Scott E. Jordan
09-21-2005, 09:37 AM
http://www.pdabuzz.com/Home/tabid/54/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/615/ReviewSCOTTEVESTCovertFinetex40.aspx
Review
By Nate Hanson :: 153 Views ::
Because convergent devices haven’t reached the point I want them to, I carry a separate PDA, MP3 player and a cell phone everywhere I go. I’ve tried carrying them in a large day planner, a briefcase and various kinds of cargo pants. None of these has worked all that well. So I was particularly excited to try out a new SCOTTEVEST. Let me say up front that I am amazed with this vest.
First Impressions:
My new friends at SCOTTEVEST sent me a black “covert” jacket with zip-off sleeves, good looks and all the portable device storage I could ever need. (The zip-off sleeves are why they call it a vest, and what enables the wearer to use the vest all year through.) The minute I put it on my wife complimented me on how good it looked. I had mentioned the purpose of an SeV and she had pictured something like a fishing vest. Well she was wrong, and so is anyone else who thinks that SeV products are clunky and funny looking. With their new 4.0 version of clothing, SeV is focused more than ever on the great appearance of their products. Their new products are aimed at a younger, more fashion conscious crowd, and I believe they’ve gotten their designs just right.
Wiring it Up:
The Covert Finetex 4.0 is equipped with around 40 pockets! (I counted that high and lost count after that.) Some are zippered. Some have magnetic closures. One contained a place to clip my keys. Another had a place for my wallet. Another had a place for styli and pens. Still another was big enough to carry a Camelbak bladder so I don’t get thirsty. There were pockets within pockets and elastic loops to hold batteries. In one pocket there was even a clip and rag to clean my glasses while I’m on the go. There are so many pockets that SCOTEVEST has included a little card in each pocket describing what each is best used for. Very nice touch.
The SeV also comes equipped with their patented Personal Area Network. What this means is that nearly every pocket in the vest has an access notch that allows the user to run wires throughout the lining. Picture this: I loaded my MP3 player in one pocket. Then I ran the remote’s wire through the mesh liner of the SeV down to a pocket in the sleeve, near my wrist. Then I ran the headphones through the liner, up to the collar and clipped them in a couple of thoughtfully placed earbud clips. Instantly I’ve got an MP3 player jacket with all the wires concealed inside the liner. I also found great homes inside for my iPaq and my phone. If you’re into hands-free phone operation, you could wire that earpiece and mic up to your collar too. If you use a phone to connect your PDA to the web, you could run a cable from your phone pocket through the liner to your PDA. The possibilities are many.
Other Niceties:
The outer shell of the Finetex is made of polyester and treated with waterproof Teflon protection. It’s got a zip-off hood concealed in the collar for those really rainy days. The liner is a polyester mesh, which helps keep the wearer cool and aids in running those wires throughout the SeV. If you’re out in cooler weather, there’s an optional zip-in fleece liner as well.
Conclusions:
I hinted last week that SCOTTEVEST was going after the iPod Generation. With their new 4.0 line of Technology Enabled Clothing, even the fashion-conscious iPod crowd will find something they love. The SeV I’ve got, has room for everything I carry. It allows me to connect up my music on the go. And it looks great! Good-bye, cargo pants. Good-bye, clunky briefcase. The SCOTTEVEST Covert Finetex replaces them all in style.
Final Grade: A
Pros: Pockets for all your stuff. Great looking. Ability to wire your gear together.
Cons: Some access notches in the liner were a little small for larger connectors, like my MP3 player remote and iPaq sync cable.
The SeV and other Technology Enabled Clothing is available at www.scottevest.com. The SeV folks are also in talks with some major department stores. By the holiday shopping season you’ll probably be seeing them at the mall too.
Review
By Nate Hanson :: 153 Views ::
Because convergent devices haven’t reached the point I want them to, I carry a separate PDA, MP3 player and a cell phone everywhere I go. I’ve tried carrying them in a large day planner, a briefcase and various kinds of cargo pants. None of these has worked all that well. So I was particularly excited to try out a new SCOTTEVEST. Let me say up front that I am amazed with this vest.
First Impressions:
My new friends at SCOTTEVEST sent me a black “covert” jacket with zip-off sleeves, good looks and all the portable device storage I could ever need. (The zip-off sleeves are why they call it a vest, and what enables the wearer to use the vest all year through.) The minute I put it on my wife complimented me on how good it looked. I had mentioned the purpose of an SeV and she had pictured something like a fishing vest. Well she was wrong, and so is anyone else who thinks that SeV products are clunky and funny looking. With their new 4.0 version of clothing, SeV is focused more than ever on the great appearance of their products. Their new products are aimed at a younger, more fashion conscious crowd, and I believe they’ve gotten their designs just right.
Wiring it Up:
The Covert Finetex 4.0 is equipped with around 40 pockets! (I counted that high and lost count after that.) Some are zippered. Some have magnetic closures. One contained a place to clip my keys. Another had a place for my wallet. Another had a place for styli and pens. Still another was big enough to carry a Camelbak bladder so I don’t get thirsty. There were pockets within pockets and elastic loops to hold batteries. In one pocket there was even a clip and rag to clean my glasses while I’m on the go. There are so many pockets that SCOTEVEST has included a little card in each pocket describing what each is best used for. Very nice touch.
The SeV also comes equipped with their patented Personal Area Network. What this means is that nearly every pocket in the vest has an access notch that allows the user to run wires throughout the lining. Picture this: I loaded my MP3 player in one pocket. Then I ran the remote’s wire through the mesh liner of the SeV down to a pocket in the sleeve, near my wrist. Then I ran the headphones through the liner, up to the collar and clipped them in a couple of thoughtfully placed earbud clips. Instantly I’ve got an MP3 player jacket with all the wires concealed inside the liner. I also found great homes inside for my iPaq and my phone. If you’re into hands-free phone operation, you could wire that earpiece and mic up to your collar too. If you use a phone to connect your PDA to the web, you could run a cable from your phone pocket through the liner to your PDA. The possibilities are many.
Other Niceties:
The outer shell of the Finetex is made of polyester and treated with waterproof Teflon protection. It’s got a zip-off hood concealed in the collar for those really rainy days. The liner is a polyester mesh, which helps keep the wearer cool and aids in running those wires throughout the SeV. If you’re out in cooler weather, there’s an optional zip-in fleece liner as well.
Conclusions:
I hinted last week that SCOTTEVEST was going after the iPod Generation. With their new 4.0 line of Technology Enabled Clothing, even the fashion-conscious iPod crowd will find something they love. The SeV I’ve got, has room for everything I carry. It allows me to connect up my music on the go. And it looks great! Good-bye, cargo pants. Good-bye, clunky briefcase. The SCOTTEVEST Covert Finetex replaces them all in style.
Final Grade: A
Pros: Pockets for all your stuff. Great looking. Ability to wire your gear together.
Cons: Some access notches in the liner were a little small for larger connectors, like my MP3 player remote and iPaq sync cable.
The SeV and other Technology Enabled Clothing is available at www.scottevest.com. The SeV folks are also in talks with some major department stores. By the holiday shopping season you’ll probably be seeing them at the mall too.