Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS

[Hands-On Review] Vertx Women’s CCW Lineup

We tested out several hoodies, shirts, jackets and even a backpack from Vertx's women's concealed carry lineup. Come get our thoughts...

Author Bio Image for Jacki Billings - Editor-in-Chief
By
Jacki Billings (Editor-in-Chief)

PPT Editor-in-Chief. Professional journalist 15+ years. NRA & BLS instructor. 2000+ articles

Published Jan 28, 2022
Add as preferred source on Google

We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.

Any gun girl knows that pairing clothes and guns can sometimes be tricky.

Though there’s an influx in companies now catering to the women’s market, some of the offerings are...less than ideal. (That is unless you want to look like you’re carrying a gun.)

Women & Guns
More and more companies are diving into the women's market.

When Vertx – a well-known gear company in the gun space – jumped into the women’s concealed carry market, I was a bit leery. Would the women’s line merge comfort, fashion, and functionality?

Luckily, Vertx sent me some items to try out firsthand. So, today I’m going to walk you through a few of these products. We’ll talk about what makes them stand out and whether they work for concealment.

By the end, you’ll know whether Vertx’s women’s lineup is worth your cash.

Before we get too deep into the review, I feel like it’s worth mentioning that I’m 5’2” and weigh about 100 to 105 pounds. Typically, I wear a small in shirts – especially when it comes to concealing.

Womens Concealed AIWB
Hey, it's me!

With that frame of reference in mind...let’s dive in.

Collins Henley

Kicking off the new threads is the Collins Henley – an EDC-ready shirt that aims to help women conceal.

The shirt features an A-line fit that is tapered towards the bust but flares as it moves towards the hip. It opts for a WeaponGuard underlayer designed to protect skin from chafing and keep things on the cool side.

Vertx Collins Henley
Collins Henley

Small cut-outs in the underlayer allow for comms if you’re playing undercover cop, and there’s even a comms loop inside the back collar.

Right off the bat, the set-up feels comfortable and looks casual. It was easy to wear this around town and blend in doing so.

Vertx Collins Henley
I don't wear comms but you could!

That A-line style cut really aids in concealment as it flares at just the right spot. I easily concealed my Shadow Systems MR920 – a midsize 9mm that’s not always conducive to t-shirts, given my petite frame.

Vertx Collins Henley
There's an MR920 under there.

Also, the shirt breathes well. Granted, it’s the dead of winter here in Tennessee, but I still didn’t feel myself getting overly toasty in this get-up.

Vertx Collins Henley
The underlayer is a meshy material that breathes really well!

Overall, I liked the Collins Henley and its functional yet casual vibe.

The Collins Henley comes in gray and a burgundy color with sizes X-Small to X-Large.

Swift Hoody

No, not that Swift.

The Swift Hoody offers a sweatshirt-style layer designed to keep concealed carriers warm but still allow access to belted gear.

Vertx Swift Hoody
The Swift Hoody

This front crossover hoody is a part of Vertx’s VaporCore line – meaning it boasts material that looks to keep your body temp regulated. In short, you won’t be too hot or too cold. Like Goldilocks, you should remain just right.

The Swift Hoody boasts a few other features like a kangaroo pouch on the abdomen and thumb holes in the sleeve.

Vertx Swift Hoody
It has *pockets*

That kangaroo pouch also comes with a zippered pass-through so you can easily access gear on your belt – like a knife.

When wearing the Swift, again, the idea of comfort meets casual sprang to mind. The hoody is one that I can easily wear all day without it becoming overly hot or cumbersome.

Additionally, I like the idea that I can discreetly grab my knife should I need it without drawing a lot of attention to myself.

Vertx Swift Hoody
Ok so I'm not drawing my gun through the pouch but you can see there's plenty of room to dig my hand under there.

Again, the Swift sticks to the theme of being low-key and not necessarily looking like gun clothing. That’s a detail I appreciate, as the last thing I want to do is look like I’ve got a gun hanging out on my belt.

Vertx Swift Hoody
Thumbholes, y'all!

That said, it feels a little pricey at $89. Let’s face it, that’s more than I normally spend on sweatshirts. However, most sweatshirts don’t offer temp regulation or that nifty pocket (and thumbholes!).

Vertx Swift Hoody

So, while $89 seems steep, if you’re after something that will aid in carry, it definitely fits the bill more so than your standard Walmart sweater.

The Swift Hoody comes in black or blue and sizes small to x-large.

Trailhawk Jacket

Delivering a lightweight jacket, the Trailhawk continues the functional theme with a synthetic wax finish and some nifty features.

Vertx Trailhawk Jacket
Trailhawk Jacket

Chest pockets sit on either side of the jacket and store smaller items like IDs or even your favorite lip balm.

Full pockets reside further down the jacket with pass-through areas to reach appendix carry gear. Again, I can appreciate the ability to access my gear without drawing a ton of attention or raising my jacket/shirt up completely.

Vertx Trailhawk Jacket
Stash smaller items here.

It also comes with a back pocket that can fit a smartphone or even rifle mag if that’s more your thing.

The jacket opts for a moto-style collar that adds a bit of edge to the overall style. It did wear a bit bulky on me at first, but paired with the Swift Hoody instead of the Collins Henley, it ended up fitting a little better.

Vertx Trailhawk Jacket
Again, not drawing through the pocket...just for showing off how large that pass through is.

Out of all the clothes I received, this one looked the most “gun girl” but still skirts that totally tactical appearance.

Vertx Trailhawk Jacket

The Trailhawk comes in a light grey and a darker grey/green with size ranging from small to x-large.

Fury Hardshell Jacket

Vertx’s Fury Hardshell Jacket is a super lightweight rain jacket. Using the VaporCore approach, it too keeps temps cool and leaves you feeling comfy.

Vertx Fury Hardshell Jacket
Fury Hardshell Jacket

The Fury sports vertical zippered pass-through pockets, so gear remains accessible. And, as I’ve mentioned, I appreciate this design, and it makes accessing belted gear easy.

Vertx Fury Hardshell Jacket

This jacket brings a tapered look that offers a feminine vibe without looking bulky or oversized. Again, this is a nice break away from what most CCW-focused women’s gear does.

I wore this on a few occasions when Mother Nature was acting out and spitting a ton of rain in my local area.

Some days its like this

And I liked the Fury.

First off, the hood is very roomy, which is a huge win for a glasses-wearer like me. Normally, despite a hood, I’m still cleaning water droplets off my glasses – not so with the Fury. It provides enough coverage to keep my face dry.

Vertx Fury Hardshell Jacket
No wet glasses!

It also didn’t leave me damp or humid under the jacket. It breathes and moves well.

The Fury comes in grey/sage and navy blue in sizes small to x-large.

What do you think of the Fury? Give it a rating below!

Readers’ Ratings

5.00/5 (1633 Votes)

Your Rating

Kesher Pack

In addition to some sweet duds, Vertx also sent a backpack catering to women by way of the Kesher Pack.

This dual-flap opening pack ditches the tactical look for a more office-friendly, casual style.

Vertx Kesher Pack
Kesher Pack

Shoulder straps feel pretty comfy and are adjustable, so you can get your fit just right. As someone on the smaller side of life, it’s nice when companies offer some adjustability to their products.

Vertx Kesher Pack

The internal zippered closures offer room for a 15-inch laptop in the main area – complete with a laptop sleeve pocket to better protect your most valuable technology. Two smaller pockets sitting aft of the main can also stash IDs, keys, and phones.

A back panel hides a hook-and-loop wall that you can attach holsters or mag pouches to – assuming you have hook-and-loop enabled gear.

Vertx Kesher Pack
Hook-and-loop opens the door to a lot of gear.

I don’t happen to have any such gear available, so I couldn’t test this out. But, in theory, it looks like a nice option for those that want to off-body carry but does so in a way that keeps your guns and gear oriented and protected correctly.

This pocket can be accessed with the Rapid Access Pull tab, which gives you more to grab onto. No more fumbling for tiny zippers.

Vertx Kesher Pack
Main pocket is very roomy.

Upon first glance, it looks like a standard pack, but this thing can hold a lot! I fit a couple of days’ worth of clothes and my laptop without issue.

It can easily work as a day-to-day office solution or even a quick trip/carry-on bag.

Vertx Kesher Pack

Again, for most people, the downside to the Kesher will come in the form of price. At roughly $318, this is not what I would call affordable for most people.

Bridesmaids Poor

That said, this pack is EDC-specific and allows for off-body carry. So, if you’re looking for a pack that can specifically reach that goal and pulls off a less-tactical style, then the Kesher is worth the price tag.

The Kesher comes in two colors – black and brown – and dimensions of 15 inches (length) by 12.5 inches (width) by 6 inches.

Vertx Kesher PackVertx Kesher Pack
$220at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing

Conclusion

Vertx does a good job of blending comfy clothes with functional features that might interest concealed carriers.

Vertx Kesher Pack

Honestly, it was hard to pick a favorite out of this pack as each item held its own, BUT if I had to pick, I would say that the Collins Henley wins my vote – simply because it made concealment the easiest.

But the Kesher comes in at a very close second given that it can easily adapt from office bag to EDC ready pack.

Vertx Kesher PackVertx Kesher Pack
$220at Amazon
Prices accurate at time of writing

But really, you can’t go wrong with any Vertx gear.

Vertx Kesher Pack

What do you think of the Vertx women’s line? Let me know in the comments below. Interested in more women’s content? Head over to our women’s category for more on being a gun girl.

Jacki Billings

Written By
Jacki Billings
Editor-in-Chief

Jacki Billings delved into the world of guns while earning her black belt in Yongmudo. Armed with a degree in journalism, she’s penned thousands of articles for the gun industry. She’s passionate about self-defense and first aid and sharing what works (and what doesn’t) with readers. Jacki currently serves as Pew Pew Tactical's Editor-in-Chief directing coverage and managing the content and video teams as well as fact checking all articles.

facebook Iconinstagram Iconlinkedin Icon

WHY YOU CAN TRUST PEW PEW TACTICAL

Since 2016, the Pew Pew Tactical team has been dedicated to providing expert reviews and in-depth testing of guns and gear. All while keeping in mind that guns are fun and that readers come first.

Written by American gun enthusiasts, competitive shooters, former military/law enforcement personnel, and trained journalists, we use our extensive skill sets and knowledge to bring a well-rounded, researched approach to our content.

We pride ourselves on hands-on testing and real-world experience with all products we recommend. Further, we believe in objectivity and approaching all articles without bias – our few advertisers never influence our reviews or recommendations. We believe in giving our readers a comprehensive understanding of how and why a product is great – or isn’t. And if it’s good enough for us to use ourselves and recommend to loved ones.

Our content, analysis, and insights on firearms and gear are recognized across the web. We are proud to be cited by authoritative third-party platforms including Newsweek, Yahoo News, and Wikipedia, demonstrating our standing as a trusted resource in the firearms industry.

Conversation