SCOTTeVEST v2.5w

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

September 24, 2002

I am a girly-girl. I like to look great, act feminine, and be treated like a lady. The irony of high heels worn with a pair of jeans is completely lost on me, because I would rather look good than be comfortable. Every now and then I will get lucky and I'll find something that not only looks great on me, but is comfortable to wear at the same time. I understand that this is more than slightly twisted, but that's how I am. I also love carrying my gadgets around with me - which usually means that I am lugging a Louis Vuitton bag of whatever size is necessary, on any given day, to carry my gear in style.

With those basic facts about me in mind, you can probably understand why I wasn't too excited about wearing the equivalent of a high-tech fisherman's vest, which was essentially what the original SCOTTeVEST looked like to me, when Julie reviewed it back in 2001.

Don't get me wrong. I liked the premise of the garment, but I thought that the vest itself was aesthetically un-pleasing. Not only am I not a fan of vests in general, fly-fisherman fashion has never appealed to me. However, that didn't stop me from keeping up with the changes that the various versions of the vest went through, including one of the more important design improvements as far as I was concerned: the addition of removable sleeves. Even more exciting was the fact that Scott Jordan, the creator behind the SCOTTeVEST, had listened to women (including Julie) that were complaining that his vests were not made with their sizes or figures in mind, and as a result a women's version was being introduced.

When I was offered the opportunity to check out this newest version of the SCOTTeVEST, one that was specifically made with women in mind, I jumped at the chance. But not necessarily because I thought I would personally like the garment. I think I was more interested in playing with the Personal Area Network (PAN) system and seeing how much stuff I could load the jacket with before it became too bulky and heavy.

I admit that I wasn't expecting something that I actually would wear out in public, unless on a dare.

I was wrong.

Opening the package, I was immediately impressed with the SCOTTeVEST's use of black microfiber. If you have been under a fashion rock for the past couple of years, then you might not be aware of this fabulous fabric. Not only is microfiber machine washable, it also resists wrinkles, is water repellent, holds its shape while under stress, and it breathes!

As I pulled the jacket (I call it that because the sleeves were attached) out of the box, I was immediately struck by the quality and craftsmanship that went into this garment! There were no rough edges or unfinished details. In fact, this jacket is just as well made as some of the more hideously expensive designer jackets I also own.

Before we get into all of the secret compartments and technical aspects of the v2.5, let's go over some of the touches that make it worth buying simply as a cool weather garment:

Ladies! Check this out...I have it on, and I still look like a female! :0)

1. Stand up collar (the men's version has a built-in hood): This looks great with any kind of neckline, from a t-shirt's scooped neck to a turtleneck, like I am wearing here. 2. Snapping cuffs: This finishes the sleeves, and allows them to be adjusted to fit your wrists. 3. Mesh lining where you get hottest - the top of your back: Vents on the back of the jacket open into the mesh area, which will keep you cool when you are active. 4. "www.SCOTTeVEST.com" tape, smoothing the transition from the mesh to the nylon lining: I just thought this was such a great touch! 5. Has 3" side vents at your hips: I can't stand a jacket that goes lower than the waist, unless it has these. 6. The sleeves are removable: This will take you into the warmer months. I will probably never use my jacket as a vest, but guess what? I could! 7. Distinctive rubber zipper pull on front zipper, and cloth logo pulls on other major zippers: This touch really screams "quality"! 7. There are discreet "SeV" logos on the front placket and on the back of the jacket (under the "fruit-loop"): I am all for branding as long as it is tasteful and doesn't detract from the looks of the garment. This logo is cool - and I think it actually adds to the jacket's appeal. 8. ..and perhaps coolest of all, instead of using cheesy Velcro to close the wind-flap over the zipper, this jacket uses magnets: This is total coolness! The magnets are strong enough that once you zip up the jacket, they almost automatically find each other - closing the placket and giving the garment a more "finished" look. All of these features are combined in a jacket that I could easily see myself buying and wearing, because it looks great on me!

But as you might have already guessed, there is so much more to the SCOTTeVEST than the fashion statement it makes. It is actually an electronics-friendly garment - one that can carry almost all of your gear without making you look like a total geek - even if, like me, you are one.

Here is a list of the items I will not leave my house without:

Razor Zayo Pocket PC
Sony CLIÉ NR70V
Sanyo SCP-6000 phone
Jabra earset
Delta Dolcevita Stylus
Checkbook wallet
Sunglass case and my "shades"
Car/house keys
Burt's Bees lip balm
Tube of lipstick
Orbit Gum and/or Tin of Vicki Mints

Depending on where I am headed, I might also be packing:

Fujitsu P2110 laptop
A magazine or two
The power cord for my laptop

Which brings us to the same old question...how much gear can you carry without looking like a total and complete dork?

The obvious solution might be to carry a gearbag. But what if you want free up your hands and shoulders, and actually wear all of your gear? According to Scott's website, with the SCOTTeVEST, you can...but it gets even better.

Rather than just providing pockets to carry your gear in, these garments are also designed to allow you to make use of the "PAN" I mentioned earlier, which means that you can actually wire your electronics into the jacket itself - and create a wearable wired garment. The SCOTTeVEST website explains the PAN as "a series of conduits and holes throughout the SCOTTeVEST that allow you to wire and connect all your devices." What this means to you is that you can store your MP3 player, cell-phone, or other electronic audio device in a pocket and run the head-phone or ear-bud wire through the jacket so they can be discreetly used. Nifty, huh?

So let's take a look beyond the stylish exterior of the SCOTTeVEST, and explore its function.

 

Unlike the version Julie reviewed, which had obvious pockets everywhere and a bulky fit (at least on a female), v2.5w shows marked improvement.      v2.5w has a much more discreet exterior, yet actually can hold and do even more than the early version Julie reviewed.

There are actually 22 pockets in the new version. They are in every shape and size imaginable, and they can hold everything from the ear-buds for your MP3 player or cell-phone, to a variety of PDAs, to a full sized magazine. There is even a secret passageway allowing you to run wires from one side of the jacket to the other.

The beauty of this jacket is in the fact that by providing all of these pockets and conduits, the jacket is infinitely personalizeable! No two users will likely carry their gear in the same way, and this jacket allows you to be flexible when you are deciding how you should load it up.

Would you like to take a look at how I configured my SCOTTeVEST?

First of all, I was happy to see the ID holder in the right breast pocket. With all the trade shows and conventions that Julie and I try to go to, they always give us an ID that we have to wear around our neck or clipped to our clothing. This looks way more professional.

Here you can see the Jabra earset for my cellular phone. I have run the wire up from the left bottom inside mesh pocket where I store my cell phone, up the PAN, through the loop at the collar, and tucked them into their own mesh storage pouch. Totally handy! Nearby you can see the zipper for the secret pocket...this is a great place to store large bills, a tube of lipstick...whatever. ;0)

My CLIÉ can fit in this left inside breast pocket (without a case), and if I wanted to listen to MP3s, it would be no problem to run an earbud up through the PAN, like I did for my phone.

This is the super secure Velcro pocket, inside the large outside slash zippered pocket, where I like to keep my Zayo

I can fit my sunglasses in this nylon lined pocket on the front bottom of the SCOTTeVEST

Even the largest magazines or folded newspapers can fit inside the huge zippered pocket on the back of the jacket. My Fujitsu laptop also can fit in here, not that I recommend carrying it there. ;0)

My checkbook wallet can fit in this lower left inside mesh pocket

My keys hang off of a detachable coiled lanyard in the large right outside slash pocket.

My Delta Dolcevita stylus fits in this slot located inside the jacket on the outside of the PAN flap.

My Fujitsu's power cord fits in this deep pocket...

But let's be realistic...with the SCOTTeVEST so loaded down, it was a bit much.

Me from the front

Me from the side

ACK! I would never walk out the door this loaded down...never.

So somewhere between totally empty and totally loaded, I know there is a happy balance waiting to be struck. I think that eliminating the over-the-top addition of my laptop would make the jacket a little less bulked out. ;0)

There is also a unisex version of the 2.5 available. The main difference (besides sizing) that I can see is the addition of a hood that fits in the collar of the jacket.

The SCOTTeVEST v2.5w has got it all! Good looks, excellent quality, and features that make it shine. I can easily see this replacing some of my lighter cool weather jackets - even when I am not loading it down with tons of gear. You should know that from me, this is high praise! So for once, instead of saying that something has earned a permanent place in my gearbag; I guess I should just say that I have found something that will on most occasions, replace my gearbag!

Price: $139.99
Available in black, in sizes S - L
A Unisex  version is also available in sizes S  - XXXL.
Corporate branding is also available

Pros:
Quality materials and craftsmanship
Stylish
Creative use of a minimum of space
Sized to look correct on a female's body

Cons:
None, well...it did look a bit bulky with my laptop in the back pocket  ;0)