GEAR REVIEW: SCOTTeVEST Q.U.E.S.T. VEST

I know you’ve asked yourself this same question when traveling: How can I do it all while packing less? It may have taken me more travel than necessary to answer that, but I’m finally doing more with less—a goal made much more obtainable after I acquired the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest from SCOTTeVEST.

Recently, Britnee and I took a nine-day trip to explore the Gulf Coast, road tripping from Jacksonville to New Orleans to visit friends, beaches, plantations, Bourbon Street and bayous. Years ago, a reasonably short trip like this would still have me filling an oversized backpack and shouldering an additional bag full of heavy camera gear. However, as I made my way through airport security two weeks ago, I did so with only a single daypack and the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest.

With 42 pockets hidden throughout this well-designed travel jacket, I comfortably and securely carried a number of items, including iPhone, headphones, USB cable, sunglasses, wallet, keys, and even a 350-page novel. This was far from reaching the capacity of the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest, and one could easily pocket far more without looking like an inexperienced smuggler.

When I arrived at the airport x-ray, it was as quick and easy as placing both bag and jacket on the conveyor and walking through the metal detector with empty pockets. Once on board our plane, my backpack went in the overhead and everything else I needed was near at hand in the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest.

SCOTTeVEST produces a line of clothing that might better suit the jet-setting professional/golfer/gear-head, any of which I am not. However, the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest is one item that does fit a more causal style and something I’d consider when roughing it through extended travel.

Made of a lightweight, Teflon-treated cotton and nylon fabrics, the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest still paired well with a casual vacation wardrobe of jeans, shorts, plaids and T-shirts. It provided the right amount of warmth for cooler evenings outside or chilly, overly-air-conditioned airports, even offering a light hood if needed. Best of all, this particular piece comes in tall sizes!

Some might consider all the pockets to be overkill, and the additional material does add weight to what would otherwise be a lightweight vest. Given the weight-to-warmth ratio, I can’t say I’ll be donning the Q.U.E.S.T. Vest for every trip out the door. But, whenever I want to secure my valuables when traveling to an unfamiliar city, or cut back on a carry-on, it provides a comfortable, practical solution.

The Q.U.E.S.T. Vest by SCOTTeVEST is a great “utility belt” for travel, and it’s just the first in a broad selection of creative travel clothing for both men and women that all offer a little extra security. Check them out at scottevest.com.