A “review” on my SCOTTeVEST travel jacket

Note: I really appreciated my Sterling Jacket (by SCOTTeVEST) and, after I unpacked it this week from my suitcase, I popped a review over to the SCOTTeVEST folks to let them know. I thought I’d include it here, too, since I was asked about this jacket quite a few times while I was on the Atla. I received no compensation, no free jacket, no nothing to write this review. I wish I had…it was kinda pricey. But worth it for this trip certainly!

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I’ve always wanted a SCOTTeVEST product and a three-week river cruise through Europe this summer “justified” it. ‘So glad I bought the Sterling (I purchased several models initially to see which one would “fit” me and my needs the best).

For sizing info, I bought a medium and it fit just right, both “empty” and “stuffed.” Note: I am 138 pounds, 5-ft 7 inches; I’m not particularly top- or bottom-heavy. My arms are short, but everything I purchase with long sleeves tends to be too long; sleeves on this were not so long as to be unattractive or a deal-breaker. I also gained a few pounds while traveling, but that’s another story…thankfully, the Sterling Jacket still fit me with room to spare.

I wore the Sterling Jacket in temperatures from low 50s (with the sleeves) to upper 80s. While the vest by itself was a bit warm to wear in the higher temps, it wasn’t untenable. Note: I’m looking at buying one of the travel vests (lighter weight material, no sleeves) for future summer travel (except it’s pretty pricey to have a duplicated vest, but you never know!).

On this trip, I would have been lost without the versatility of the Sterling. Zipping on the sleeves kept me warm while spending hours outside on the boat’s top deck, even in the cool evenings (it’s been a chilly summer in Europe this year). Yet you can zip off the sleeves, add a colorful scarf under the vest’s collar and look great in warmer weather.

The Sterling was the only jacket I brought. I had many compliments on it and recommended it to other passengers as well.

I do wish the Sterling had a light hood zipped into the collar; this would have made the jacket a “perfect” in my book.

As far as storage, this jacket never looked bulky from the outside (the slimming seams make it look quite stylish). I never carried the water bottle in the pocket (it’s just too heavy to carry water around) but I did load it up with my iPhone, the listening audio device/earphone provided by the ship, my compact camera, my RFID wallet, my passport, a leather coin purse (I prefer that to having loose change in the “coin” part of the front pocket), aspirin, gum, city maps, hairbrush, lipstick, a pen, key cards and assorted paperwork. When we purchased some unexpected items while out shopping, I even stuffed them into the back pocket–I *hate* carrying things with my hands! It was no problem.

I would recommend SCOTTeVEST remove the little white loops in the collar area for “cable management”–or at least soften them up. The one on the right side *always* rubbed me on the neck (where you’re pretty tender) and I had a red, agitated patch there where this loop rubbed my skin. Eventually, I guess, my neck “toughened up,” but at first I kept thinking I’d been bitten by a bug at that point!

Others on our ship had wallets stolen (watch out for the subways in Vienna as well as in Budapest) but I felt secure with my “stuff” zipped safely away–yet it was all easily accessible by me (try saying that about a money belt!).

By the way, we had a great time at the Prater amusement park in Vienna so I can personally attest that the Sterling Jacket survives rough-and-tumble roller coasters in style and comfort. While I might have fretted a bit about losing my supper on the twists and turns, I didn’t worry about losing a thing zipped inside my Sterling Jacket!