Jack Cook -Microsoft Windows Mobile MVP- has published a dual review of two brand new SCOTTEVEST products on experiencemobility.net. The first review covers the SCOTTEVEST Coton Hoodie in a limited edition with some cool artwork, and the second review covers the SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket which easily can be transformed into a vest.
The following article will mix the review-findings of Jack Cook with product information and details from the SCOTTEVEST website, hopefully resulting in a well designed product description compiled from two different perspectives (manufacturer “theory” and Jack’s practice).
SCOTTEVEST/SeV Cotton Hoodie (Limited Edition)
Being a great fan of cotton hoodie pullovers, I directly did have a look at the impressive product details on the SCOTTEVEST website. There Icould find that the SCOTTEVEST Cotton Hoodie offers:
“[...] With 13 pockets you’ll never need to leave any of your electronics or gear behind, and even better… our NoBulge™ Pocket design will ensure that you keep a sleek exterior appearance even with your pockets full. Some of the interior pockets incorporate clear touch so you can see and control your touchscreen devices right through the cloth, while our Personal Area Network (PAN) keeps your headphone wires from getting tangled.”
Well the number of pockets is impressive since normal hoodies just have about 3 or 4 pockets maximum, while the SCOTTEVEST Cotton Hoodie has 13 pockets. Jack Cook really describes it from a practical point of view, which is summarized below:
“One of my favorite items has been the Hoodie because it offers that extra layer of clothing that is often needed but more importantly, it provides me with a few additional pockets to carry what I use everyday. I always have two devices with me so having additional pockets to keep them with me and safe from damage is a priority”
But not only the number of pockets is impressive, also the pocket design is optimzed resulting in the NoBulge Pocket design and the clear touch pockets to control your Apple iPhone 3GS or other touch screen device.
When you often use take a multimedia player with you like the Microsoft Zune HD or the Apple iPod Classic, you certainly have experienced the ritual of routing the earphone wires through the layers of your cloths. SCOTTEVEST has found a clever solution for this problem as well. Most of the pocketsare connected with the Personal Area Network (PAN), so you can pre-wire the earphones into the hoodie or jacket, without having to go to the cable-routing-ritual again.
SCOTTEVEST/SeV Tropical Jacket/Vest
“The Tropical Jacket/Vest combines all of the gadget-carrying functionality you have come to expect from SCOTTEVEST/SeV in a lightweight, packable jacket. This design is so versatile you can fold it into itself and toss it in you carry-on, golf bag, or glove compartment. The sleeves zip off so it can also be worn as a vest. It is perfect for traveling to warm climates, the golf course, out for a casual dinner, or for a walk on the beach. The Supplex fabric coupled with the mesh lining and zip-off sleeves will make this your go-to jacket when you need a great looking, lightweight option.”
In my free time I try to get on my road bike as often as possible, and one of the functional clothing parts I most of the times wear is my Gore Tex Bike Wear Windstopper Vest in combination with a pair of armwarmers. I really like this set-up because I can adjust the clothing to the changing temperatures over the day or cyclingtrip.
In concept the described functionality is the same on the SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest, which you can wear both as a jacket and a vest, and as Jack Cook describes it other words on his website:
“Yesterday I spent the day wearing it as a vest and later in the evening, I attached the sleeves easily as the temperature dropped into the mid-60’s. I like it and think you will too if you are looking for a great way to carry multiple items comfortably in warm weather.”
I think a lot of people will like this kind of clothing, but there is more than meets the eye in the SCOTTEVEST technology enabling clothing, analogue to the impressive functional specifications of the SCOTTEVEST/SeV Cotton Hoodie described above.
“The Tropical Jacket/Vest features two interior clear touch pockets that allow you to see and control your iPod®/iPhone® right through the cloth. Of course, most of the 18 pockets connect to our patented Personal Area Network (PAN) so your headphones never tangle and are always right where you need them. The Weight Management System™, balances the load of whatever you carry.”
The Weight Management System is a key feature that especially has my attention. At first I think it’s really clever, but I would like to have a look at the mechnism and the engineering reasoning behind this system. Also the Personal Area Network and the pocket designs in general require a lot of good engineering work resulting in great developments.
Wrap-up and closing thoughts
A well known proverb is: “seeing is believing”, and this also is applicable on my first hands-on experience with a SCOTTEVEST product. Johan van Mierlo has written an article “ScotteVest SeV Evolution Jacket review” on mobilityminded.com covering the SCOTTEVEST Sev Evolution Jacket. During his visit in the Netherlands recently I was able to have a look at the high quality and the well-thought-out design.
I was really impressed with it, and benchmarked the SCOTTEVEST Evolution Jacket with the also functional designed Mammut Ultimate Jacket. However the SCOTTEVEST Evolution Jacket design -and this is applicable to all SCOTTEVEST products- is more aimed at people who carry electronic devices, and need some additional pockets.
The SCOTTEVEST Cotton Hoodie is available now in a normal, and a limited edition with artwork on the back as shown in the picture above. The normal version costs $70,- while the limited edition costs $75,-. The price might be a little more expensive as a simple sports hoodie from a sport brand, but there for you really get a bulk load of clever design and functionality. In that respect the price is reasonably fair !
The great power of the SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest is the fact that it suits a wide variety of usage scenarios. You can use this jacket also as a vest by simply unzipping the sleeves. Again this SCOTTEVEST product is packed with a lot of cleverness, but I would like to hear some user experiences about the Weight Management System. If you could tell me more, please drop a comment below.
The pricing of the SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest is $120,- and available in the colors driftwood and smoke. The simple conclusion is that the pricepoint is very reasonable, since you -in fact- buy two products (both a jacket and a vest) for this price. Furthermore the product is again well designed inline with the SCOTTEVEST (functional) standards and quality.
Finally I would like to thank Jack Cook from experiencemobility.net for sharing his thoughts about these two brand new SCOTTEVEST products. Please head over to his website a read the complete reviews or watch his higly recommended video’s on YouTube:
However I need to warn you in advance, when you have used a SCOTTEVEST product once, I’m really afraid you won’t use other functional clothing anymore. I will try to get my hands on these products as well, especially the SCOTTEVEST Cotton Hoodie. 
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