Name: SCOTTeVEST Featherweight Vest for women
What it is: A lightweight 14-pocket vest with SCOTTeVEST’s patented personal area network to thread earbud wires up and around the collar. There are pockets for a smartphone, keys, glasses, a wallet, a tablet, a passport and other travel documents. The wallet pocket has RFID-blocking technology to foil identity thieves’ scanners, and there’s a small mesh pocket to hold your ID. The collar features a bud pocket on each side, and there are two interior pen pockets. The vest comes in off-white and slate blue, because lighter colors don’t absorb sunlight the way dark colors like black do. The Featherweight is available at the same price for men.
The good: This vest gave me the pockets I needed for tramping around warm destinations this year. Instead of schlepping a camera bag or backpack, I hiked in the vest because it easily stows two action cameras, a phone and my wallet. Confession: I don’t always use the pockets for what SCOTTeVEST intended. Instead of dropping my phone in the left breast phone pocket, I keep it in my left-hand pocket, and I use the exterior vertical zip breast pockets to stash cash, my driver’s license and a credit card. And I sometimes use the secret pocket in the left breast pocket to stash medication instead of money.
The bad: More ventilation would help, because even with the lighter colors, it can get hot when I’m walking around in warmth while toting too many gadgets.
Cost: $135
Available from: www.scottevest.com
Terry Gardner is a freelance reporter.