09-24-2004, 05:00 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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The New SCOTTeVEST Classic Vest Asks, "Do You Really Need Sleeves?"
Product Category: "Hardware" (Pocket-Laden Gadget Vest)
Manufacturer: SCOTTeVEST
Where to Buy: www.scottevest.com
Price: $129.99
Specifications: Available in sizes to fit nearly everybody (Mens sizes small through XXX-Large, plus some tall sizes)
Pros:- Excellent workmanship, very well made;
- Very nice, new combination of high quality materials;
- As always, TONS of pockets.
Cons:- Doesn't include sleeves;
- May be beyond some people's budgets.
Summary: Okay, you know me and my SCOTTeVESTs. I've been a fan of these pocket-packed duds for years now, so I usually get excited when something new comes along from SCOTTeVEST. But, when the company's CEO and founder, Scott Jordan, first told me about his new "Classic" vest, I was at first a little "underwhelmed," because it didn't sound very different from some of SCOTTeVEST's existing products. I couldn't have been more wrong, though, because this new Classic vest is a great marriage of the tried-and-true features with the very latest in fabric and construction.
For more details, keep reading!
What Is A "New Classic?"
I know it sounds a little strange to describe something as a "new classic;" it sounds about as oxymoronic as "Microsoft Works" and "mature male." But in creating its new Classic vest, SCOTTeVEST has tried to bring all of the great features that have been part of the vests for years "kicking and screaming" into the 21st century. All of the great pockets, channels for concealing cords and style carry through to this version. But, there are some pretty neat surprises that are delivered by the latest and greatest in high-tech fabrics and design.
I'm not necessarily going to go through the long list of features that make up the Classic vest, item by item or pocket by pocket; for those things that are the same as the other SCOTTeVEST duds I've looked at, you can take a look at the other [brilliant] reviews I've written. In this review of the Classic vest, I'm going to focus more on what makes this version different.
Materials
Whenever I get a look at a new item from SCOTTeVEST, I've grown accustomed to seeing the finest in materials and workmanship. In looking at the new Classic vest, I wasn't disappointed. I really hate to sound like a broken record, but when it comes to the quality of materials and construction, you really cannot beat SCOTTeVEST. It's the fabrics used for the Classic vest that set it far apart from its early ancestors, the Versions 1.0 and 2.0 vests. Unlike the earlier versions' nylon shells, the Classic's outer shell is a cotton blend. I LOVE cotton! It is cool, breathable and very easy to clean. But, heck, I may not have to even clean the Classic vest very often, because it also has a Teflon� coating that'll make it hard for even me to stain. The coating also makes water run right off the vest. I was really interested in the water repellant feature, so I tested it myself. You can take my word for the fact that water really does just bead up and run off the shell. But, if you should decide that you must test this feature for yourself, please do not repeat my mistakes by testing it in the shower without first locking the bathroom door. It will eliminate the need to explain a situation that to the unsophisticated mind might appear a bit silly.
Figure 1: The new, cooler mesh lining.
Another slick upgrade is in the fabric used for the lining. In older vests, the lining was much the same as the outer shell; the Classic vest uses a great nylon mesh throughout the interior, kind of like the mesh in those tank-tops we wore in the 1980s. This mesh makes the vest much more breathable and comfortable in warm weather.
The Classic vest is currently available in black and slate gray. I sometimes wish that SCOTTeVEST were more consistent in the colors they offer their duds in. All come in black, but some also include gray or olive or stone or red. I'd like to see the Classic vest also in a cooler tan or stone, because the darker colors can make the vest too warm on sunny days.
But, what about the workmanship of the vest's construction? I looked the Classic vest over and over, turned many of its pockets inside out, pulled and tugged at interior seams and literally searched every square inch of the vest. I am not exaggerating when I say that I wasn't able to find a single mis-aligned hem, crooked seam or loose stitch.
Specific Features
The very first thing you probably notice about the Classic vest that makes it different from other SCOTTeVESTs is that it is, um, well, a vest. Most versions of the SCOTTeVEST have included zip-off sleeves, making them more like convertible jackets than vests. The Classic vest, true to its roots, has no sleeves. If you really need your pocketed attire to have sleeves, the Classic vest will be a disappointment. To be honest, though, I couldn't care less if the Classic vest included sleeves. In fact, whenever I've gotten a new SCOTTeVEST, the very first thing I do is remove the sleeves and toss them into the closet. To this very day, my daughter refuses to venture into my closet because she's afraid of the dark, snakelike tubes that seem to have nested in the back corner. I keep the sleeves on my Version Three.0 outer shell, but I simply prefer the freedom of movement that a sleeveless bag-o-pockets gives me.
Even though the Classic vest doesn't have sleeves of its own, it is designed to zip inside the Version Three.0 SCOTTeVEST outer shell. This makes it useful even when the weather turns colder.
As I mentioned earlier, the Classic vest has all the pockets and Personal Area Network (PAN) features that set all SCOTTeVESTs apart from the fishing vest look-alikes out there. It has a total of 28 pockets and nice amenities like a key holder and CamelBak pocket.
Figure 2: Quick-release cord holders on the collars.
One nice feature that's new are the cord holders on the collar. Older models have elastic loops for keeping headphone and hands-free cords organized, but the Classic vest also has newly-designed plastic clips that make attaching and detaching cords much, much easier.
Another great change SCOTTeVEST made is with the zippers. Older vests have large, fairly bulky and fairly obvious zippers. The Classic vest, though, uses hidden zippers and seaming techniques that make the outside zippers (and thus the pockets) virtually invisible. SCOTTeVEST has also opted to eliminate the largish nylon ribbon pulls on many of the zippers, making the pockets even less obvious. People who know me personally can attest to how grotesquely tall and large I am, and my big fingers sometimes fumble with small pulls. So I've ended up putting some pulls of my own onto some of the zippers, just so I can find and operate them quickly. Most [normal] people should be able to use the new zippers without problems.
Figure 3: Old internal pocket layout (top) and new pocket layout (bottom).
Some of the interior pockets have been redesigned, too. Most of the noisy Velcro closures have been replaced with stealthy zippers, which is an excellent feature when I'm trying to locate my cache of jellybeans in a crowded movie theater. The layout of the interior pockets is slightly different, too, so that your mobile phone can now be placed in a pocket which is actually mobile phone-shaped. I like the new layout and I think it makes the vest much easier for me to use.
Figure 4: Old placket (top) and new placket with logo (bottom).
Finally, the Classic vest includes a few minor cosmetic changes, such as the inclusion of very slick-looking logos.
Conclusions
I know that whenever I review a SCOTTeVEST product, I usually don't have very many negative comments to make. I really believe, though, that these garments are top-notch. Their materials, design and workmanship surpass anything else I've seen. I wish that the price could somehow be a bit lower and thus within reach of more of us who spend too much of our money on Pocket PCs, but even though the Classic vest currently goes for $129.99, you honestly DO get your money's worth.
In the end, my initial underwhelmed reaction to the Classic vest was unjustified. I'll continue to use my Version Three.0 SCOTTeVEST shell a lot in cold weather, but the new fabrics and design of the new Classic vest give it my highest MVP ranking (Measured Vest Preference) of all.
NOTE: SCOTTeVEST is giving Pocket PC Thoughts readers an additional $20 discount on any Classic vest (either color). All you have to do is enter the discount code classicthoughts at checkout. This discount is valid through October 6, 2004.
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09-24-2004, 05:18 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 559
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I would love one of these, but $130 for one garment is just too expensive. I could get a Bluetooth GPS for that. :wink: Not that I'm going to...the fact remains that I don't have an extra $130 to spend. :mrgreen:
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09-24-2004, 06:01 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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I understand your concern about the cost of this and some of the other SCOTTeVEST products. In just about all of my reviews of SCOTTeVEST products, that remains a concern. On the other hand, the quality and workmanship of this stuff is absolutely the best you can find.
Now, Scott Jordan has told me that he's going to offer an additional discount for Pocket PC Thoughts readers. I'll be posting that code very shortly, so stay tuned!
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09-24-2004, 07:56 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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I can see paying 300 dollars for the system (Version 3.0 with fleece liner). I can even see paying 80-90 for a version 2.0. But 129 for just the vest is a little pricey. That and through normal wear and tear (I am a geek, not a lumberjack) I myself have already (in about a year) got a hole in the sleeve lining at the seam and a I have a couple places where I have found a hole and I don't remember catching it on anything. I also have continual problems with the zippers getting caught in the fabric on the back pocket zipper and the sleeve zippers. These may have been fixed, but after seeing ScottEVests prices spiral up and the quality I have experienced, I will never buy again. I wish Scott would sell the idea to Columbia who's a company that can really make a GOOD jacket that can take the normal everyday wear and tear.
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09-24-2004, 09:00 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 171
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Back to the question: Are sleeves really that important?
Yes
Wearing a wind breaker doesn't make one look like a geek. A vest...well, that's a matter of opinion.
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09-24-2004, 09:18 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,060
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by bkerrins
A vest...well, that's a matter of opinion.
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I think it's also often just a matter of what people are used to. When I started wearing my first SCOTTeVEST, my teenage kids and the youth group I work with kinda teased me. But now that it's become a kind of "trademark" of mine, nobody gives it a second glance.
And I can tell you the it makes air travel SO much easier.
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09-24-2004, 09:22 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 80
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Quality is Very Important to Us
Quality and customer service is VERY important to us. If you experience ANY problems, please contact us immediately, and we will repair or replace the jacket, at our sole cost. We even pick up shipping costs. Gorkon, have you contacted us about your problems?
Fact is that all garments are still made by hand, and occassionally there will be minor issues. We pay a premium to ensure that those issues are minimized, and have established quality controls to do so. When problems arise, if we are notified, we take care of them immediately. Gorkon, please email [email protected] with your order information, or name, etc. so we can assist you with your problems. What version do you have?
I believe that once you see the vest (or any of our products), you will understand the level of quality we have incorporated into our products.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Scott
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09-25-2004, 01:40 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 137
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I bought my first evest last spring for my son. (Spring 3.0) He loves it and I must say the quality and service has been excellent.
I recently bought a new one for myself. It's in the closet waiting for the weather to drop out of the 80's (Maryland).
I didn't mention this to my son until he went back to college. He and I are the same size and I was afraid it would disappear before I wore it.
Great company to deal with.
dart
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09-25-2004, 02:09 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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Re: Quality is Very Important to Us
Quote:
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Originally Posted by scott911
Quality and customer service is VERY important to us. If you experience ANY problems, please contact us immediately, and we will repair or replace the jacket, at our sole cost. We even pick up shipping costs. Gorkon, have you contacted us about your problems?
Fact is that all garments are still made by hand, and occassionally there will be minor issues. We pay a premium to ensure that those issues are t
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It's been a while since I bought the jacket though Scott. Probably a year. I don't think there'd be much that can be done and I don't feel like it would be too fair since I have had it a while. I am a bi tdisappointed in the wear of it over that time though. From what I have seen though, quality does seem to be going up a bit in newer versions. The fabric changes that have been made recently look very durable. Mine was a version 2.
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09-25-2004, 05:30 AM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,819
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Why do I always feel the need to scream NERDS when I see these.
Quite a cult following...
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