Slashdot Mirror
Self-Warming Jackets
jeffy124 writes: "Those of you in the frigid north who find their coats unfulfilling of their duties may be interested in a self-warming jacket. By using steel microfibres woven into the fabric plus a lithium battery, heat is actually generated to as much as 114 degrees fahrenheit. The jackets, sadly, come with a nasty price -- US$500. Among those interested in purchasing are skiers (including some Olympians), and the Military."
Wow! These were shown in Mens Health magazine here in the UK before Christmas...
Slashdot/CNN need to get with the times or get more healthy! Check it out!
MET 5 Jacket
http://www.gerbing.com/
Nothing but highest recommendations. It appears it will last a lifetime. I have had this suit for this winter season and the quality appears to exceed BMW's heated vest which I have abused for two years without fail. After tearing up a widder in less than a month and fixing it several times until it could be used no more, I would go with nothing else besides BMW or Gerbing. And the heat output is incredible. Most importantly I know it will not fail on long trips. In the cold weather on a motorcycle in the middle of nowhere, quality is the difference between life and death.
My suit has electric heated socks (which are uncomfortable by themselves,) the two piece suit which can be comfortably worn over street clothes, electric gloves (never leave home without them,) and a the collar in the jacket has extra heating and sticks inside the helmet to keep my sinuses warm. It works and is worth the investment if you like the snow.
First off let me say that I wear electric clothing on a regular basis. Of course, mine is the somewhat low-tech variety. More cheap electric blanket, less lithium-ion.
The main reason I wear them, is for when you need to be stationary in the elements for an extended period of time. Sure, I'd be warm if I were moving about, but if you have to sit still for 60 minutes it's going to take a *LOT* of insulation to equal the warmth of a good electric vest.
There's another subtle difference between heavy insulation and active heating. Alterness. You'd be amazed at how fast your reaction time sinks when you get a little cold. That's not so bad when your hiking along a trail, but if you're driving a motorcycle (like me) or holding a gun (soliders) then a half second can be critical.
I ride year round and it's frequently cold enough to put on my electric vest under my motorcycle jacket. These things are a life-saver and they're pretty low-tech, with fine wires laid out in an electric blanket configuration surrounding your torso. Of course, I guess this approach to keeping warm is much easier to pull off when you're riding a high-current, 400+ pound battery on wheels...