Honestly that bit about holding the railing for dear life is too real. My left knee makes this awful pop sound now every time I go down a step after a long hike. I still feel it from a trail I did two weeks ago.

Yeah, Nelson's tip about the posture is so real, it made a huge difference for me too. I still do some chin tucks and shoulder rolls at the end of the day though, lol. That combo finally got the ache to chill out.

Welt pockets might lie flat empty, but try stuffing a tape measure in one and see how that sleek look holds up. For heavy use items, angled cargo pockets with reinforced stitching actually look more intentional than bulky patch pockets. @juliaramirez has a point about testing fabrics, so if you add a contrast color for style, make sure it's the same tough cloth as the main vest. I'd put smaller welt pockets higher up for pencils or a phone, and keep the bigger tool slots on the sides below the rib cage.