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The Experience
About 14 months after my first SCOTTeVEST review, I’d been on more than a dozen international flights and stayed in over 40 hotels. Time for an update: is the travel vest overpriced or genius?
Am I still using it? Absolutely. I love how easy it makes security: everything goes in the bin together, all at once. I’m the type who feels rushed at security, and the vest takes a lot of that away. Everything has a reserved pocket: wallet, passport, both phones, charger and cables. There’s even a pocket designed specifically for earbuds, and that’s exactly what I use it for, which I take as a sign of good design. Being able to tap the vest and know everything’s there is very reassuring. You have enough on your mind when you’re traveling somewhere new.
What’s changed. Early on, I’d wear it even when I was just switching hotels. Now, if there’s no flight, I put my phone and wallet in my travel sling, use the vest as a checklist to make sure everything is where it should be, and pack it into my backpack all at once.
Travel vests are usually marketed as a way to carry an extra bag’s worth of stuff without paying baggage fees, and that’s how I expected to use it too. Since then I’ve lightened my luggage considerably, and I still wear it on every flight. For me, it isn’t about dodging fees. It’s about staying organized in a constantly changing situation. I’m the guy who usually misplaces his keys, and I haven’t lost anything yet. That’s probably the best testament to its value.
How has it held up? It still looks like the day I bought it. After two years of what most people would call heavy use, the stitching and zippers show no obvious wear. It’s clearly built with quality materials.
Have I gotten over how it looks? Absolutely not. Someone in the comments on the first video said you have to embrace your inner dork, and that’s good advice. I’ll never look in the mirror and say, “Looking good, Bill.” But I’ve gotten to “Looking smart,” and that’s probably more important.
Should you buy one?
- Chronic over-packer: a solid B. It gives you a lot of packing options and could pay for itself if you’ve ever been hit with overweight bag fees.
- Always feel rushed and misplace everything (like me): an A+. Dorky or not, it’s a great way to stay organized while you travel.
And yes, I’m still wearing it on every flight. It’s a great way to stay organized. For reference, mine is SCOTTeVEST’s Best Travel Vest, which ran about $200.