GEARBOX: Coat eliminates carry-on
33-pocket trench stores weekend's worth of clothes, toiletries
 CarryOnCoat from Scottevest (SeV |
, November 2, 2010
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Name: Scottevest carry-on coatWhat it is: A trench coat with 33 pockets that the company says will allow so much storage that you don't need a carry-on bag. (At least one airline now charges for carry-ons.)How it works: Many of the pockets are marked with icons suggesting content: cell phone, MP3 player, ID, etc., plus there are other large storage pockets. The coat also has built-in earphones, with a jack in theMP3 pocket.The good: I previously had tried the Scottevest Pack Windbreaker and its 17 pockets, plus what the airlines refer to as a personal bag (briefcase, purse, laptop bag), to prove that I didn't need a carry-on for a weekend trip. That experiment worked like a charm. So to try this, I packed in a weekend's worth of clothes, toiletries and gear and — presto — I could pack enough for a weekend even without a personal bag. Not even using the two huge pockets in the tail, I packed two pairs of jeans, two T-shirts, two pairs of underwear, two pairs of socks, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, a BlackBerry, an MP3 player and a camera. I was surprised that the jeans didn't bunch up in the coat pockets. If I really wanted to travel a lot with this, I'd stick with polyester clothes or some light synthetic pants instead of jeans, which did thicken and stiffen the coat a bit.
The bad: If you're packing large objects in your coat, you may feel a little lumpy, and because this is a trench rather than a jacket, you will feel your packed items bump against you as you walk. Once you get used to that sensation, you're good to go. If you want to beat the system with an airline that wants to charge for a carry-on, this will work, or even if you just get tired of dueling with other passengers for overhead-bin space. Also, my wife thought the beige was not high fashion, but it looked fine to me, though I would prefer black, which isn't offered yet.Cost: $225Available from: scottevest.com at the end of November
The bad: If you're packing large objects in your coat, you may feel a little lumpy, and because this is a trench rather than a jacket, you will feel your packed items bump against you as you walk. Once you get used to that sensation, you're good to go. If you want to beat the system with an airline that wants to charge for a carry-on, this will work, or even if you just get tired of dueling with other passengers for overhead-bin space. Also, my wife thought the beige was not high fashion, but it looked fine to me, though I would prefer black, which isn't offered yet.Cost: $225Available from: scottevest.com at the end of November
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