Anytime I post asking for tips to avoid baggage fees, readers recommend SCOTTeVEST. It sounded kind of silly to me–load up your coat pockets to avoid checking a bag? Why would anyone do that?? So when SCOTTeVEST wanted to send me their women’s trench coat to try out, I was intrigued. Read on for my review.

Design. On the outside, it’s a normal, even simple, trench coat. On the inside, it’s a backpack. Not literally of course, but the 18 ingenious pockets will hold the equivalent of a small backpack. I was able to get my iPad, phone, wallet, Kindle, umbrella, headphones, bottle of water, bag of almonds, and lipstick in there with room to spare. This is basically everything I need when I travel. Like, except for my computer I could have literally gone without my travel purse.

I was worried that walking around with all of this stuff in my pockets would make me feel weighed down, but I barely noticed the extra weight. While I did have to be a little more careful when taking the coat off and setting it on a chair, nothing was ever really in danger of falling out.

Looks. Forget about the pockets for a minute. This coat is gorgeous, with sleek clean lines that surprisingly flatter. Once you add the incredible amount of pockets into the equation, it’s amazing it doesn’t make the wearer look like a bus, and practically miraculous that it’s actually slimming.

Weather. This coat is seriously warm, blocking rain and wind. To test it, I walked around on a rainy night with my pockets full of electronics and paper. Not only did I stay dry, nothing in my pockets was affected by the downpour.

Maintenance. The trench is machine washable, which is super important to me as a frequent traveler, mom of toddlers, and all around busy person. I’ve washed it a couple of times and haven’t noticed any color fading.

To be honest, I wish there were a detachable hood. For dry, cold days you can easily add a hat. But when  it’s raining, a hood would be great. Also, getting used to the pockets took some practice and planning. In a different jacket, I could slip my cell phone into my pocket and be done with it. However, with this jacket I had to make sure I put my phone in its designated pocket because other pockets were too deep for convenience. However, once I figured out where to put all of my gear it was fine. Great, in fact, because I could walk around without needing a purse.

Here’s the bottom line. For travelers, this coat will be fantastic. It does what coats are supposed to do (keep you warm and dry), looks great, and will hold as much as your purse. I don’t anticipate using it in place of a travel purse, but I can certainly see why people would want to do that. It’s a fabulous addition to a business traveler’s arsenal of tools to make trips easier. But it’s not just for travel. When I’m at home, this coat will be fantastic. You can put everything you and your kids need, freeing your hands to grab running toddlers or carry shopping bags. I recommend the SCOTTeVEST Women’s Trench Coat to anyone who travels frequently, but its use will extend to time at home as well.

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