The perfect lightweight jacket for your daily (socially distanced) walks

According to a recent article in the New York Times, daily walks can be a great way to stay mentally and physically healthy during the Coronavirus outbreak (1). Many experts agree that, as long as we can keep 6 feet apart from others, outdoor exercise is a great way to boost the immune system (2) and promote positive mental health (3). I know one of the few things keeping me sane at the moment is my daily stroll around the neighborhood with my two dogs. On the weekends, I also love driving to remote areas and doing a half-day hike with my family.  Just being able to breathe in the fresh air and feeling surrounded by nature takes away all of the pressure and anxiety of the situation.

With this in mind, I have been on the hunt for a lightweight everyday jacket that I can wear on my daily walks and weekend hikes.  So, I was over the moon when SCOTTeVEST asked me to road-test their new 2.0 Women's Jacket.  I have tested their stuff before, and I knew it was good quality, but I wanted to see what the new jacket was like. On first impressions, I was happy with the overall quality and attention to detail. The fabric was lightweight and easy to wear. And there really was a pocket for everything!  There was even a pocket for my water bottle, a built-in drawcord keyring and an extra-large iPad pocket.

With so many pockets on offer, I decided to take the SCOTTeVEST challenge to see how many items I could fit into the Women's 2.0 Jacket. You will not believe the number of things this jacket can carry (yes, even the trusty hand sanitizer)! Check out the video below:

Check out the video

 

The full item list:

• a Kindle
• a Kindle case
• massive size purse (I carry I lot of cards)
• 2 smartphones
• 1 iPad
• 1 iPad snap-on case with a built-in keyboard (yes the jacket has an iPad pocket!!!)
•  a digital camera (to be honest, I really only use my phone to take pictures now, but I wanted to prove to myself I can fit a camera in there)
• micro SD cards (I loved the handy mini pocket made especially to stop your SD card from getting loose)
• 1 small water bottle (I was surprised that the jacket has a built-in elasticized bottle holder. Keeps bottle in place and stops it from spilling, handy for hiking and walking the dogs when you want to bring water but need hands free.)
• my passport (luckily the RFID pocket is removable so when we are allowed to travel again this will come in handy)
• credit cards (I love that there is a separate credit card pocket for your most used cards, this saves you the hassle of getting your purse out every time you want to buy a cup of coffee)
• house keys and car keys (how awesome is the built-in drawcord keychain!!! this is great if you are forever misplacing your keys, like me)
• sunglasses (the jacket even has a built-in microfibre cloth to keep your glasses clean, these guys thought of everything)
• mints
• hand sanitizer (let's face it, we need this right now…)
• 2 pens
• my lipstick (I used one of the pen holders for my lippy, priorities)
• headphones (I can't believe you can wire the headphones through the jacket. You can also hook up your phone and iPad to a mini power bank. Then thread the cables through your jacket for in-built charging. So your jacket will act as a portable phone charger!)

When to use it

Walking and hiking

I find this jacket perfect for my daily walks because I can carry all of my daily essentials without bringing along a backpack.  The built-in water bottle holder is good for small-sized water bottles. It is super handy if you are going for a hike or walking the dogs and need to keep your hands free.

Staying connected on the go

Being able to hook up power banks through your jacket is a perfect way to stay connected. You can charge your phone and iPad directly from your jacket without loose wires hanging all over the place. So your devices stay on full charge throughout the day.

Playing with the kids

When taking the kids outdoors it is always handy to be able to have multiple pockets to carry the array of items they need, without having to carry a massive bag. Hand sanitizer, snacks and wet wipes all fit easily into the pockets (freeing up your hands for fun with the kids).

Travel

Of course, travel is the last thing on our minds at the moment, but it is comforting to have a removable RFID pocket for your passport. This will come in handy once travel bans have been lifted, as all of your personal information is kept secure. Plus having so many pockets will be fantastic for getting through airport security. So start updating your Bucket List and dreaming of all the amazing destinations you will visit.

What it's not good for

• This is more of a mid-lightweight jacket, so if you are after a heavyweight coat/ winter jacket this is not for you.
• It is not really for anyone looking for a super low price point jacket that will only last one season. It is more for people wanting to invest in a high-quality jacket they can keep and wear for years to come.

The verdict

I was genuinely surprised by just how many items I was able to fit into the jacket. I love that the jacket is practical for so many different use cases and occasions. The removable sleeves are also a good feature, as the weather begins to heat up.  I found the fabric lightweight and breathable. I think its an ultra-versatile, everyday jacket. It is now my goto jacket for my daily (socially distanced) walks.

Your Promo Code

Every time we do a product review we try to hustle up a discount for you guys.  As promised here is your unique promo code: WHATTOWEAR20. Just type it in at the checkout.

References

1. New York Times: Is it Ok to take a walk?
2. Ather Ali, ND, MPH, assistant director of Complementary Medicine Research at the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (as cited in Health.com)
3. Psychological Restoration through Indoor and Outdoor Leisure Activities