Heated vests

Anyone used one – do they work well? Any particular brands?

I have a Milwaukee heated jacket and although it does heat up i cannot feel it anywhere except when sitting in the car and it’s pressed into my back. I think i read 98°with a infrared temp gun. I think it was a waste of$

I have the Milwaukee heated jacket also and have to say I like it. I don’t per say feel the heat from the jacket but I do feel I can wear less clothes in colder weather than before and that helps when open water fishing in the winter months. I guess I like having less bulky gear on and the heated pockets are nice to warm the hands quickly. The less you wear under the jacket the more you notice the heat and I can definitely tell when the battery dies. I do a fair amount of river fishing in the winter and it is worth it for me.

^^ What CBMN says.

The Jacket isn’t made for hoodies or heavy clothes that is why people say they suck. I love my heated jacket once you know how to wear it, it is a awesome jacket.

Wind goes right through the Milwaukee jacket so as an outer layer its not a good choice. Better design might of been to cut down on the bulk and weight and design it as a base layer. Maybe move the battery pocket from the back to front also.

I agree with CBMN wear the vest over your base layer but under fleese or other layers. I find the vest pretty warm without even turning it on but when you need extra heat it works. I have the Milwaukee but buy one that matches the tool batteries you have giving you more batteries and chargers.

Are the Milwaukee vests avail in the store at Lowe’s/Home Depot or do I need to order it? Would need by next Weds and concerned shipping would be too long…

I’ve seen the Milwaukee heated vests at acme tool in Plymouth. Not sure about the box box stores, though.

FryDog, I had a couple guys this fall wear the Dewalt jackets. They looked nice and they said they loved em. They had three heat settings. They said the jackets got plenty warm if you turned them up on high. I have the Dewalt batteries already so it intrigued me.

Thx Joe, wondering if you know if they wore the vests over a fleece jacket or if they had to wear right on top of a base layer like the guys said above. That could make a difference in what size I get as I’m a “tweener.”

They wore the jacket right over their sweatshirts. I can’t say they were experts or knew what they were doing but they seemed to love the jackets.

I definitely agree with several comments, they are not very wind proof, batteries could be in a better location, and I usually wear a fleece over or under the jacket. They have a place and work for me though.

Milwaukee has jacket, vest, and sweatshirt options available and a vest or sweatshirt might be worth looking at also, as different people like different styles.

Acme, Home Depot, and possibly even Ace or Fleet Farm should have some on hand Frydog.

I can’t feel mine over a tshirt. My normal lightweight fall jacket is warmer.

Disclaimer:

I’ve never owned a heated jacket/vest.

But I think I’m like most humans, where keeping your core warm isn’t a problem, but keeping extremities warm can be.

It would be interesting if they made a jacket with heated pockets, or insoles heated with a belt mounted battery.

Fry, what application are you going to use the heated jacket?

Hunting? Work?

FryDog62 wrote:

Are the Milwaukee vests avail in the store at Lowe’s/Home Depot or do I need to order it? Would need by next Weds and concerned shipping would be too long…

I have seen them at Fleet Farm in Cambridge MN.

“Fry, what application are you going to use the heated jacket?

Hunting? Work?”

Sitting in a boat for 6 hours, dragging sucker minnows around for muskies in 35 degree weather…

…it can get chilly for a guy who hates cold to begin with.. will need suggestions on keeping toes/fingers warm too.