I’m a gear bag fanatic. I am constantly scouring sites like
eBags.com to see if there are any new bags that
I might like to buy to carry around all of my daily junk. At the moment, my favorite bags are a
Louis Vuitton Nil that Judie got me for my birthday, and the
Small
Cozmo Waterfield bag. The problem that I have with all gear bags is the fact that they
are too big and bulky to carry around everywhere you go. Even though I use mine
as a pseudo purse to carry my gear to and from work, once I get into the
building, I never take the bag back out with me if I need to leave to go to an
appointment or to lunch. Instead, I pull out my cell phone, billfold, PDA, car
keys, and sunglasses and try to juggle them as I make the trek back out to my
vehicle. I guess I could get a small purse and use it for those occasions where
I need to carry a few items, but then I’d have to carry two bags around. Hmmmmmm,
what’s a gadgeteer girl to do?
The good news is that I think I have found a solution to my dilemma. The bad news is
that this solution is only seasonal. My solution is to replace my gear bag or
purse with the latest version of the SCOTTeVEST. This is the 3rd incarnation of
their jacket in as many years, and I believe that version Three.0 is their best
jacket yet! If you recall, I reviewed their first
vest (which made me look like
a deep sea fisherman), and Judie reviewed version
2.5. The version Judie
reviewed was much nicer than the first version, but it didn’t give me those
‘must have now’ feelings. This is not the case with version Three.0. I MUST HAVE
this jacket!
Left to right: Original SCOTTeVEST, v2.5, Three.0 FineTex
Actually version Three.0 is now considered a system instead of just a jacket.
That is because there are now three separate jackets. A FineTex version, a
Microfiber version, and a Fleece version. The FineTex and Microfiber are
available in red or black, and are very similar in look and style to the version
2.5 which Judie reviewed. The Fleece version is new and is only available in
black with a yellow collar. All of the versions have the popular PAN (Personal
Area Network) wiring system, removable sleeves, and too many pockets to count. They can be purchased and
worn separately, but you save money if you decide to purchase a system. The
systems consist of either a FineTex or Microfiber jacket with a Fleece
jacket. I was sent the FineTex and Fleece system.
Let’s take a look at the FineTex / Microfiber jacket first. You might be asking, what are the differences between the Microfiber and
FineTex versions. FineTex material is comparable to Gore-Tex, only less costly. This
material is both waterproof, breathable and heat insulating, making it a great winter
jacket. The Microfiber version is more of a Spring / Fall type jacket. It is
water repellent, but not waterproof. It is less expensive that the FineTex
jacket, while also looking a little dressier. There a few other differences
between the two versions, which I will address as I go through the features.
As you can see from the images above, this jacket is more suited for cold
weather. Take it from me when I tell you that the FineTex material is quite heat
insulating. I took these pictures and tested this jacket in July when it was
over 90 degrees in the shade. I thought I was going to pass out during the
‘modeling’ process! ;o)
Empty, the FineTex jacket weighs in at approximately 3lbs. That might sound
heavy, but you really don’t feel it as the jacket evenly distributes the weight
across your shoulders. This is a good thing as you can totally load this jacket
with all your gear (and then some). Check out the stats (measurements are for
Large size):
Exterior Pockets: 11
Exterior Zippers: 18
Exterior Length of Zippers: 214.5”
Exterior Capacity (excluding depth): 1,100 sq inches (848 front +60 sleeves+192
back)
Interior Pockets: 19
Interior Zippers: 5
Interior Zipper Length: 45”
Interior Capacity (excluding Depth): 510.75 sq inches
TOTALS:
Pockets: 30
Zippers: 23
Zipper Length: 274”
Capacity: 2,312.75 sq inches (excluding depth)
30 pockets! WOW! That’s 8 more than version 2.5 had. Actually with so many
pockets, you can almost misplace your stuff! During the review, I kept thinking
that a map of where I had stowed my gear might be a nice feature to add. Once
you get a system going, you’ll have a place for everything and won’t feel
overwhelmed.
I found the FineTex jacket to be very comfortable to wear. The exterior has
the feel of an expensive windbreaker jacket. Strategically placed reflective
piping is sewn into the edges of the main outside pockets (not included in
Microfiber version). The piping appears grey not reflecting light (see pictures
above). The 4" collar is lined in a soft felt like material that keeps
your neck toasty when fully zipped up. It also hides a removable hood.
As mentioned above, there are 10 exterior pockets (I actually found 11):
1 deep zippered slash hand pocket on each side
1 horizontal pocket on the outside of each slash hand pocket
1 vertical breast pocket (see the reflective piping above)
1 horizontal pocket above the breast pocket
1 pockets that runs along each forearm (not included in Microfiber jacket)
1 large pocket in the back (see reflective piping)
Each of these pockets is zippered with its own pull. One cool thing I would
like to mention is that the jacket comes with a card in every pocket. The card
gives you suggestions on what you might want to store in the pocket. It makes
exploring the jacket fun.
The right horizontal breast pocket has a pull out clear ID holder. It comes
in handy at airports, trade shows etc.
The large slash hand pockets have several hidden features. Both pockets have
a key-holder. The right pocket as a stretch spiral cord that you can attach your
keys to. You don’t even have to remove the keys to use them, just pull the cord
from your pocket and stretch it to the ignition. The left pocket also has a
key-holder, but it is not on a stretchy cord. This pocket also has a PIP (Pocket
in Pocket) feature inside. The pocket is separated by a half zipper that gives
you a small area on the outer area of the inside pocket. When closed, it creates
a small pocket inside the main pocket. I found that I could attach my keys to
the key-holder and then put the keys in the PIP. That way, I could put my little
Sony U20 camera in that pocket
and not worry about the keys scratching it up. The left pocket also has a water
bottle holder. It’s actually a wide elastic band. I personally wouldn’t want to
use this as I wouldn’t care for the bottle to sweat in my pocket.
The outer edges of hand pockets have Velcro seams, so that you can break into the back section of
the jacket where there is a huge thin pocket. There is also a large zippered
pocket accessed from the back which can hold a magazine or even laptop.
Besides the exterior pockets, there are also epaulets on the shoulders,
plastic D rings at the outside of each elbow and a baseball cap holder. You can
use the epaulets to attach a mobile phone, mp3 player, 2 way radio etc. It’s a
nifty way to show off your gear. If you don’t want to use them, they blend in
well with the jacket and remain hidden. The baseball cap holder is located on
the left side hip area of the jacket (not included in Microfiber version).
The jacket is fully adjustable to make the fit just right. The sleeve cuffs
have Velcro so that you can adjust them to be as tight or loose at the wrists as
you wish. The waist is also adjustable using plastic toggles.
Now let’s take a look at the guts of the FineTex jacket, its interior. The
jacket is lined in a black meshy material called CoolMax which is quick drying
and breathable.
As far as pockets, the interior has a total of 19. Some of the pockets and
features include…
The PAN (Personal Area Network) connects most of the pockets in the jacket.
It allows you to wire up your devices so that you can keep the device in one
pocket while the earphones in another. For example. there are 2 small mesh
pockets near the neck on either side. These can hold your ear buds. The wire
from the ear buds can then be ‘fished’ through the PAN to another pocket which
holds your iPod. Small elastic loops along the neck line of the jacket allow you
to wire the ear buds behind your head. Very cool!
An owner ID tag where you can write your name and address in the event you
lose the jacket is located on the inside.
Below the ID tag, is a Velcro sealed pocket which also has a PIP feature.
When the PIP is unzipped, this creates a very deep pocket which is useful for
holding pads of paper, documents, paperback books etc.
Below this pocket is another zippered pocket which I used to hold my iPod.
The left side is similar to the right side, but instead of the ID tag, there
is a zippered pocket with an eyeglass cleaning cloth on a clip. Below it is an
identical large PIP pocket with a Velcro closure.
Below it is a clear plastic pocket and beside it a narrow pocket which I used
to hold my sunglasses.
I also need to mention that true to the SCOTTeVEST name, these jackets have removable sleeves.
They are also designed to allow some common fleece liners, such as those from
Northface to zip into them depending on zipper lengths. If you buy the system, or the SCOTTeVEST Fleece
jacket, you can use it as a liner for those REALLY cold days.
I really like the Fleece jacket. Of course, it doesn’t have even half as many
pockets as the FineTex or Microfiber, but is lighter weight and very soft. Here
are the specs.
Exterior Pockets: 5
Interior Pockets: 7
Total Pockets: 12
Total Zippers: 13
ZIP length: 151”
Total Capacity: 938 sq inches
Empty, the Fleece jacket weighs in at approximately 2lbs. All but the upper
front shoulder area, collar and waist band are made of machine washable non
pilling Fleece. It is very comfortable to wear even on slightly
warm days.
Like the FineTex and Microfiber jackets, the Fleece jacket is also lined in
the same CoolMax material. It also has most of the same major features and
pockets such as:
Reflective piping
PAN
Ear bud pockets
Epaulets on each shoulder
ID owner tag
Adjustable waist band
Deep hand pockets / right side has a spiral key holder
Ear bud holders
Removable sleeves
Inside camel water system pocket and straw holder
When you combine the Fleece shell (without the sleeves) and the FineTex
jacket, you get a very warm and somewhat heavy jacket with a ton of storage!
TOTALS for jacket plus fleece
POCKETS: 42
ZIPPERS: 36
Zipper Length: 425”
Capacity: 3250.75 sq inches (excluding depth)
During the review period, I loaded down the jackets with the normal stuff
that I carry with me to work every day in my gear bag. This included:
sunglasses, eye drops, car keys, Sony U20 camera, Tungsten | T PDA, pill box,
lip balm, ID badge for work, several SD and CF cards, several Gadgeteer business
cards, cell phone, billfold, iPod, B&O earbuds, pack of chewing gum, and a
magazine. Not tons and tons of things, but my normal everyday gear. More than
I’d ever want to stuff in my pockets. If you look at the pictures above where I
am wearing the jackets, all the gear I just mentioned is in the pockets. Both
jackets were remarkably comfortable to wear and walk around in with that amount
of baggage.
SCOTTeVESTs are quality garments that make a gadgeteer’s life easier while adding
style and gee whiz appeal. The FineTex is going to be my new Winter jacket, and
the Fleece will be my Spring and Fall jacket. No more gadget juggling for me!
Price: $199.99 FineTex, $159.00 Microfiber, $129.99
Fleece, $309.98 FineTex and Fleece system, $269.98 Microfiber and Fleece system
Available in sizes Small – XXX Large
Pros:
Pockets, pockets, and even more pockets!
PAN
Hidden features and secret pockets
All of the jackets are machine washable
Cons:
Too many pockets?
Can be heavy when loaded with gear
Product Information
| Price: | 199.99 |
| Manufacturer: | SCOTTeVEST |
| Pros: |
|
| Cons: |
|
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
Post your comments on the SCOTTeVEST Version 3.0 Review.
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/v3.0-scottevest-review.html
Just click the POST REPLY button on this page.
Glad to meet a fellow gear bag fanatic. Excellent review!
Between regular flashlights, LED flashlights, Swiss Army multitools, lighters, cell phone, first aid kit, bullet space pen, notebook, etc., my pockets are all used up. My wife suggested I look into a photographer or fishing vest.
That’s how I found the Scott eVest.
I’ve been wanting one of those vests for quite some time. I was going to plunk down my money last month, but the web site was out of the size and color I wanted. This was a previous version, not this latest one.
Now you’ve got me salivating over their newest vest. Keep up the great work.
Craig
Thanks for the review. Feel free to post your questions here and I will try to answer them. BTW, check out our new game: http://www.scottevest.com/v3_community/game.shtml
Scott
I am a happy owner of the 2.5 jacket, which I use on a seasonal basis. One thing I like using the vest for is travelling. This is also one of the things that created problems for me. With all the pockets and all it can become interesting. Actually the only problem I had was Airport security when I was flying. They can, and did, ask me to remove every item in all the pockets for them to check. Initially they tried to find the items without success. Maybe since things have become more professional with the TSA, this will not be a problem. Great review!
Actually, 99.9% of people have had the opposite experience with airport security. They don’t require that you do anything more than if it were a bag. Now if you have something that looks suspicious in the jacket, including a nail clipper :-), they would likely inspect it in the same fashion they would a bag. See some of our great Vestimonials at http://www.scottevest.com/v3_community/vestimonials.shtml
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.
Scott
I think you are probably right. It was back in the time when they did “random” searches at the gate. I was just one of the unlucky ones.
:wow: New eVests! I’ve been waiting for these to come out. How cool that I should find them on the Gadgeteer. These look pretty great. I am glad to see the dual key holders, I think that is a really nice feature. The epaulets and hat holder are really cool additions too. Now I just have to figure out which one I want… Any plans for a Stealth in black Microfiber? Sounds like FineTex is maybe too hot for Texas. How about special offers for Gadgeteers?:)
Since the Microfiber doesn’t have any reflective materials on it, it is essentially in “stealth” mode as it is now, without the side zippers for firearms, etc. For Texas weather, I suggest the Fleece Jacket http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/30_fleece.shtml
Use coupon code “pocketpcpassion” to save $10 for purchases over $80. This code is good for purchases made after today.
Thanks!
Scott
Unfortunately, now you have to take all your gear out, cell phone, PDA, etc., for them to be checked out individually, to make sure they are not bombs. Kind of reduces the vest’s usefulness at airports. Before you could shove the whole thing onto the metal detector conveyor belt. Not any more. I still want a vest, though.
I am not sure that you now have to take everything out. I have traveled as recently as one week ago, and didn’t have to take everything out.
Really? That’s good. Wow, I didn’t know that. I gladly accept correction in matter. Of course, it also depends on which airline you’re using. Enforcement of the rules is still rather spotty.
And I still want a vest. I think I’ll put it on my private Christmas list, the one I give to my wife. Grin.
Wow, we’re all up and at ’em this morning. Judging from my trips this summer (all domestic), it’s a crapshoot as far as what they will check, if they will check, etc… One time they spent forever checking my sneakers and barely checked my gearbag at all.
Just a matter of time until we are all nude and shackled to our seats. Hmm, Kink Airways…
Better start working out.
I think if they are going to make you take everything out, they are going to make you take everything out. No matter what it’s in.:rolleyes:
I don’t understand why they don’t just go ahead and make the x-ray machine from Total Recall . Would anyone really object to that? Then they could just pull us to the side if they saw an actual weapon or other suspicious item. Maybe in 10 years…
Judie :0)
I’ll probably wear my fleece jacket when I go to TechXPO in a few weeks. We’ll see what happens at LaGuardia. 🙂
http://www.scottevest.com/htmlemail/august2003/index.html
I wouldn’t want to be wearing one of these anywhere except in the forest, just look at where they reviewed it, the damn thing looks pathetic, I do like the pockets tho, but wear it only for self-satisfaction. Or you may be looked on as gay, not that gay is a bad thing.
My problem with the entire Scott eVest line is that their logo is displayed on the outside of all of their garments. Even the upcoming leather jacket features a logo, which IMHO displays very poor fashion and marketing sense on their part. I don’t wear logos on my clothing, period, and all the more so, I would never ever wear clothing with an amateurish and geeky logo. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I think their “SeV” logo looks wholly unprofessional. Were it only displayed exclusively on the inside of their clothing, this would be a non-issue, but having heard from their customer service that they have no intention of creating logo-free eVests, I can’t imagine ever seeing one in my future.
How the heck can you avoid logos? They are all over the place.
Over the past few weeks I’ve traveled to Canada and the UK from the US. On neither trip have I had to empty my pockets. They asked that I place my jacket (and its contents) in a tray to be x-rayed. Good thing- I had the pockets in my eVest 2.5 filled with my Tanager, my wife’s 1910 in an innopocket aluminum case, the tanager camera, my digital camera, a book, some documents, gum, etc!
I’m drooling over the new 3.0… do I splurge on a new North Face jacket, or the eVest???:wow:
Well, you’re right, perhaps I should have been more precise… the only company logos I wear are on my “sloppy clothes,” namely: sneakers, T-shirts and serious outdoor wear (e.g., Marmot). These logos are all professionally deisgned and they don’t bother me.
In contrast, my everyday clothes do not provide free advertising for their manufacturers and I wouldn’t buy/wear them if they did. Particularly regarding their upcoming leather eVest, I don’t think logos belong on leather jackets unless you’re in the Air Force.
I’m still looking for something like this that is still pocket-dense but *light*. Something wearable in New England summers 🙂
I do like the idea of these jackets – and 3.0 is the best yet. But I have a few problems with it and a few suggestions…
(And just as a preface… my words are for Scott. I’m not trying to engage other forum members into an unproductive debate about why I shouldn’t have my own opinions about the jacket, or why I’m wrong, bla, bla, bla. Just want to point that out. My suggestions really are meant to be constructive… really!)
First, Scott, why won’t you make the neck collars on your jackets fold down? The collars that stick up look like something straight out of the 80’s where people used to wear the collars of their Izod T-shirts straight up in the effort to try and look cool. I mean no insult, but if you’re not going to do away with the stick up collar, at the very least, you should offer people the option of choosing their jacket with either the stick up collar, or with a collar that will fold down, found on virtually every jacket known to mankind. The stick up collar SCREAMS “NERD!!!” and IMO, really needs to go about as bad as bellbottoms needed to. Trust me on this… no one sits around and thinks, “Man, I wish someone would make jackets with collars that stick straight up”. In other words, I don’t hear anyone ever complaining that the collars on their jackets fold down nicely (regardless of brand, style, material, color, or cost). If you make your jackets with fold down collars, it’ll just increase your sales that much more. Even nerds wear jackets with fold down collars (not only because virtually every jacket out there is made this way and even nerds have to stay warm), but also meaning, that you have nothing to lose and even more to gain (the more fashion-conscientious customers). And if someone wanted to flip it up – well, they still could.
Secondly, please, PLEASE get rid of the velcro on the sleeve cuffs. This screams “NERD!!!” as well. Again, I mean no insult, but the velcro, quite frankly, shows poor fashion sense. Velcro belongs no where on ANY jacket, especially the sleeve cuffs. This also goes for elastic, as well as “large” interior badging and/or logos on the exterior of the jacket that stick out like a sore thumb.
<u>Jacket Fashion Rules, Numbers One thru Four:</u> (Some apply, some are for future reference).
1 – NO VELCRO! (Velcro belongs on a nice jacket about as much as crap belongs on a dinner plate).
2 – NO ELASTIC! (No elastic should ever be found on sleeve cuffs or around the bottom of the jacket, unless you want everyone to think you couldn’t afford a nice jacket).
3 – NO LARGE INTERIOR BADGES! (Logos and labels here are appropriate, of course, just nothing huge).
4 – NO EXTERIOR LOGOS! (Exterior logos are tacky – let the design of your jacket speak for itself in place of exterior logos).
(These rules would also definitely apply to the leather version of your jacket, btw).
Third, out of all of the versions of 3.0 that you offer, the only one that I would even consider purchasing would be the Finetex Stealth System. Apart from the collar being too short and the velcro on the sleeve collars (which I suppose I could remove myself, but Geez, for $300 I shouldn’t have to), I notice that it’s only for sale to Law Enforcement. Huh?!? I don’t get it. I would advise you to reconsider that. Why wouldn’t you offer that to civilians? I don’t understand the reasoning behind that. My intention is not to be argumentative, but we no longer have the right to wear pure black jackets now? Pure black jackets are found and purchased everywhere on earth by everyone. Do you think that people are going to commit crimes or more crimes, specifically in your jackets if they bought the stealth version? Or that the stealth version might promote crime? I can’t think of any other logical reason as to why these aren’t available to anyone, so I’m not sure if that’s the logic behind why you won’t sell it to civilians, but if so, that would be absurd, to say the least. For me, personally, I like the look of the pure black stealth version – because I don’t like the look of having logos and white lines pointing out where all the zippers are all over the jacket, nor do I like the light color of the fleece on the collar (which all cheapens the look of the jacket, to me) – the stealth version does away with all of this, which is what I prefer. I would purchase this version (even though I’d change a couple of things about it), but only this version. It would be a real shame not to be able to, simply because you choose not to allow the rest of us to buy it and put more money in your pocket. 🙁
Now, on a different note, the jacket concept is great. I’ve always thought that. Thanks, Scott, for designing what seems to be a very functional piece of clothing (if not for a few flaws). It’s about time someone made something for us “Gadgeteers”.
I know that I can come across a bit bold or strong, but that’s me. I don’t BS around. I tell it like it is, and I want you to know, everything I say is not in the spirit of berating or simply ranting, but to help make your jacket better and get it into the hands of more of us (hint, hint… sell us the Finetex Stealth System!). Anytime I see improvements that could be made, I’ll share them.
Thanks for reading. Scott. And if you make the changes that I suggest, then thanks even more for that!!! 😀
I will try to respond as best i can in a short time. If I miss something, let me know.
-Logos: Our logo placement is VERY subtle. We have learned from prior versions. Moreover, compared to others in the industry, e.g., Northface, our logos are much more discrete.
-Neck Height: The FineTex Version is intended as a 3 season jacket, and especially winter used with the fleece liner, and thus the neck is higher for warmth and protection. The other versions, micro and leather and fleece, have much lower necks. The micro is slightly higher though to accomadate the zip in hood, which is very popular. You can’t have a zip in hood without a neck that is large enough to accomadate it. Moreover, the Sport Tec has a very low neck line, cuz no hood. The pictures don’t do it justice.
-Velcro Sleeves: The micro and leather versions has snap sleeves. Whereas the FineTex has Velcro sleeve cuffs. This is the only way to do it for a jacket you want to offer maximum comfort for winter use, to keep the air out. Snaps don’t offer that ability, but do look nicer. The micro and leather versions are intended to be slightly more formal looking.
-Logo Look: Almost everyone has complimented us on the look of the simple SeV logo. Not much we can do about that at this point.
Elastic Sleeves: This is on the Fleece jacket, and some earlier versions. This is the best way to use for fleece jackets.
Sorry it took so long to reply. Unless you have seen the new versions in person, it is hard to appreciate the improvements. Please read Judie’s review for an unbaised opinion.
Thanks.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Just got an eVest 2.5 on their moving day / clearance sale. Still kinda leery at $89 for a coat – but having bought the windshirt (which I wear all the time) I knew the quality was there – so I took the plunge.
This jacket is great! Love the construction – very high quality. Tons of subtle touches – magnet closure over the zipper – good strong zipper pulls, mesh vent in the back. Just a great coat.
One funny thing – I was trying it on – and found the obligatory card in the pocket – what I thought was the “INSPECTED BY #7” card. Well – kind of – more of a “if you love the coat – spread the word” card. Fine. But then there was one in the other pocket, and one in the breast pocket, and one the back side pocket and on and on – I was starting to curse these $%#!@ cards – when I suddenly realized that by digging them all out – I was finding all the the 20 umpteen pockets in the garment. Many I would never have found outherwise. Whoever came up with that idea should get a free coffee cup – great idea!
I will say, in response to a previous writer – this coat is a little logo heavy. I don’t dislike that at all – in fact – they way it is done is appealing to me but…. There is the TEC patch on the bottom front. The SeV logo on the front zipper flap, and middle back, and a Scott eVest printed on the zipper pulls on the front main zipper and back zipper.
Now – keep in mind that this is a 2.5 version jacket – so Scott’s comments on the logo changes may apply more to the 3.0 versions. And, more importantly (for me anyway) I like the logos. I like the design, I like the placement, and I want people to know that I am wearing something more than just a plain old black jacket. Most people – it won’t make a difference too – but when another gadget head sees it – they know. I guess I like that.
Great work guys – really, really happy with the jacket. $89 very well spent.
Now I gotta work on the wife – to convince her about the 3.0 system. It gets cold here in Nebraska – and I think I am going to need both the fleece liner and the shell
Thanks for your post! BTW, if you read each card in the pockets, you will note that they are all different, as well as the stack in your “secret pocket”. The cards in each pocket give a descrtiption of the best items to put in that particular pocket, and indicate whether it is connected to the Personal Area Network. The cards in the secret pocket contain different “Vestimonials” from people who have won our contests for submitting them.
Scott
I appreciate your response, Scott. And I’m sure that you’ve made improvements on your jacket, but I just can’t see ever buying one of these jackets in their present form. I love the concept and the idea of having so many pockets available for carrying the things that are important to me, but I can’t get past the design. When I look at the photos in Judie’s review, it just makes me think, “No thanks”. I just don’t care for the present look.
I’ve owned many jackets and currently own a beautiful leather jacket and a very nice suede jacket (both with large cuffs; not ones that “hug” my wrists), and none of them had or have velcro, elastic, or snaps on the sleeves or the waist, but I’ve always managed to stay very warm. If someone is in an environment that demands cinching the sleeves snug against their wrists, then they wouldn’t be wearing this jacket in the first place. They’d be wearing a heavier jacket. Besides, I can’t say I remember the last time that I felt cold air blowing up the sleeves of my jackets. I wouldn’t plan on visiting any place very cold in this thing, so velcro and elastic, to me, aren’t exactly useful and just takes away from the look of the jackets.
As far as logos are concerned, nice jackets never have their logos on the outside. They’re always on the inside of the jacket near the collar. Logos are left off of all nice jackets for a reason.
You never really addressed my comments about the neck height of the collar, apart from just describing them. Making the collars longer will allow people to fold the collars down (like you see on virtually every jacket out there) which I’m tellin’ ya, looks SO much better, Scott. But it would still allow people to fold the collar up if they chose to in order to keep a bit more warm on certain days. Just go down to any jacket store, leather jacket store, or clothing store, and take a close look at how the collars on these jackets are made.
And once again, the fleece color and every other part should match the primary color of the jackets… (the yellow? IMO, should go. The white lines near the zippers? IMO, should go). Doing away with this would make the jacket look so much nicer – everything would blend together and create nice “lines”, instead of disrupting the flow and look of the jacket.
And I still think you should make the stealth versions of your jackets available to all, not just law enforcement.
I know that you have your own vision for your jackets… my vision for this sort of a jacket is apparently very different in terms of looks.
At any rate, thanks for listening to my comments. That’s always appreciated. 🙂
Who knows, being an inventor myself, maybe one day you’ll have a little competition 😉
Following your review I ordered a Microfiber eVest 3.0 and immediately loaded it with gadgets:
15″ Powerbook, Digital Ixus 400, PC5E MiniDV, Titanium Thermos, Titanium Flask, Palm T3, Slim Keyboard, LCD TV, eTrek Vista GPS, T610 GSM, Alinco VHF/UHF Transceiver, Sony NR Headphones, Silva 27 Wearable Compass, Wallet, Passports, Zeiss 5x Pocket Telescope, Fisher Space Pen, Iridium 9505 Satphone, Sunglasses, Silva Wind/Barometer/Altimeter/Thermometer, Sony SW1 World Radio, Panasonic MiniDisk Player, Bucktool Pliers, Adjustable Wrench, Podometer, Storm Lighter, Zipka Plus Headtorch and a pocket electric shaver.
I couldn’t find my GameBoy Advance SP and did have to leave a few more things out.
I am quite happy with the garment which remained comfortable with all this stuff in (although not quite practical) but I found few pockets that really matched the items. Since almost every new gadget is walkman/pda sized, it is a shame not more pockets suited them. My favorite feature: the bottle holder where my 500ml Thermos disappeared easily.
Keep up the good work.
Gregory
Good Lord, that’s a lot of stuff! LOL… I have to laugh because although I love carrying around a lot of things, this is so much more than I would ever probably own and/or carry around. That’s pretty cool, though! LOL… <shakes head> Truly amazing.
The funny thing is, the photo of that jacket looks better than other photos I’ve seen, but I still can’t get past that collar. Seriously looks ridiculous (not you, just the collar). :p
Cool photo of your gear, though. You should be gadgeteer of the month with all that stuff!
In Micro Fiber, which has a satin, silky finish, the eVest is actually quite stylish. It seems to be water-resistant enough
(you can put a sleeve under a running faucet and it doesn’t get wet) so is a good altenative to the FineTex which really looks too shiny and plasticky (but which I would rather wear if I was on a motorcycle for example).
As for the collar, remember it is really a matter of individual taste. I like it a lot like it is and so seem to do most of the designers of the time (read Vogue sometimes).
Best regards.
Gregory
gguida,
Love the pic. Would you mind if we added it to SCOTTeVEST’s
VESTibule of Fame ?
Kind Regards,
Julie Poole
Please feel free to post the picture, I am still trying to figure which pocket works best for what but these are the items I would normally bring on a trip (it so happens there are just 28 of them). Later I’ll try to stuff in as much as the jacket can take for the sake of experimentation.
Yes of course it’s a matter of personal taste. I don’t know what “designers” you’re referring to, but I’d be hard pressed to believe that Vogue is applauding the collar. Even if they did, I wouldn’t make my decision based on that particular opinion. I’d base it off of what I like, as usual. But if they are applauding it, so to speak, they’re in the minority. Individual taste indeed.
Best regards.
Hi Gregory,
Thank you for letting us add your SCOTTeVEST pic to our VESTibule of Fame. You can see the picture here: Gregory in his SeV Three.0 Micro.
P.S. We’d love to have some more pictures; anyone is welcome to submit theirs.
Kind Regards,
Julie Poole
VP of Ecommerce
SCOTTeVEST LLC –TECHNOLOGY ENABLED CLOTHING
http://www.scottevest.com
1-866-909-8378
We posted some more beta pics of Version Three.0 up on our discussion board, and are trying to narrow down the best pictures. See http://www.scottevest.com/community/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61 for the link with the pics.
We are trying to solicit opinions of people in an effort of simply getting some help, and in an attempt to create some sense of community to interact with people who are interested in this topic.
I invite you to feel free to chime in with comments from time to time on my Forum Page at http://www.scottevest.com/community/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=28. I am keeping an informal diary where periodically I will solicit opinions and share mine.
This particular discussion board is meant primarily for business related stuff, but given the nature of a diary, it may occasionally contain some more personal stuff. I would just ask that all comments are keep constructive :-).
I will be posting some more pictures of Sun Valley soon, not product related this time.
Fondly,
Scott
I just received a SCOTTeVEST Version 3.0 Microfiber from my Better Half for my birthday. Yippee!
I love it, but the sleeves seem too long. Should I roll up the cuffs or see how a Medium fits me? How much shorter would the sleeves be on a Medium verses a Large?
I take sport shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, coats, and jackets in size Large to get the sleeves in a comfortable length for me. I like sleeves to end right about where the big knuckle on my thumb is. Large does the trick.
My brand new SCOTTeVEST’s sleeves extend to the point where the cuffs end at my fingertips. A wee bit too long, it would seem.
Are these garments “oversized” in some fashion?
I went through the sizing charts on the SCOTTeVEST site and nothing seems amiss. My dress shirt size is 15/34-35.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
— Craig
Thanks for the comments. Version Three does run a bit large. How tall are you and how much do you weigh? If you call us, we can walk you through the size chart. Call 866 909-8378. Please leave all tags on it if you think you will exchange it.
Scott
Thank you for replying so quickly.
I had to laugh. Yes, indeed, size does matter, especially with something you wear.
I am about 5 foot 11 inches in height. My weight is about 140 pounds.
Would you recommend I give you folks a call, or should I simply exchange my garment for a Medium? And yes, the tags are all still in place.
I was actually going to sleep in my new eVest, but common sense won out. Grin.
I recommend a medium. Please call for an RMA.
Scott
Thanks, Scott. Sounds good to me, but what is an RMA?
RMA is Return Merchandise Authorization. We need to issue you a number. We got a foot of snow here in Sun Valley, and plan to go skiing in about 15 minutes, so call now, or later this afternoon.
Thanks.
Scott,
I called and got the RMA number, but the Medium size Microfiber seems to be sold out.
The lady I with whom I spoke said no decision has been made on restocking. She said the earliest I could expect something might be the fall.
Any suggestions? An eVest that is too large is preferable to no eVest at all.
— Craig
I figured it out.
I’m exchanging for a medium-size Finetex in black.
Thanks again.
Bumping up an old thread. I really like the idea of having such a vest but all the comments of the duties, customs brokerage fees is making me worried.
Is there any way that Scott evest could just send the item via USPS instead of UPS so that we don’t have to pay $50 or so just to pay someone to put a sticker and stamp on the package? That seems way too outrageous. Or maybe if they Scott evest could get a Canadian reseller to sell and distribute them so that Canadians won’t be gouged by such unscrupulous business practices?
I don’t mind paying the GST and the duties but I refuse to let UPS charge a sizeable amount on it so that they can fatten their profit. It’s not like they’re shipping the stuff for free. We are paying for the shipping.
I’ve made this request on an order from them and they were surprisingly accommodating. It took a little longer for the package to get to me, but I was able to pick it up at the local Canada Post outlet, paying only $5 on top of the duties.
Remember that only regular USPS Parcel Post will arrive through Canada Post; USPS Express *anything* gets handed over to Purolator, I think, and in that scenario you can expect a surprise invoice from PBB Global Logistics after you think everything’s settled.
How long did it take to arrive? If it’s within a month, I’m perfectly fine with it. In that case, I’m ready to order the 4.0 evest. I love these vests. I can wear them under a jacket if necessary and still have all my gadgets and stuff on me.
I used to carry a fanny pack for all my stuff but ever since I got a multi pocket fall vest from Marks Work Wearhouse (I love that too), I’ve been wearing that and on cold days (it’s -15 Celsius now), I put on a light nylon windbreaker and it works very well.