SCOTTeVEST Ultimate Cargo Pants

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

January 03, 2006

My favorite style of pants, next to blue jeans, is cargo pants. One of the things that I like best about cargos - beyond the fact that they are usually cut with comfort in mind -is that they always have lots of pockets. Whether I am scrambling through the ruins at Mesa Verde, hiking at the ranch, running to the store or in the process of traveling, cargos make it possible to go places without carrying an extra bag - because the things that might ordinarily go into a small bag can instead go into the pant's pockets.

If one were to Google the word Cargo Pants, one would find that SCOTTeVEST tops the list - primarily for their Hidden Cargo Pants which Julie reviewed in 2004. While those cargos definitely had their merits as pants one could wear to work, I was still left hoping for something that was a bit more like the cargos I prefer - meaning that they had pockets on the legs and looked a bit more casual.

Evidently I wasn't the only one hoping for a more casual alternative, because in late December SCOTTeVEST released their Ultimate Cargo Pants. Ultimate? That's a rather grandiose statement. But it didn't take long after receiving them for me to realize that for the most part, they really do live up to the claim.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

Available in the color sand, which is basically a light khaki color, the Ultimate Cargos will work with just about any color shirt. The waist sizes start at 30 and go up to 40, and lengths are available from 30 inches to 34. Right out of the package, these heavy weight linen blend (55% linen / 45% cotton) pants start out as a nice looking pair of cargos. The fabric has the loosely woven appearance that is typical to linen, but these are no light-weight Miami-Vice style pants. These khakis are substantial and they nothing like the the almost see-through linen garments people wear in hotter climates.

For the most part, the stitching is done in a matching khaki. However, inside the waistband and on certain stress points on various locations on the pant's exterior, there is a complimentary orange stitching used.

Without knowing that they happen to be in the SeV line, one would never know that the Ultimate Cargos were absolutely loaded with hidey-holes and special pockets; they just look like comfortable three season pants.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

The SeV Ultimate Cargos have eighteen pockets dispersed throughout. Some are PAN enabled, some are hidden, some are specialized, and some are just plain old fashioned pockets. While the pants would be completely loaded down and slightly ridiculous if one were to try to load every single pocket with every gadget owned, the cool thing is that because there are so many pockets, the pants can be used to meet each individual owner's needs in different situations.

So without further ado, let's take a look at the Ultimate Cargo pants...

These cargos are done in a flat-front style, which in my opinion gives them a more flattering look. There are five inch-wide fabric belt loops strategically placed around the waistband so that the pants won't gape when a belt is worn. The fly is held closed with a metal SeV logo button, but there is an additional hidden button inside the waist which helps the front of the pants hang neatly. To be perfectly candid, this hidden button comes in handy when the pants are undone, as it keeps the pants from immediately dropping - especially if they are weighed down with gear.

In a move reminiscent of Lucky Brand Jeans, there is a strip of fabric tape on the inside fly with "www.scottevest.com".

On the right side of the contrasting orange-stitched interior waistband is a 3" wide x 2" deep open hanging pocket, suitable for tucking something small.

Directly under the right front belt-loop is a small 1.5" wide x 3" deep pocket, which although it was probably not placed here for the purpose, will perfectly hold a pack of gum. An inch wide strip of sage colored cotton webbing is situated between the front belt loop and the next further back on each side of the shorts. This webbing has orange stitching which divides it into several sections perfect for attaching small items such as carabiners or clip-on key rings.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

On each side of the hips are dual slash pockets. We'll start with the set on the right.

The forward Personal Area Network (PAN) enabled pocket is open, with a wide cut design that allows for easy access by the hand. Although the fist time one slides their hand inside this pocket might seem ordinary, it actually has two special features which soon become evident. First of all, there is a detachable key lanyard which hangs neatly inside until needed.

When keys are attached, they are held in a comfortable and easily accessible location - which keeps them from being lost in this approximately 14" long x 7" wide pocket. With one's hand thrust deeply in this pocket, it soon becomes evident that there are actually three sections in the pocket's bottom - and that the pocket is really much wider than 7", measuring more like 13". The way this pocket is attached to other pockets and pressure points in the loose fitting cargos allows them to hold the wearer's stuff without the fabric bunching or sagging.

The PAN enabled nylon-lined slash pocket which sits directly behind the forward slash pocket is approximately 11" deep x 8" wide. It is held shut with the embedded magnets which we have grown used to finding in Scott's TEC enabled garments. At the top of this pocket is an adjustable cord which allows the pants to be tightened or loosened. This may come in handy for those that eat a huge meal and then go walk it off...

This large open pocket is suitable for carrying a PDA or GPS unit, or other items which the wearer would like to keep easily accessible. Since the legs of the cargos are cut so loosely and since the pockets are so deep, items may be carried without their outlines being evident on the wearer's leg.

Each leg of the pants has an exterior 8" tall x 7" deep cargo pocket, but as with all things SCOTT, there is more to these pockets than meets the eye.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

Each side of the pocket's flap is held with a hidden magnet, which when opened reveals a large open interior pocket.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

The exterior of this pocket has a sage colored strip of webbing with the TEC logo embroidered in contrasting orange.

There is also a 5.5" long zipper which runs along the side of the pocket facing the inside of the wearer's legs. The purpose of this zipper is to allow easy access to the pocket's interior - even when the wearer is seated in a tight spot - such as when strapped into an airplane seat with the tray down.

On the back wall of this roomy pocket is an PAN enabled mesh-faced organizational panel which features two zippered pockets. These secure pockets are perfect for carrying loose memory cards or other small items which the owner does not want to misplace.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site, manipulated by me to better reflect its actual layout

Further down the leg, about mid-calf, is a small nylon-lined 4' tall x 3.5" wide zippered pocket which has been hidden in the seam. Even this little pocket has a means of support, so that items stowed inside will not dangle loosely against the wearer's leg.

Adding to their versatility is the discretely hidden zipper directly above the knee on each leg...

...which allows the pants to be converted quickly into shorts and then back to pants again.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

The dual slash pockets on the front left side of the cargos is exactly the same as those previously described on the left, except that there is no keyring on this side. However, there is an addition of a hidden zippered pocket measuring approximately 13" deep x 7' wide that is sewn into the lining of the outer slash pocket.

The left leg's cargo pocket's flap is also held by dual magnets, and it also has the hidden easy-access zipper, but the exterior of the pocket has four pen or stylus slots.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

As with the other cargo pocket, there is a PAN enabled organizational panel on the interior wall. The top zippered pocket is faced with mesh, and is perfect for holding change or other small loose items which need to be kept secure. The bottom of the pocket has two strips of elastic which have been sewn to hold four AA and four AAA batteries within the formed loops.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site, manipulated by me to better reflect its actual layout

The rear of the pants has four darts sewn in from the waistband to allow the pants to drape nicely on the wearer's rump.

Picture courtesy of the SeV site

The middle rear belt loop has an embroidered SeV logo, which is done in matching khaki with a small contrasting orange "e".

The rear pockets are held shut with hidden magnets. Each of these 8" deep x 7" pockets are lined in nylon, which keeps them from bunching up when items are inserted or removed.

All right, so far I have only shown pictures of the Ultimate Cargo Pants being worn by the invisible man, so now its time to show them being modeled by real people. We'll start with Steve, who is wearing the 38 x 32 pair, upon which I based the pocket measurements in this review.

   

The SeV Ultimate Cargo Pants aren't just for men. Even though their rise is a bit longer than I typically wear, and even though they sit higher than I would typically want, these pants are still quite wearable. The wide, loose-cut legs make them supremely comfortable, and cool fabric makes them a favorite for warmer days - like today...86º on January 3rd! Can you even imagine? Texas weather is so weird. If you don't like it, just wait a day and it will change. But I digress...

The only issue that I can foresee regarding women wearing the SeV Ultimate Cargos is that I am wearing their smallest size - a 30" waist. This means that more petite women, probably 75% of the population, will be out of luck. Sorry gals, but this is yet another time that it pays to be an Amazon!

 

These 30 x 32 pants measure 12" long from the crotch to the top of the waist. This puts the cargos right under my belly-button with about 4" of extra fabric kind of hanging in the crotch area, for lack of a better description. While I wouldn't want these pants to be quite as fitted as a pair of jeans, I would like them to be a little lower cut and with a little less hanging. In a perfect world, SeV will come out with a pair for women, which would have about 1.5" less length on each size's rise. If the waist could just be dropped to a fashionable three fingers (approx 2")  below the belly button, instead of the one finger (approx. 0.5")  that it is now, I would love, love, love them. That's the only change I would request...well, also that they be available in women's' waist sizes 26 - 34, and lengths of 32" or 34".

The SCOTTeVEST Ultimate Cargo Pants are the most specialized cargos that I have ever seen. Even without their secret compartments and hidden pockets, their good looks would make them an easy choice. The fact that my husband thinks these pants look and feel like they should cost twice as much as they do says a lot, too. All of the custom touches that Scott & company build into the SeV products make this pair of cargos the clear choice for anyone that wants to tote their gear in comfortable style.