I'd have puked too. But I was expecting about the same for my visit so I was happy(?) to pay only $225. But you gota do what you gota do for your hunting pal.
 
A Sylmar rubbed my Vizsla raw in SD this year. It happened on a different V with a neoprene vest. I had a cabela's branded vest that was very similar to the Sylmar but it didn't rub. It wore out and I had to replace it. In anything over 30 degrees, I just use a 2" elastic reflective collar for visibility. My dogs are spoiled house pets so the vests are for warmth as much as visibility or protection. They probably provide me more peace of mind than actual warmth for the dog.

I love my Vs, but they are exactly the same color as the CRP grasses I often hunt. A little extra visibility is a great thing.
 
Hi all, I've had both the Cuga & Sylmar vests. The Cuga was really nice, but just didn't fit my dogs well. To bad, because they are nice vests. The Sylmar were also good, but it chaffed the crap out of my dogs legs.

I tried the LCS vest here:

www.lcsupply.com

LCS Bird Dog Armor Vest 2

LCS Bird Dog Armor Vest 2 The LCS Bird Dog Armor Vest 2 takes the same great design as the Bird Dog Armor vest and adds extra protection and a better fit on your dog. We increased the thickness of the vest's material to hold up better to harsh brush in upland cover. It has the same high...
www.lcsupply.com www.lcsupply.com

This one covers the back pretty well and does not chaff my dogs legs. Easy to adjust and the large buckles are a plus IMO. I pretty well sold on this vest. It's been holding up very well this year, no real wear either.

Good Luck in your search!

Greg
 
gjw said:
Hi all, I've had both the Cuga & Sylmar vests. The Cuga was really nice, but just didn't fit my dogs well. To bad, because they are nice vests. The Sylmar were also good, but it chaffed the crap out of my dogs legs.

I tried the LCS vest here:

www.lcsupply.com

LCS Bird Dog Armor Vest 2

LCS Bird Dog Armor Vest 2 The LCS Bird Dog Armor Vest 2 takes the same great design as the Bird Dog Armor vest and adds extra protection and a better fit on your dog. We increased the thickness of the vest's material to hold up better to harsh brush in upland cover. It has the same high...
www.lcsupply.com www.lcsupply.com

This one covers the back pretty well and does not chaff my dogs legs. Easy to adjust and the large buckles are a plus IMO. I pretty well sold on this vest. It's been holding up very well this year, no real wear either.

Good Luck in your search!

Greg
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Thank you Greg. I will take a look. I have 2 coming from Cuga now. I am excited to get it in the field. Chaffing is a big issue that we have to avoid. I will let everyone know the results.
 
Used Sylmar for last 10 years . Very happy with protection and durability. My labs chest is too Deep, and the vest slips over the chest causing chafing on off side. I could Go bigger Sylmar, but tried Cuga this fall. Very pleased with back protection as well!
 
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