Steve Bass and me circa 2002 COMDEX
Well, this takes me back to 2002. The picture above is with me (6 years younger and much more naive) and Steve Bass, a very senior editor at PC World Magazine. It was taken at COMDEX, yes I said COMDEX, which used to be the LARGEST tradeshow in the world, until it died and CES took over. That's the background for the blog post that appeared last night on Steve Bass' highly regarded Tips and Tweaks Blog.
The full post is below, but please read it here too so Steve can get the well deserved traffic.
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My love Affair With the ScotteVest (Or: 22 Pockets and Counting)
I wear the same thing to every trade show -- black jeans, sneakers, a black Polo shirt, and a well worn, ScotteVest, circa 2000. On the first day of this year's CES, I got an e-mail from Scott Jordan, the owner of the company.
"I heard you were in Vegas and wearing your old vest. Can I send you a brand new ScotteVest?" he said.
"Nah, but thanks," I replied. "Still happy with the old one. People love watching me ripping open flaps, unhiding hidden compartments, and producing things."
Next day, another message. "No, really," he wrote," I REALLY want you to try a new vest."
"Scott," I said, "it's okay. Seriously." The vest is as ancient as I am and it's been through a lot. I don't want to part with it.
He fired back immediately, as if he was watching his inbox, waiting for me.
"Listen, Steve," he said, somewhat urgently, "a buddy took a picture of you and the truth is I don't want you wearing a dilapidated, eight-year old Scott eVest."
I had to agree. His newer line of vests looked less geekish, and mine was getting a little long in the tooth. [Note to Scott: I do miss the two breast pockets, as nerdy as they made me look. The pockets gave me a spot for tons of small extras -- pens, gum, business cards, an old-fashioned paper notebook, tissues, and reading glasses.]
Try on a Scott Jacket
But wait. You say you haven't heard about Scott Jordan's clothing? Scott's jackets, hoods, hats, pants, T-shirts, and other stuff are for technologically enhanced people. Seriously. Each one has strategically located pockets and compartments for electronics.
Scott eVest's hidden pockets
The newer Scott eVest Travel Vest, for instance, has over 20 pockets with space for every conceivable gizmo you own. (My old one only had eleven pockets.) When I wander through trade shows, I have my cell phone, small notebook PC, camera, a small flashlight, and two bottles of water tucked into the vest -- and I have room for more stuff. (I wore the vest on a trip to China and I had space for a small camcorder; I also hid money and my passport in secret compartments.) The vest's claim to fame is that it lets me hide my phone’s headset wires in unobtrusive passageways than run up the vest and lead to my ears.
The T-shirt ($45) has three pockets -- for your MP3 player, cell phone, and whatever else you schlep with you. As with the vest, there's a way for you to hide and manage ear bud wires. The Hoodie ($70) has eleven pockets and the same ear bud containment system.
Okay, there's got to be a downside, right? There's just no getting around that it'll be expensive to line your closet with Scott's clothing. But just take a look at Scott's products. They're well made, fun-to-wear, designed with lots of surprisingly handy nooks and crannies, and honestly useful.
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