SCOTTeVEST Rodeo Jacket

Judie just recently reviewed the Milan leather jacket from SCOTTeVEST. This is a very nice update to their Version 3.0 Limited Edition Leather Jacket that I reviewed 2 years ago. It’s very nice, but also VERY expensive. What’s a gadgeteer to do when they really want a leather SCOTTeVEST jacket, but don’t quite have the moola ($450) to shell out for one? They opt for the $200 Rodeo Jacket instead! Don’t worry, this SCOTTeVEST jacket doesn’t have fringe and a matching cowboy hat. The Rodeo is pretty much the same style as the Milan, but is made of Microsuede instead of lambskin. That said, there are some small differences that may or may not make a difference to you. Let’s take a closer look…

The Rodeo jacket is only available in one color: Walnut. This is a very pleasing color that matches well with the soft light weight Microsuede material. In case you aren’t familiar with Microsuede, it is not leather. It is a machine washable, thin, brushed leather-like material made of 100% polyester. This material is also treated with Teflon, which helps clothing look newer longer. Stains won’t stick to Teflon, and spills actually bead up and roll off.

This is probably not a jacket that will keep you warm in freezing temperatures, since it is quite light weight (slightly less than 2lbs). Definitely perfect for the Spring and Fall seasons though. Just as an example, I was a bit cool in the jacket on a gloomy, breezy, 55 degree day, with a short sleeved T-shirt underneath it. A nice addition to this jacket would be the ability to add a thin liner to enhance warmth.

Unlike the Milan jacket which has more of a unisex feel to it, the style of the Rodeo is definitely more masculine than feminine due to the taller stand up tabbed collar.

I’m going to warn you all now that there won’t be any pictures of me wearing the Rodeo. Yes, I know you’re all heartbroken (not!), but size SMALL was too big for me. So much so, that pictures would really not help the review any. Hey Scott, you need an XS for girls! :o)

The collar is 2.5in tall in the back, and 1.75in in the front. As a girl, I’m not a big fan of this style of collar. I’m still hoping someday to see a lay down style of collar on a SCOTTeVEST jacket.

2-Way front zippers give you maximum access to all of those inside pockets. This is perfect for cycling or when you sit down and don’t want to unzip the jacket to be less restricted, just pull up the lower zipper to give yourself some breathing room. Works great after eating a big meal too ;o)

Zippers at the hip area also allow you to more comfortably sit while the jacket is zipped up.

The interior of the Rodeo is lined with a silk-like nylon material that has SeV logos embedded in the pattern. Speaking of SeV logos, this jacket unlike some of SCOTTeVEST’s other offerings, has very few. In addition to the lining logos, there are also logos on the interior pocket pull tabs, a logo patch above the size tag, and a logo on the owner’s tag.

As for logos on the outside of the jacket (where it really counts…), you only see them on the brass-like zipper pulls and snaps. There are no embroidered logos anywhere to been seen. Yay!

Ok, time for the feature tour…

This jacket has 39 hidden pockets. I don’t think I have to tell you that that is a lot of pockets! You may even require a map, or a really good memory to remember where you put your devices / stuff when you wear this jacket. ;o) Let’s see if I can find all of them.

On the exterior of the jacket, you will find 11 pockets. On the breast area, there are 2 vertical pockets parallel with the main zipper. Above each of these two pockets is a smaller lower shoulder angled pocket. (+4, Sub-total=4)

The sleeves each have a zippered vertical pocket in the forearm area, while the left sleeve has an additional vertical zippered pocket in the biceps area. (+3, Sub-total=7)

There are also deep zippered hand pockets on both sides. In addition to zippers, both pockets have magnets at the openings to help keep them closed. This may or may not be annoying to some people as you have to separate the magnets in order to put your hands inside the pockets. After you get used to it, it doesn’t require much effort to slide your hands into the pockets in one swift motion. It just feels awkward at first. Both deep hand pockets have a zipper that divides the pocket into two areas (pockets). These pockets are ergonomically designed so items can’t fall out, even if you forget to zip it closed. There is also a wide elastic band in the inner most section of each pocket that serves as a bottle holder. The right hand pocket has an attached key-holder too. (+4, Sub-total=11)

Speaking of magnets, there are quite a few of them in this jacket. It makes me a little concerned to carry my billfold in a pocket with a magnet in close proximity. Magnets and credit cards do not get along together. I’m not sure how strong a magnet needs to be to do harm to a credit card though, so my fears may be unfounded.

Time to count pockets on the inside now…

I like the silk-like material used for the interior. Due to its silkiness, it makes it easy to pull the jacket on over long sleeved shirts and sweaters. It’s also cool and comfortable. Ok, let’s get counting! On the right side, we have 6h x 4w inch vertical zippered pocket at the very top. Below that pocket is an open topped 4.5h x 3w inch pocket that has a zipper in the inside seam that opens into another small irregular zipped pocket in the armpit area. You can see it in the image on the left. It is the area right above the black pocket pull tab. The black pull tab helps to separate two magnets that holds the top of the DCC+ pocket closed. I vertical zipper which is sewn into the seam where the suede and interior silk-like material meet, allows you to open this large 12h x 8w inch storage area. More talk about this farther down in the review. On the outside of the DCC+ pocket is an 8h x 8w pocket that opens via a zippered top. The owner label is sewn onto the outside of this storage area. (+5, Sub-total=16) These interior pockets are what SCOTTeVEST call Hanging Pockets. They are loose hanging pockets that create a more streamlined look and enable greater concealment of devices, without any unsightly bulges. Running along the main zippered area on the inside of the jacket, you will find 4 narrow inner pockets that can hold a pen, PDA, stylus, or a set of chopsticks (+4, Sub-total=20).

There are 2 more Pen / stylus holder slots on the opposite side of the jacket (+4, Sub-total=24).

Now is a good time to talk a little bit more about the DCC+ pockets.

DCC+ stands for Detachable Cargo Cache+. This is a large Velcro patch within the hand-warmer pockets enables you to attach any items with Velcro for safe keeping. SeV suggests that this is perfect for your wallet and/or gun holster. If you read Judie’s Milan jacket review, she shows pictures of her husband demonstrating using it for gun storage.

At the bottom of each DCC+ pocket, there are 2 sets of battery holders. Each set can hold 4 batteries; 1 set of AA’s, and 1 set of AAA’s. Photographers would probably appreciate this feature as they could easily carry batteries for flashes and their cameras in these slots.

You might worry that loading down the Rodeo with a gear bag’s worth of gadgets might be a recipe for a back ache. SeV thought of that, and employs a special fabric in the shoulder areas to hold the shape of the shoulders and to distribute the weight evenly on your shoulders.

On the left side we have a large vertical zippered irregular shaped 7h x 5w inch pocket in the breast area.

Below that pocket is another large 12h x 8w inch DCC+ pocket with a 8h x 8w inch pocket on top of it. This pocket has a horizontal zipper that opens the top, and then a strip of Velcro inside that allows you to section off this pocket into 2 pockets.

On top of the 8 x 8 pocket is a Velcro flapped 7h x 3.5 inch pocket with two 3.5h x 2.5w pockets beside it. Each of these two pockets have a sewn in divider. I guess you could use them for batteries, lipstick, chapstick, etc. (+9, Sub-total=33).

I shouldn’t forget to mention that SeV’s patented PAN (Personal Area Network) is a an important feature in the Rodeo jacket. It allows you to channel your wires through the lining of the jacket in order to wire and connect your various devices. There is also a hidden conduit system, similar to the Personal Area Network, located on the inside of the collar that holds wires in place.

A black mesh earbud pocket is located inside just below the front collar on each side for earbud storage. (+2, Sub-total=35).

Earbud pockets

Inside the collar area are 2 collar loops which are made of strong elastic cord. These collar loops hold the earbuds and headphones in place.

Yay, we’ve finally made it to the last pocket! The back pocket, which is a whopping 12h x 16w inches large. It is great for stowing documents, folders, magazines or a Camelbak system. A Camelbak is a water reservoir that has a feeder tube that you can run through the PAN and to your collar area. (+1, Total=36). Oh oh, I’m 3 pockets short… Hopefully Scott will point out which ones I failed to find.

Most guys would probably love this jacket. If the Rodeo came in a size that would actually fit me, I might even wear it. I do like the feel and weight… and of course all the pockets. I also appreciate that there aren’t as many logos on this jacket. Now if only we could get SeV to make a more feminine version, with a fold down collar. I guess I’ll have to keep wishing… In the mean time, if you’re a guy and want a jacket that can blend in to both dressy and casual settings, while holding all your stuff, this one will do the trick.