Airlines today, utilize their marketing skills trying to convince us they are doing us the favor by limiting what we can carry-on or store in the hold. For a couple of years now, I have been looking at proposed solutions. One solution was to compact my packing to a carry-on only. A year after I paid a hefty price for the perfect carry-on that met many airline requirements; the airlines reduced the acceptable size one after the other like a row of dominoes.
Next to consider were clothes with multiple pockets. Multi-pocket pants seemed to be a viable alternative, filling up the pockets with cords, phone, and tablet, whatever can be stuffed in them. However, when it is your turn at the security line, you have to basically strip to get through the machinery. Then it takes forever to retrieve everything and hope you have not left something behind.
These pants are also a viable pickpocket risk. I had a credit card stolen from pants with a knee pocket that had a Velcro tab so efficient; it took me two hands to open. On an overcrowded trolley bus in Quito, some magician managed to extract my goods without arousing one nerve cell in my leg. Genius!
Various coats have passed through my browsing history and I have disregarded them one by one for various reasons. Those with too many pockets means many of the pockets are so small, they are useless. Some are so overpriced; you may as well pay the excess luggage fee for the next 2 years and call it quits. Just by chance, I had read a reader’s comment on a travel forum that mentioned Global Travel Clothing, so I took a look with a firm attitude that I would yet be disappointed again.
I looked at the jacket’s style and found its classic flair easy on the eyes. There was nothing about it that shouted “I am hiding the goodies under here.” There are no unsightly bulges. The number of pockets was a reasonable amount to be advantageous, yet not overwhelming. I liked the fact that it has an elastic waist band draw, which is another pickpocket deterrent. A bonus is the optional RFID protection sleeve, keeping your credit cards and/or your passport safe from being scanned from afar. This is a common tech trick for theft.
Perhaps the greatest selling point is the materials: cotton and polyester, which keeps it wrinkle free and is machine washable. No expensive trips to the dry cleaner for this jacket; this in itself is exciting. Jackets are custom made based on your measurements. Come January 2015, they will also be available in dark blue. It is too late for our needs, but perfect for others who don’t have an immediate need.
We are ordering one for Ron and me, so stay tuned for a report when they go come and then a third post of the jackets in action during our time in Ecuador.
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