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$500. Among those interested in purchasing are skiers (including some Olympians), and the Military."
-Do NOT do that.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
... but most jackets are designed to be "self heating". At least, any good REI type jacket is. They should create multiple layers of air around your body that your body heat will warm, with a protective layer outside that blocks most wind and water.
Not to say that this isn't cool, but it seems a bit impractical. One wonders if it can sufficently operate as a normal jacket once its battery's worn out.
I was told by some DARPA person that one of the problems the military had with wearable tech was that a bullet which has just travelled through a lithium battery was more toxic than one which hadnt; wearing a coat with Li-ion elements is not the kind of thing you'd want to do on the battlefield. is that correct?
I'm a semi avid skier and I'm amazed at how much people spend on ski crap. $150 bucks for a pair of flimsy nylon pants (like th kind I got at Kmart for $12) isn't uncommon. So I would imagine a selfwarming jacket (if it has stylish logos) at $500 will have no problem selling.
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
I think this is a not so good idea.
- Batteries work very bad/not at all in cold conditions, you world have to keep the entire resupply of batteries inside the jacket.
- Adds complexity, will probably not work when it is really needed (Murphys laws of combat)
- Cotton still works very well from -15 deg C
to -30 -15 deg C, in fact t-shirt, jacket and winter camo works quite well if walking.
- May be usable as a emergency blanket, if you need to reheat someone suffering from mild hypothermia. Having tried that once, it was not very pleasant.
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...
My titanium puts out a lot of heat - and I'm moving to Europe soon (Germany) - so I know it'll function quite nicely as a bed-warmer during those long nights.
... in a tight little package.
...
Plus it plays DVD's, so in all it's pretty much like snuggling up in front of the fire and watching a movie
If they could one day *use* the heat that these sorts of devices put out, instead of trying hard to reduce it, things might become a little more efficient
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
How many of you have ridden motorcycles in a cold winter climate? I don't care how many layers you have on, what nifty fibers they contain, etc. If you wear something that doesn't breathe, you end up covered in sweat. If you wear something that does breathe, you freeze at highway speeds. That's why heated electric vests are so popular.
I've only been riding motorcycles for about 28 years, so I expect there will be some people that weren't born when I started riding that are sure that they know far more than I. You will find their responses following this.