Anyone use battery heated vests/clothing?

[CitizenBBN]

I've been looking at an electrically heated vest for working in a warehouse that isn't heated.

My big question is if anyone has experience with a particular brand or design of this kind of clothing. Gerbing seems to make quality stuff, and the prices reflect it. I'd rather pay a bit more for something that works great and lasts but no reason to pay for name either. It needs to be the battery powered kind, not the kind for motorcycles that will plug into the bike (though that's neat). Looks like they'll run 6-8 hours on a lowish setting which is sufficient.

The Gerbing design seems to be more distributed, heating over more of the surface of the garment, which would seem to be important, but their site is incredibly light on details so that's not 100% clear. Another I see that looks promising is made by Volt.

Also curious about heated socks if anyone has some of those.

[truecatsfan]

Never knew they had such a thing.If you get one let me know how it works.

[Darrell KSR]

Have had battery socks before, makes sense that they would have vests too.

All the hunters here and nobody knows anything about them?

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[jazyd]

I don't use them Citizen, tried the socks one time and was a waste of money. I just use good wool clothing or fleece..not the sweatshirt fleece....

[dan_bgblue]

I tried the socks once and while they worked to provide heat, they provided to much heat. My outdoor solution is a good long sleeve wool shirt over an armor all type T shirt coupled with a good down vest. Wear a watch cap, fleece lined jeans and felt lined boots. Being in a warehouse there is no wind, so that outfit should keep your core plenty warm into the single digits.

[CitizenBBN]

I can dress warm enough to do OK Dan, but the challenge is that I'll go from the cold to the nice warm office and back, which means peeling layers or flat changing clothes every couple of hours. Long johns work well for me, but it's just annoying to have to put them on and off 2-3 times a day depending on schedule. I was hoping for a "turn it off and hang it up then put it on and turn it on" kind of simplicity.

My suspicion is that if it worked amazingly well that more people would have them, thus my post. I have my doubts. I have heard esp. with the older types of socks that didn't have electronic regulators that they just got too hot. They're basically just a battery shorted across a wire resistant to get warm. Do that without any kind of temperature/current regulation and I can see that not working well.

The Gerbing stuff has 5 settings, most of the others have multiple as well.

It would just be ideal if I could wear a regular shirt and pants (my legs don't really get that cold) and then take off the jacket/vest/whatever on and off quickly. I wear a coat of course, but the coats I have that are heavy enough to be toasty warm are also bulky enough to make it hard to work.

I don't know, could be a hairbrained notion. I've heard good things about the ones that bikers use. They're 12v and plug into the bike.

[dan_bgblue]

The full coveralls take less than 30 seconds to put on and take off. This, along with the knit cap and some felt lined boots will do the trick.

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/s...tegoryId=10908

[jazyd]

Citizen, the flannel lined jeans are a good bet, keep you warm but won't burn you up back in the office. Underarm our makes gloves that are called liners, come in black and are tight fitting and I love them and have them in black for driving and camo to hunt. Cabelas has them in their catalog. You could wear a cold gear l/ s shirt under a insulated flannel shirt and fleece vest. Come in and peel the vest and shirt and stay cozy in L's shirt and jeans. Muck boots make a slip on boot just above ankle that is great with some wool socks, pull them off easy and slip into some crocks. Nice fleece watch cap and you are set. Everything warm, loose and easy on and off..leave for the store, slip on the boots, cap, driving gloves and insulated shirt jacket and you look rugged and handsome.

[bigsky]

No I haven't. We use coveralls with full zip to thigh.

[CitizenBBN]

Carhartt's work great, when I do winter outside work I use them, but just not in love with them for this task. I do have to go by the local dealer, maybe even tomorrow, I'll stop and browse and think about how it may work for this.

Jazy I'll check out the gloves. The problem is I'm using a camera and typing on a keyboard, makes it tough to use more than the gloves with the finger cutouts.

Jeff, if I worked in the cold where you live I'd use Carhartts and then wrap up in R-36 insulation and then set it on fire.

[jazyd]

I don't like coveralls, prefer bibs

[jazyd]

Those goves are thin, stretchy type material, might work but not for iPhone. CarhRtt makes flannel lined pants and jeans. Insularted shirt jkt worn out and not tucked would be easy off and on


QUOTE=CitizenBBN;118165]Carhartt's work great, when I do winter outside work I use them, but just not in love with them for this task. I do have to go by the local dealer, maybe even tomorrow, I'll stop and browse and think about how it may work for this.

Jazy I'll check out the gloves. The problem is I'm using a camera and typing on a keyboard, makes it tough to use more than the gloves with the finger cutouts.

Jeff, if I worked in the cold where you live I'd use Carhartts and then wrap up in R-36 insulation and then set it on fire. [/QUOTE]

[bigsky]

I don't like coveralls, prefer bibs

Me too. When I did the outside/inside gig I did carhart bibs and duofold union suits (although there are better thermal undies). Still nuthinz more stylin than a red union suit underneath bib overalls with the top unsnapped, right?

[Darrell KSR]

I bought a pair of thin, stretchy gloves that fit tight, and are made for touchscreens. They work great.

I bought mine local at Kohls (I think) but I suspect a Google search would bring them up online all over the place. I may have seen them at Academy too. I used them all last season during cold soccer games.

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[Darrell KSR]

Couple of links to get you started on the gloves hunt.

http://www.techhive.com/article/2015...s-tablets.html

http://mashable.com/2012/12/04/texting-gloves/

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[suncat05]

I seldom wear anything more than shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops outside of my work uniform.

[ShoesSwayedBlue]

I don't like coveralls, prefer bibs

Absolutely. If you have to do any real work in coveralls, unless you're built like a stick figure, you get racked every time you reach for anything.

[Darrell KSR]

Absolutely. If you have to do any real work in coveralls, unless you're built like a stick figure, you get racked every time you reach for anything.

Friend of mine uses coveralls, but orders them a size too big and extra tall. He claims this gives him the best of all worlds, and doesn't create those kind of issues. He says if he gets too hot, he unzips the coveralls and ties the arms around the waist.
My brother likes bibs.

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[jazyd]

Citizen, Bass Pro makes some long underwear type tops that feel like fleece in a mock turtleneck. Very soft and comfortable plus warm. Take off jkt and heavy shirt and you have a nice looking top that is loose fitting unlike tight fitting underarmour or long johns. I have two that I love, wear it with fleece shirt and jkt and I am fine.