Airport security is a perennial headache, but one frequent traveller has found an unlikely solution: a vest with 26 pockets that can hold everything from a phone to a laptop. The Scottevest, as it's called, allows the wearer to bypass the usual rigmarole of emptying pockets before a scan. Instead, you simply remove the entire vest and send it through the scanner, with all your belongings still neatly stowed inside.
The vest, made by a company called Scottevest, is designed to be a wearable alternative to a backpack. It features pockets inside pockets, including two hand pockets, two at rib height, two chest pockets, and an internal glasses pocket with an attached microfiber cloth. There is also a velcro-sealed RFID-blocking pocket for credit cards, and a large internal pocket that can accommodate a laptop, though the writer notes that carrying a laptop in the vest is more of an emergency option due to the bulk and weight.
For the writer, a tech journalist and suburban dad who travels monthly for work, the vest has been a game-changer. It keeps everything organised and accessible, eliminating the danger of keys and phones commingling in the same pocket. The vest also serves as a loophole for budget travellers: clothing does not count as a personal item, so you can carry extra items without paying for a checked bag. While wearing it fully loaded is not the most comfortable experience, it is preferable to waiting at baggage claim.
The Scottevest comes in six understated colours, such as black, midnight blue and fossil grey, and is made of polyester. The zippers have small pull tabs that are easy to grip. The writer has been wearing Scottevest jackets for seven years and relies on the organisation they provide. In hot weather, they long for cooler months so they can return to using all their pockets.
