AT A GLANCE

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    Made from a soft but durable combination of Cotton and Lycra (98% and 2% respectively) on the outside and a 100% polyester lining, the BlackCoat SYD also comes as the BlackCoat Surf if you were to opt for the iPod controls (just like the BlackCoat Work). At first glance, you can see Koyono’s careful attention to style and design, just like every other product they’ve released. The best part? The shell is stain and water resistance due to the Nano technology.

Surprisingly, there isn’t a whole lot of the Koyono red on this jacket. Tags are also very minimal, one at the collar, one on the right side, and just the name on the care tag. No outside references at all.

    The BlackCoat buttons are simple and thick. Holding the jacket shut when you need it to. There are two hand pockets (which on the black version are very hard to see) on the face of the jacket, each hiding a keyring loop. The pockets themselves are spacious, even for my large hands.

    Inside the jacket, on the left side, is where you would find iPod controls and cabling, had you chosen the upgrade. As you can see in the examples, I’ve decided to use these empty slots to my advantage, placing a Plantronics Pulsar 260 where the iPod control pad sits (almost as if it was made to go there – be sure check out our review of this unit coming soon), running the cable up and through the same pathway used by said controls. Unfortunately, outside of that area, the wire pathways end. There isn’t even a headphone loop to help keep things organized.

    On the right side is a second zippered pocket that is deeper than its partner. Surrounding both pockets is the mesh interior which does help to keep you from feeling too warm while wearing this unique jacket. I’m extremely warm-blooded, but was pleasantly surprised that I still felt comfortable even while the temperature rose. Which makes the SYD excellent for travelling. Especially considering the airport restrictions in place today.  I simply placed all my goodies into the pockets, set the jacket on the x-ray belt, and had everything together on the other end.

    I found the sleeve length on the BlackCoat SYD to be perfect. And as you can see, buttoned up, the jacket can really dress up a T-shirt and jeans. The fit is snug, but not tight, with plenty of room for the gadgets without any bulging.

    Open up the SYD, and you still look stylish, but on a much more casual level. Only my wife had a negative on the BlackCoat SYD. She thought that the jacket looked much more stylish than the rest of my outfit (as we left for Disneyland). I did make a couple of changes to my attire, but explained that I was wearing the jacket that day not so much to be stylish, but to have the pockets without feeling overheated.

THE DRAWING BOARD

    Due to my giant-like height, any new clothing is an adventure in whether or not it will fit (especially after the first washing). Thankfully, there was no shrinking from this jacket, but I would have liked to have the option of an XLT (extra-large tall for you smaller folks). The lack of wire loops or even pathways for headphones was noticeable, and something that I would have expected from a jacket of this style and quality. I may pay someone to cut in a couple extra small button holes just for this purpose. Finally, I’m surprised there aren’t more color/pattern variations for this Koyono release. Green and blue-gray would be two great starts, even a couple of patterned versions would be interesting to see.

PURCHASING

    You can purchase Koyono’s BlackCoat SYD here for $119 in sizes from small to XXL.

PROS

• Comfortable
• Mesh interior and short sleeves keeps you cool
• iPod controls only a $50 upgrade
• Stylish
• Water and stain resistant

CONS

• No wire loops or pathways for headphones
• Currently only two colors available
• Price

Value
Ease of Use
Features
Overall

What do these ratings mean?

OVERALL IMPRESSION

    The Koyono BlackCoat SYD is an excellent way to upgrade one’s look and style while still giving plenty of function. I would have liked just a little more length, but that goes for just about everything in the upperwear market for my size. Even without the iPod controls built-in, I found other uses for those pockets and pouches. I did notice the lack of headphone (or wire) loops or pathways on an almost daily basis. As far as the price is concerned, remember, you have to pay for fashion that fits, and the Koyono BlackCoat SYD is no exception.