Windows Phone Thoughts: Chasing Perfection: The SCOTTEVEST Evolution Jacket Reviewed

Usage
The Evolution jacket posed an interesting problem for me as an owner of other SCOTTEVEST products. Namely, when do you use it? When the weather is cold, below 45 degrees F, I rely on the Tactical 4.0. Above 45 and I'm using either the 4.0 fleece or the pullover fleece. When I got the Evolution, I wondered where it would fit in with my existing SCOTTEVEST items.


Figure 3: On the right side of the jacket, two pockets ready to house music players are located. In SCOTTEVEST promotional materials, they are shown both having iPods - How many music junkies need two iPods? :-)

The answer, as I found after a few weeks of wearing, was that it fell wherever I wanted it to. When the weather was warmer, the jacket was light enough to take off the sleeves and relax. When it got colder, it was still heavy enough to be warm. I don't think it can beat the 4.0 Tactical Jacket + 4.0 Tactical Fleece combo I sport during the coldest days of winter, but then again, one can't have it all! I do wish that the Evolution supported zipping in a fleece like the Tactical 4.0 does, however it probably would add substantial weight to a lightweight product.

Features: Old & New
There are a few features that I've found particularly interesting about the Evolution jacket, so I'll outline them below:

All Access Back Pocket
The Evolution has a back pocket that spans the entire width of the jacket, and what's even better - you can access that pocket through the front hand-warmer pockets at either side. On my 4.0 Tactical, opening the hook & loop fasteners to get into the back pocket always made me weary - I could never get them to seal up just right again. The Evolution jacket, however, seems to have a bit better fastening ability, so I can slip my hands in and out of that back pocket with ease. Now to look like a magician by putting something in the left pocket and magically pulling it out of the right!

Two-Way Front Zipper
For those of us who are a bit large, the 2 way zipper featured on the Evolution jacket is quite nice. Zip up while standing, and let a little hang out while sitting. Coupled with the fact that the jacket seems a bit more snug in my size than my other SCOTTEVEST wear, this feature can really come in handy.

Key Holder
I'm actually a bit disappointed with the Key holder on the Evolution. The key holders on my other SCOTTEVEST products generally fell into two categories. On the fleece pullover and hoodie, it was just a simple plastic hook that detached easily. On the Tactical 4.0 items, it was a nice metal spring-loaded hook that had a nice silver shine to it. On the Evolution, it looks like a strange amalgamation of the two. It's made of plastic (with a pin that holds it together that I worry may slip out) and seems a bit "cheaper" than on other jackets. As I've had the metal clips break in the past (and always got prompt service having them replaced by SCOTTEVEST), I'm wondering if the plastic is their answer to this problem. However I don't know - there's something about metal that just feels better!

No Bulge Pockets
So if you haven't gotten it so far, I'm not thin. When I put on this jacket, however, I really don't have any of those darn bulges that typically I sport as a larger than life geek. It's pretty amazing, since the jacket feels a bit tight, to look in the mirror and not see anything unsightly. Kudos to SCOTTEVEST for ingeniously positioning pockets for a no bulge look.

Conclusions
The Evolution Jacket is the next step in SCOTTEVEST's master plan to rule the world of Geek clothing. The material is fantastic, the accented pockets actually look cool and are functional, and overall it is of superb construction. Despite the fact that it seemed a bit small, and a few other minor issues, I'm planning on making heavy use of mine this year, allowing my fleeces to stay in the closet for use at home. If you've never owned a SCOTTEVEST jacket and don't want to put down too much money to start, the Evolution Jacket offers an affordable way to get a decent jacket that will make you the stylish geek about town!

Jon Westfall is a modern day mystery of an absent minded professor, semi-frustrated system administrator, avid technology enthusiast, and extreme cat picture-taker. He lives with his wife, a cat, a hamster, and a great lake. He also runs and writes on JonWestfall.Com