SCOTTeVEST Women's Vest

I purchased it for my mother. She’s still finding new pockets and loves the fashion/function. Beware, the sizing is very odd! I had to return the first one because I overshot the size. Return was easy and the next one fit well.

I did not want to write a review until I had actually used this. Now have. Three week trip to Europe and wore it every day. Pros: front lower pockets amazingly large and deep. An astonishingly large number of objects fit in these! Inner zip pockets held my cell phone, passport, and tablet. Top front pockets: my left held useful small amount--room for transport cards and the like. The weight distribution was great--my shoulders did not get tired at any point. Easy to pop in the wash on my return.On the other hand . . . (Con forthcoming) the top right zip pocket, which is Scott Vest's sunglasses pocket--I base this on the handy glasses cleaner on a string attached within--is too small! In what universe is this large enough? It is absolutely necessary to keep sunglasses and clear glasses (prescription--these cost a lot) in a case or snaps and breakage are going to happen. By sheer luck I already owned a smaller glasses case that could fit, barely, into the pocket. Snug fit for my sunglasses. (Someone with a larger head/larger glasses might not be able to fit their glasses in at all.) Because of the too tight fit, it meant an elaborate and far-too-long effort to get the case out and then back into the pocket. First, I had to remove my gloves (visited Europe in February, aka winter, aka cold) and then angle the case out at just the right angle, and then reverse the process. Sometimes this required removing the gloves from both hands. Very very annoying and not at all good! The concept--outer pocket, top, is excellent. the application, however, is awful. I got very cross with this. Usually I can change from sun to clear with my gloves on. This is my gripe about this product.Because I was using the vest as an extra luggage, it was stuffed, which was great. It also meant that at no time was I able to zip my coat when wearing the vest. Maybe in a coat two (three?) sizes too big for me it could have worked, but not in a correctly sized coat. Happily for me, while cold, it was not freezing on my trip, so zipping my coat was not a necessity. A large scarf and the vest itself kept my front from getting cold in this arrangement. Sometimes on non-travel to another city days I was able to snap a couple of the coat snaps. Travel days between cities it was not going to happen because more items were in the vest. The vest made me look even bulkier than I am, but whatever. I was a tourist. Not going to look elegant or sleek anyway. I don't think this is going to be flattering on anyone unless they are super-thin and do not put anything in the pockets, which misses the point of the item. You have it to put stuff in, not to look good. At any rate, others might consider a too-large coat when using this vest as that extra piece of luggage.I wish wish wish the glasses pocket was larger! If Scott Vest does take notice of this and make the pocket bigger in future versions, that would be great for future purchasers. At $129 I am not going to be able to afford to purchase another one. This fell under expensive, to me. Can't be buying another one willy-nilly. At $129 I am going to continue to use and continue to be VERY cross about the glasses pocket when traveling in winter. (For warmer weather I have a multi-pocket jacket.) If there had been a lot of sunny days (there were few) on the trip where I had to do the remove/return dance, I would have been very very angry with it.In summation, I am glad I have the vest although the glasses pocket it a MAJOR error. The difficulty with putting the glasses in another pocket (vast lower pockets come to mind) is that all the other stuff in the pockets are likely to fall out while fishing for them. Glasses are something you want separate from your other items so you can get to them quickly--a sudden sunny sky, going into a building, etc. Why purses and handbags often have an outer pocket--at least the ones I purchase do!

I purchased this heavier weight travel vest for any non-summer travel or when I expected weather to be a bit cooler. You can almost wear this instead of a purse. There's a place for sunglasses, wallet, RFID for credit card, a pocket with a key fob to secure keys and more. They are very well made. Also, they are an extra layer of clothing when you need something but not a jacket; wear it over a hooded sweatshirt. I have a lightweight one with more pockets but find that this has enough pockets for me. Follow the easy directions for washing and drying. Well-made travel garments are worth every penny! Mine have accompanied me on many trips already. They are a great layering piece, and you can feel secure with your items on you rather than in a purse. Keep your tissues, lipstick, hairbrush, etc. in a small purse. I tried not using a purse and was constantly patting myself down to find the lip balm that seemed to travel from pocket to pocket. I keep my cell phone in left top pocket and sunglasses in top right. You get into a pattern of where things go as long as you don't go overboard with items. You can keep a tablet in the bottom right pocket if you must, but I don't suggest something that weighs so much being carried there. Also it will look odd when you have it on. My only wish is that I had purchased them long before I did.

A friend bought a Scottevest for a European trip and recommended it. I am about to go to Greece and thought I would give it a try. Loaded up, it does not maintain its slim profile, of course, but for the first time I will feel comfortable without a bulging money belt OR purse. Additionally, I have in the past sewn passport-sized pouches inside my waistbands, but will forego using them this trip. A recommended modification for future vests: why not make a full-sized pocket on the back for storing a jacket after the day heats up? Just a thought. Thanks to my friend for the recc.Update after my trip: It held up well and carried everything I wanted. A suggestion to the Scottevest folks: put the front zipper so that is zips like a woman's vest:-) Also, things got 'stuck' when loading the large pocket. I recommend a slicker fabric rather than the mesh. Still - a good purchase:-)

I’m not sold on this for the price; I may still return it. It looks cute on, but I seem to be missing the 9th pocket. Unless the corded key chain holder is considered a “pocket”. The tiny ID holder pocket is closed by Velcro which seems useless, and then there’s a tiny pen pocket. All in all I have 2 inner zip & 4 outer zip real functional pockets. Which is decent, but a lot of regular vests have that for less money. Just my opinion.