Travel Products - Best Scottevest-type jacket to fly Spirit?

I have looked at the Scottevest web site for their jackets with all of the pockets, in anticipation of trying to carry on my person some of my necessities for Spirit flights when their carry-on fees start in August. Has anybody used a Scottevest jacket who can attest to what jacket has the most practical pockets for this purpose? It seems like all of the pockets are somewhat small, but that there are many of them.

Since I want to carry clothes on my person --as opposed to electronic devices, keys, etc.-- it would be better for there to be fewer, *bigger/deeper* pockets. Does anyone know of a jacket like this? I have looked everywhere online, and can't seem to find what I am looking for. I would appreciate any leads.

Several of the pockets are MASSIVE. On the jackets, there is one huge pocket on the back, and the 2 main front pockets extend all the way around the front. I can carry a laptop in mine...

That said - I'm not sure how you'll fit several days of clothes inside the jacket - it'll easily hold a couple of shirts and some pants, but I suggest you try to fit that all in your under-seat bag (which will stay free).

There are a number of travel jackets that have large pockets - check out Magellan's and TravelSmith. The SeV vest has a large pocket that spans its back - so do some of the jackets. The SeV products are interesting, but are made in China and the quality is a bit spotty. I own two of their products and would not buy another.

But seriously... do you really want to carry your clothing in your clothing? Plus toiletries, etc.? After August 1st, Spirit will still allow each passenger one personal item measuring up to 16x14x12" - plenty large enough for a backpack with a couple of days' worth of clothing... or more. Here's the wording direct from their site:

Effective for reservations purchased on or after April 6, 2010 for travel August 1, 2010 and beyond (new fees will be available for pre-purchase on or before July 1, 2010).

Fees apply for carry-on baggage that will not fit in the under seat space. All baggage fees are non-refundable and may be paid in advance or at the airport.

With a small carry on bag and a Scottevest jacket, you will be able to carry a great deal. One of the pockets is big enough for an iPad. The one in the back is really big.

Check the videos on that site for more information.

With what you save on a few flights on Spirit you will easily pay for your new jacket.

Welcome to FT, frugal_flyer!

Your handle helps me understand why you're flying Spirit, but IMHO, you (and all travelers) should boycott Spirit for ridiculous fees (and terribly unfriendly contract of carriage).

Welcome!

To all... thank you for enlightening me about the actual pocket sizes of these jackets. I am absolutely going to look into getting one of these jackets. I hate the idea of paying for carry-ons, and I am not a fan of checking luggage, both because of the fees as well as the chance of losing it.

I do plan to use the space underneath the seat in front of me for a small bag, but Spirit's underseat area is so minute, I really wonder if a 16/14/12 bag will fit?

As for actually *wanting* to carry things this way, my plan was simply --since my trips are usually for no more than 3 or 4 days-- to pack 2 pairs of jeans/shorts and a couple of must-not-be-wrinkled "nicer" shirts in the carry-on bag, then carry socks, underwear, cell phone charger, etc, in the jacket. Even during the summer, I can just take the vest/jacket off and put it in the carry-on bin.

I agree that Spirit is not the most customer-friendly airline in the world, but their ideas regarding fees have already caught on with the "big boys", and their fares simply can not be beat. Besides, they are the only US airline besides Airtran that goes to Atlantic City. I would rather pay less, suffer more, and fly nonstop than go to Atlanta and wait 3 hours for a connection.

Thank you for the welcome, btw! I have graduated from lurker to poster! LOL

I have a couple of Scottevest jackets and use one (the pack wind jacket) quite a lot. I love the concept and the freedom that they bring. One thing to remember, they are clothing, not luggage. While you can jam a lot of stuff into them, bulky items require significant volume. Wearing your suitcase may reduce the size of your case but you will have to wear the items for much of your trip. The pockets on the sides and in back can hold a significant amount of stuff and the contents are not particularly visible while standing, but you can look silly sitting down (especially if you are concerned about wrinkling the packed items), I've tried it. Another thing to consider is the wear and tear that loading will cause. In general, the jackets are well made but aren't built by Red Oxx. If you think luggage takes a beating think about putting a loaded jacket into the overhead where others are jamming their rollers.

I have used my jackets to carry dense items (a netbook, radio, water bottle, etc) for quite easily without looking like the Michelin man. Most recently, I used the back pocket to hold a thin sweater while walking around Gettysburg. I think of my jackets as a replacement for small day pack or a cabin bag, not a suitcase.

Last year I bought a photographers vest on Ebay with the FOTODIOX logo.

It has a enormous number (i think 18), of large pockets and a huge full back pocket. What's very good about it is that it does not have cigarette pack sized pockets but book sized +, which holds a lot of big stuff.
It cost about $20 and stood up to the test of a 2 week fully loaded trip throughout China
It seems to be off Ebay now but maybe you could find it elsewhere

I have looked at the Scottevest web site for their jackets with all of the pockets, in anticipation of trying to carry on my person some of my necessities for Spirit flights when their carry-on fees start in August. Has anybody used a Scottevest jacket who can attest to what jacket has the most practical pockets for this purpose? It seems like all of the pockets are somewhat small, but that there are many of them.

Since I want to carry clothes on my person --as opposed to electronic devices, keys, etc.-- it would be better for there to be fewer, *bigger/deeper* pockets. Does anyone know of a jacket like this? I have looked everywhere online, and can't seem to find what I am looking for. I would appreciate any leads.

so you'll spend 150 bucks on a vest to avoid a baggage fee?

4444... I will pay much less than $150 for a jacket when I find a good deal (Ebay, discontinued items, etc.), and I will be very happy to avoid baggage fees. I plan to fly Spirit as much as possible, because low fares make more flights possible. Paying once for a jacket/vest will pay dividends for the rest of my flying life.

Just as an idea, *any* fee for checked/carry-on bags for *any* airline is an affront to the flying public.