I suppose it’s only fitting that we’re reviewing a winter jacket given that well… winter just started a few days ago. However, who would have thought we’d be looking at a winter jacket designed to work with the Apple iPod?  OK.. maybe you knew that already since we mentioned in the title header that this would be a Kenpo jacket. A few weeks back, we took a look at the Kenpo Bonded Fleece jacket and yes we loved it! Today we’re upping the ante by taking a look at the Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket.

The Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket is a unique winter jacket wearable in three different ways. It’s comprised of two shells – an outer shell made out of Nylon/Polyester/BRESPO PCM and an inner shell made out of polyester. You can wear each shell independently or you can combine the shells to form a thicker jacket for those cold winter days. Of course no matter which shell you wear, you’ll have full access and control to the Apple iPod which is neatly tucked away in a pocket somewhere.

So sip that hot cup of chocolate and join us as we take a look at the Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket.

The outer shell..

As we mentioned in the introduction, the Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket is made out of two shells. Let’s take a look at the outer shell which is made out of nylon/polyester/BRESPO PCM and features the following:

  • Adjustable hood with mask
  • Waterproof zippers
  • Arm vents
  • iPod side pocket
  • 2 way front zipper
  • Adjustable toggles

Here’s a shot of the outer shell from above.

The front of the jacket has three pockets – two pockets designed for your hands and one side pocket designed to hold the iPod.

The ribbon cable extends from the left sleeve into the side pocket and then you connect the iPod controller cable to the ribbon cable to get things rolling.

Here’s a shot of the arm vents. If things get a bit too warm or hot, you can unzip the zippers and let in some air.

However should things get a bit too cold, you can easily bundle up inside the outer jacket. There are adjustable toggles at the bottom of the jacket which prevents cold air from getting inside the jacket.

There’s also an adjustable toggle on the hood which helps seal the hood around your face – protecting you against the wind.

Here’s a shot of the inside of the jacket.

As you can see - there’s plenty of ventilation in here so you certainly won’t get too hot wearing the jacket on a warm day.

A bit more on the BRESPO PCM fabric

Kenpo bills the 3 in 1 Systems Jacket as having temperature control capabilities thanks to the use of BRESPO PCM (Phase Change Fabric) fabric. Yes – if you’re like me then you’ve probably never heard of BRESPO PCM so I decided to Google the phrase. Luckily Google had some links to the company and technology so here’s an overview.

BRESPO PCM has the following capabilities (taken from the BRESPO website here):

  • When external temperatures rise, the PCM material absorbs and stores the heat. When the external temperatures fall, the PCM materials release the heat to maintain a comfortable condition at all times
  • BRESPO PCM is both waterproof and permeable allowing sweat to be released while keeping out rain and wind.
  • Finally, the material contains anti-bacterial functions that helps to kill germs and bacteria.

Although I only managed to test the BRESPO PCM under a limited set of temperature conditions, the fabric did appear to generally work well. Keep in mind that future jackets from Kenpo may incorporate other materials.

The inner shell

The inner shell is made out of polyester and features the following:

  • Hood
  • Face guard Velcro flaps
  • Arm vents
  • Waterproof fabric

Here’s a shot of the inner shell:

Similar to the outer shell, the inner shell comes with a hood to protect you from the elements. Since the hood on the inner shell isn’t adjustable, Kenpo decided to provide face guards which can be secured in place using two Velcro straps.

Here’s a shot at the arm vents underneath each armpit.

 

Here’s a shot of the inside of the jacket.

 

The inner shell also comes with its own iPod controller system. The strip itself is located on the right sleeve instead of the left (this is to make sure that the strips don’t overlay one another when both shells are worn simultaneously). 

There’s a pocket on the inner right side which is used to hold the iPod and the controller cables. The ribbon cable from the right sleeve comes out into this pocket.

The pockets are also protected by a Velcro flap which holds the iPod securely in place. The flap has a small hole from which you can slide the iPod earphones through.

Layering things up

Each shell provides a different level of comfort and warmth but when things get really cold, you’ll want to layer up with fabrics. That’s where the 3 in 1 Systems Jacket really kicks into gear.

Simply attach the inner shell into the outer shell; zipper up the sides to secure the inner shell, and presto – you’ve got yourself a warm jacket capable of withstanding cold temperatures.

Note – once the inner shell is attached to the outer shell, you’ll need to move the iPod to the outer shell’s side pocket since the inner shell’s iPod controls will no longer be accessible.

iPod controller system

The Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket has two built in iPod controllers – one for each shell. If you’ve read our previous review on the Kenpo Bonded Fleece jacket, then you can skip this section since I’ll be going over the iPod controller.

What makes the Kenpo jackets unique is the integrated iPod control system which is woven into the sleeves of the jacket. With the iPod control system, you can easily navigate through your tracks and control the volume of the iPod.

The Kenpo iPod controllers themselves are powered by Eleksen’s ElekTek Smart Fabric Technology. Underneath each sleeve with an iPod controller is a 5 button sensor strip. This sensor strip is then connected to a ribbon cable which runs up the sleeve and into the pocket holding the iPod. A separate controller cable is then attached to both the ribbon cable and the dock connector on the iPod. Once connected, you’ll be able to operate the iPod using the sleeve controls.

The sleeve controls are normally locked to prevent accidental key presses. To unlock the keypad, you simply press and hold the Track Forward button for 3 seconds. The controls on the sleeve are as follows:

  • Volume Up
  • Volume Down
  • Track Back
  • Play/Pause or On/Off
  • Track Forward

The keypad will automatically lock itself again after seven seconds of inactivity.

The jacket is completely washable thanks to the ElekTek’s ability to be washable and durable under the most grueling conditions (this includes the integrated ribbon cable). The only thing you need to remember before washing the jacket is to remove the iPod and the controller cable from the jacket.

Compatibility:

The Kenpo 3 in1 Systems Jacket is compatible with the following iPods:

  • iPod video
  • iPod nano
  • iPod 3G
  • iPod with Click Wheel
  • iPod color and photo
  • iPod mini

It is not compatible with 1st  generation iPods or 2nd generation iPods with the touch wheel interface. The iPod shuffle is also not compatible with the jacket.

Usage:

The Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket couldn’t have come at a better time for us here in LA. We had been experiencing some cold temperatures recently and boy – the jacket certainly kept things warm for us. (Yes.. I know.. cold temps here are summer time temps for some of you back east but come on now!)

In all seriousness, the 3 in 1 was a solid winter jacket to wear for all sorts of occasions. The mere fact that you can use the jacket in three different ways is pretty sweet if you ask us. If things are warm out, you can choose to wear either the outer shell or the inner shell. We preferred to wear the outer shell during the day time and the inner shell at night.

When things got a bit too cold, simply wrap the outer shell around the inner shell and you’ve got yourself a whole new level of warmth. Whichever shell you choose, you’ll have the full capabilities of the ElekTek Smart Fabric technology which means you’ll be able to control the iPod using your sleeve controls.

Speaking of the iPod controls, it was utterly easy controlling the iPod using the sleeve controls. The only complaint I have here is – you’ll still need to take the iPod out to change albums or artists but if you have a long playlist ready – then you’re all set!

Similar to the Kenpo Bonded Fleece jacket, I find it hard to pinpoint any flaws in the overall design and execution of the jacket. However having said that, it would be nice if Kenpo offered a similar jacket but with GoreTex fabric instead (it is important to note that Kenpo is considering the use of GoreTex in future jackets).

The other issues are minor ones:

  • You need to make sure you remove the iPod controller cable from the jacket before you wash the jacket. It would have been great if they could have made the controller cable waterproof too but I suppose that’s asking a bit much. However, I can imagine someone forgetting to remove the cable when they throw the jacket into the wash. If they do – say bye bye to the controller cable!
  • While the arm vents on the outer shell are great - they also expose the sensor strip inside the left sleeve. It would have been nice if there was another layer of fabric protecting the sensor strip.

We thought we’d end things with a couple of pictures of our good friend KC wearing the jacket.

 

Summary

The Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket is certainly the jack of all trades fall/winter jacket. It’s adaptable to all sorts of weather conditions outside – whether it’s cool, cold, or just plain frigid outside. The included hood for both shells means you’ll get added protection from the wind and rain. Plus, no matter which shell you decide to use, you’ll have full access to the integrated iPod controls. We liked the Kenpo Bonded Fleece Jacket from before and well..  we like the 3 in 1 jacket even more!

Thus for this winter season, if you’re looking for a flexible winter sports activity jacket, definitely consider the Kenpo 3 in 1 Systems Jacket. Flexible wearability, and integrated iPod controls – very nice indeed.

We’d like to thank Kenpo for supplying the jacket for review.

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