After writing about a commercial for the Kenpo iPod jacket I was contacted by a marketing rep and offered a review copy.  I accepted a Bonded Fleece Jacket that I’ve been wearing on occasion and finding it to be a comfortable garment.

I tried out the iPod control functions with the help of a friend in high school who’s very into gadgets of all kinds.  Unfortunately, the controls on this one fired up momentarily and then went dead.  Fortunately, Jake Ludington reviewed one of the jackets and had a much better experience with the tech end.  He also conducted more thorough tests in varying weather conditions.

What I was most struck by was young men’s reactions to the jacket.  The holidays gave me a chance to get responses from various relatives and kids of friends and I found that young men in high school and college (within my limited sample) consistently loved the idea of the jacket and liked what they saw.

I’d suggest checking out the jackets at a department store if this kind of thing interests you.  Due to mine not working, I’m thinking it might be better to buy offline where it’s easier to exchange.

One suggestion from Dorian Dancy-Jones is to put the iPod dial on the sleeve.  Along with Ludington’s review, which points out that the jacket has the same problem as iPod remotes, no menu to see what’s ahead, I think that the fashion/tech scene has plenty of room for development and will be an increasingly interesting space to watch.

Official sites:
Kenpo Jacket for iPod
Kenpo Jacket at MySpace