Solar Powered Jacket Charges Your Gadgets

blorg writes "Wired News has a story about a new jacket from SCOTTeVEST that uses flexible solar panels on the shoulders to recharge gadgets in the pockets. The idea is that you can now keep all of your gadgets charged, even if you are spending an extended period of time away from a power source. The solar charging is an addition to an existing jacket with features including 42 hidden pockets that can be wired together through the jacket lining."

I had a SCOTTeVEST ...

[torpor]

... and I have to say that its crap.

The build quality is ludicrous - the magnet clasps fell out 3 days after I put it on.

Plus, even though I ordered a medium, it still seems like you have to be a fat, overweight geek with 17 gadgets in his pockets in order for it to fit right.

My opinion is this: don't get one unless you're going to walk around with $2,000 of gear stuffed into the pockets, because it won't fit right otherwise...

Re:Wash

[mfisher]

How should my SCOTTeVEST(R) be cared for? Why can't I dry clean my SCOTTeVEST(R)? First, and most importantly, REMOVE ALL DEVICES, WIRES, KEYS, etc. from your SeV. Then, it's easy! DO NOT DRY CLEAN! You will ruin the fabric if you do so. Machine wash in cold water with like colors, delicate cycle recommended. Do not use bleach. Tumble dry LOW, cool iron if necessary. Do not dry flat. Do not steam press.

Re:FineTex exterior

[Scott Jordan]

It is water-proof and breathable, and you can't tell the difference between this and Gore-tex. Scott Jordan, President, www.scottevest.com

Jackass

[GlassUser]

I'm not buying crap from this guy. I'd never heard of him until I got a spam listing one of his products (in all fairness, I have no reason to believe that this original spam was in any way affiliated with him). Apparently an image was linked from his web site, so when I reported it, his ISP got on the LART list. (this part is my conjecture) He ignored the request for info from his ISP, and as per their policy that he agreed to, they disabled his site. He didn't find out for a couple more days and then got really pissed at me (end my conjecture). So he emailed me and threatened to sue me for things like trying to destroy his business, taking his name (his last name is my first name), and some kind of trade infringement since we have the same name and we have businesses that work with portable computers. I told him where to stick it and to learn to be responsible for his web site and customers, he said I'd hear from his lawyer. A few months later I got a not-quite-spam from his company. (more conjecture follows) Either his ISP didn't think it was spam, they ignored the LART, or he learned to actually check up on his web site.

Either way I make sure to tell people not to do business with this loser.

Solar Power Rocks - website is down temporarily

[Scott Jordan]

Thanks for the post! The traffic from slashdot caused our website to crash. Please bear with us.

Re:lady with "warmer" jacket already stopped

[way2trivial]

more than stopped, on a flight from Paris to Cinci, the pilot requested fighter accompanyment due to the 'heater jacket'

Re:I know your wrong

[Revek]

I came across some cells from the late 70's and they still produce electricity. Compare that with the production cost of a rechargeable battery or an alkaline and I am sure you will see that over the lifetime of the solar cell (which has yet to be determined) they end up costing next to nothing in comparison.

Re:I had a SCOTTeVEST ...

[proj_2501]

You know, having an average Tac vest from your local Army Navy surplus store may do the trick. They come in nice colors.

Full Press Release

[Scott Jordan]

For the full Press Release see: http://www.scottevest.com/htmlemail/icp_release/in dex.html However, due to all the traffic, I think our server is down temporarily. We are working on it! Scott Jordan

Re:Clever

[pavon]

Exactly. The source of this common misunderstanding was some calculations that people did a while back looking at the feasability study seeing if that large "solar plant" (the one with a bunch of reflectors all going to a single collector in the center), could be completely self containing. The result was that it couldn't because if solar was your only form of energy you would end up loosing alot of energy when converting it to various forms. Transportation was a particular problem - you waste alot of energy converting solar energy to a form that can be used by a train or semi.

So kwh-for-kwh solar does recoup at least 5x the energy that you put into it. And at the same time it does have a negative emergy ratio (note the m). What that means is that solar is great as a supplemental power source, but we need to find another energy source to power things like transportation.

Someone already said it

[The Tyro]

but I might recommend a variant on the Army/Navy store tac vest... a photographer's vest.

You wouldn't believe how many pockets, clasps, D-rings, etc come on one of those.

I have one... love it.

Re:Jackass

[ahrenritter]

I purchased their products for myself and as gifts. I've communicated with both him and his wife and they were professional and friendly.

I accidentally got on their mailing list twice, and I was easily able to unsubscribe the second address.

I won't discount any of your statements since I don't know the details of your interaction with him, but I just wanted to give my personal opinions regarding SCOTTeVEST.

Re:Clever

[spitzak]

A battery (even a rechargable one) has negative energy costs too. It takes energy to manufacture them, plus all the energy that you get out has to be put in.

Mensa indeed.

Re:lady with "warmer" jacket already stopped

[jafac]

If GWBush could fly one. . . then I seriously doubt your assertion that "anyone allowed to fly a jet is a highly trained and very disciplined individual."