July 13th 2012 10:36 am PT

Major’s Travel Gear: The Scottevest

Over the past few years I’ve traveled across the globe from Tokyo to Baghdad, Barcelona to Vancouver and many points in between and lately I’ve been receiving questions both here on the blog and on Twitter asking “What do you take with you when you travel?”

I try to pack efficiently. On my recent trip to Sydney I added something new: The Scottevest Transformer Jacket. Yes, it looks like a standard lightweight jacket.  However, here’s where it gets fun. With one quick tug, the jacket sleeves are removable and the jacket becomes a vest (no zippers or Velcro involved.) Slip the sleeves back on and the hidden magnets attach themselves securely to once again become a jacket.

Inside there are 20 secure pockets with plenty of organized space for your phone, wallet, passport, keys and sunglasses. There is even a special pocket for your tablet.

Scott Jordan is the founder/CEO of Scottevest and a former attorney who travels with a lot of gear. He and his team design clothing for people like me who want style + well organized storage space for quick access without sacrificing security. To keep you from feeling unbalanced the jacket has a weight management system that distributes the weight evenly. Even with all the gear I stuffed into the various pockets, I never felt like I was over-encumbered (like what I deal with when I play Skyrim but that’s another issue . . .)

Other nice touches in the Transformer:

• Two individual interior pockets each have a clear plastic touch-sensitive panel so you can see AND use your phone without removing it.
• Of course, there is a pocket for your sunglasses, but also included is a small microfiber glasses cleaner on  its own bungie cord, so you’ll never lose it.
• A bungie cord is also provided for your keys so they won’t jump out of your pocket unnoticed.

Having worn the jacket for the last two weeks traveling the globe, the Transformer was a great blend of style + function.   Even if your travels tend to be of the more local kind, you can benefit from the storage, safety and just plain sense that this jacket makes in terms of design.

If you have any specific questions, let me know in the comments.

Edit: removed the offer link since it has expired.

Gear By Larry Hryb, Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson

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