r/tacticalgear • u/Lepton_Decay • 18h ago
Clothing Thoughts and recommendations on heated tactical wear?
M12™ Heated TOUGHSHELL™ Jacket is a jacket I just found, heated by a Miluwakee power source. I was wondering if anyone has experience using these types of electronically heated outerwear? Gloves, hats, jackets, shoe warmers, handwarmers, etc., and if they're viable for tactical uses?
Is the technology far enough along that these devices don't burn out / break / not generate enough heat to be worth the price / hassle? Are you better off just using warmer, higher quality clothing made of materials that are more durable and suitable for tacticalwear? Maybe there's at least 1 jacket on the market that's very high quality with one of these heating elements inside. Is it worth it?
Any recommendations and discussion is welcome!
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u/es0ed 18h ago
Heated lightweight vest, under a jacket of your choice, or even a hoodie. so much of the heat gets lost out the back of those jackets. I have multiple heated jackets, they all go largely unused in favor of a normal jacket and a heated vest.. wasted a lot of money learning this.
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u/Got_Ammo4sale 18h ago
I mean I’ve picked up the Milwaukee jacket for 100$ with batteries and all . It depends on what you need it for . If you don’t need to layer and are not exposed as much . Like getting in and out of car and light cold exposure then sure . Like I use mine if I’m like pumpkin picking with the family and I need a little extra warms I’ll use it but the jacket itself keeps me warm But for long term ? No .
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u/Warpig42069 18h ago
Don't do it. Proper layering is all that's needed. I live in an area where it drops below 0F and has a negative wind chill with very strong winds.
This seems like a bad idea on a few levels. Possibly a fire hazard, needing to make sure it stays charged or with fresh batteries sounds like a pain and if it holds a good charge and isn't a fire hazard it probably doesn't do a very good job and is just a gimmick.
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u/beeeflomein 17h ago
If you’re doing something low activity like driving a forklift in an uninsulated warehouse or treestand hunting they’re great. But if you’re gonna be a little bit active at all then having a proper layering system is probably way more practical.
That being said it is nice to just have 1 vest and a jacket for day trips out into the cold.
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u/robbert229 17h ago edited 17h ago
Heated gear is terrible.
You want a base layer, insulating layer, and shell. The base layer should wick sweat, the insulating layer should keep you warm, and she'll should keep the wind and snow out.
Heated gear is trying to fulfill the role of insulating and shell, and it does so poorly. It's also not nearly as durable.
Also, if you are doing any physical activity (such as using your gear), you probably will need to remove your insulator to keep yourself from sweating too much. You sweat, you die is a classic outdoor quote.
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u/Garry68W 16h ago
Not going to act like I’m expert, but I’ve regularly operated in -40F environments with nothing but clothes on my back, whatever fit in my ruck, rifle and a good attitude and I’ve never once considered using heated clothing. Batteries aren’t exactly the best of friends with extreme temps, especially the cold.
My best advice to someone about to suck dick in the cold, invest in heavyweight socks, and a lot of them for rotating as needed. A pair of thick, high thread count gortex lined boots with winter gaiters. If temps dip below 0 to -10 range, consider vapor barrier boots, if the temps are higher than that, you’re putting yourself at risk of immersion foot. Keep your feet dry, or you die.
Layering is key, when making movement under load, I’d typically only wear a microfiber hat under my helmet, thin balaclava under that, nice thin glove inserts inside mitties for dexterous tasks, thick fuck you mittens for every other waking moment, base layer top and maybe bottoms, waterproof jacket and waterproof pants, you want to be comfortably cold, not quite warm. When static, then you can break out the thick puffy parka top and bottom.
Biggest life threat related to exposure is almost always going to be getting snow on yourself, letting it melt and soak you. So just don’t do that, Peter Griffin out
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u/MaritimeOS 16h ago
Id prefer layering, technology fails.
A good jacket for the price is a condor 3 in 1 soft shell/fleece. Used it for maritime cold weather operations and it does very well.
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u/InstaGraham_95 17h ago
Easiest way to know someone’s never exerted any energy outside when it’s cold out
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u/witchouse Tactical Toes Inspector 16h ago
Facts I always find myself shedding my mid layer when I’m hiking with gear and a rifle in the winter up north even when its 20° and actively snowing
Edit: waffle top/bottom base layer ftw
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u/Apprehensive_Fee1922 8h ago
Well… it sure isn’t tactical. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That is tactical.
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u/Lazy-Association-410 17h ago
Yeah depends on the goal… found it good for sleeping but not exploring
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u/Stoned-Hobbit 17h ago
Thanks for the reminder. My Milwaukee vest took a shit last year. I need to get a new one before it gets too cold.
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u/YYCADM21 16h ago
They're great while you have power. 3-4 hours, the battery is dead, and you'll freeze. For light outdoor activity, short term they're great. for stamping around in the brush for a day? That's all you'll get; a day. You'll be dead from exposure before the sun comes up a second time
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u/Deadly_Jay556 16h ago
I work at a place that is a Milwaukee dealer.
Heated gear is pretty cool stuff. If you are interested possibly look at the heated hoodie or vest. You can wear under another layer to stay warm. The tough shell offers heated pockets which is nice. The others don’t. Just chest/back/shoulders. One guy liked about them is the pocket where you put the battery pack could also be used for a conceal carry pocket. Now you won’t be fast reaching your weapon.
Another nice thing is you could plug your phone and charge it off the battery pack. Just depends on what you. Battery can last 8 hours on lowest setting heating on area (tough shell).
Either way it is neat and kind of niche. But I wouldn’t get it if you plan being gone for longer than a day where you can’t charge it
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u/Sure_Pear_9258 15h ago
I mean I recently got my hands on an ice plate to put in the back of my plate carrier for summer weather but I imagine if you filled that with warm water and then put a hoodie and a jacket over that youd also be good to go.
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u/OddlyMingenuity 14h ago
This winter I'm testing the mesh t shirt. Rumor is it's surprisingly efficient.
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u/magniankh 14h ago
I use heated clothes for work. They are nice but have some drawbacks.
The battery system can be bulky and uncomfortable if you need to wear other stuff over the jacket or vest. Some aren't too bad. Just research how it works. (Probably) all newer designs use slim battery packs that reduce bulk.
You'll only get 3-6 hours on top heat, so it's best to use sparingly to make it through a full day. They can be a real nice boost to your warmth and comfort if you've been sitting or standing, like on a break. Fire it up for 20 minutes and you're comfortable again.
One benefit of these systems is that you can wear less layers with less bulk. At work I'll often wear my heated vest under a flannel shirt, and I can regulate my heat how I want. Without the vest I would need to wear a bulky, heavy jacket that would restrict my movement. When you want to cool down, just turn down the temp, or off completely, and you don't need to spend time removing a layer.
Heated clothes are probably not a great choice for tactical purposes, mostly because they don't last very long, and if you are rucking with full gear and the battery runs out you now have a useless layer. Merino wool is the way to go. A shemagh or scarf around the neck allows for easy temp control, expose your neck to cool down, etc.
If you want to stomp around in the snow with your NVGs for an hour, then yeah, a heated vest would be sweet.
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u/genreprank 11h ago
I took a class in winter, and one of the other guys had that Milwaukie jacket. As the training went on, he said it wasn't really keeping him warm. I think it would be better if you put another layer on top of it to help keep the heat in.
Later that night, it started to rain. I was properly dressed with a base layer, thin wool shirt, synthetic fleece jacket, and cheap rain shell. I was happy as a clam... Wearing a full base layer is (usually) too hot for hiking, but during a class, you spend a fair amount of time standing before suddenly needing finger dexterity.
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u/desEINer 9h ago
There is really only one use-case for heated gear IMO: motorcycling.
With a motorcycle if you're in the cold, you add the wind chill of the speed you are going. If it's 0 C/32 F and you're going 65 mph it feels like -9C/16 F, with the quality that any heat you generate is pretty quickly stolen away, especially at the extremities where it's harder to shield with farings and windscreens. If you're stuck on a cold day on a motorcycle without heated gear and more than 10 miles from civilization you really could die or get injured if you aren't prepared.
You'd also be essentially sedentary, so not generating a lot of body heat, and you're sitting on a power supply that's only limited by the amount of gas you have.
Everything else that's not moto you'd usually have the ability to move, shelter, layer up, or otherwise protect from the cold. There are plenty of people who engage in conflicts in hellish cold, but they know how to dress and fight on their own turf. If you're going expeditionary, then figure out what the local outdoor workers do, if you're at home just go outside more and figure out what the locals are doing. Staying dry and fed is key in the cold, so more socks and more snacks.
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u/LetsGatitOn 8h ago
I have some for winter and they are nice. I also have those qb heated fanny packs for my hands and they are great. I do year round carpentry
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u/No_Staff594 7h ago
Military issue silks and waffles. Skull caps work great under helmets and a gator will always be lifesaving. Never really wore more than thin hunting gloves or mechanix tho
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u/No_Staff594 7h ago
Typically unless it got below freezing, I’d wear silks under my standard uniform, a skull cap, mechanix gloves, and a wind breaker/goretex. Your plate carrier/ruck as long as they are decent quality will help retain heat
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u/ridesn0w 5h ago
It doesn’t work if it’s really cold. Batteries stop. You are better off with just better layers.
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u/NPC2001 4h ago
I’ve had this jacket a while, it’s too heavy to be tactical, but I’ve used it pretty intensely and stayed warm. I’ve crawled through crawlspaces, through water in sub freezing temps, on roofs, it’s pretty warm and I like it enough.
That said, would NOT use it in a tactical environment. Too heavy, and limits movement.
Maybe at a FOB, but not in any kinda situation if I could help it.
Honestly, where I am it may get cold, but after moving with a plate carrier, rucking, really anything the cold becomes less of a concern, at least until you sweat and then stop. Then it sucks lol
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u/Lucky1941 Malpractice is Practice 4h ago
Conduct a rucking movement in the snow and get back to me on that
Moisture wicking baselayer --> Insulating static midlayers --> Weather appropriate protective outer layer. If you need more static heat, use a $7 pack of hot hands.
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u/MOP-Mupp 2h ago
Swedish soldier here.
This is not suitable for a tactical setting.
We have plenty of sayings in the Swedish armed forces - one of them is ”heat comes from within”. Proper clothing traps air that has warmed up from your own body heat. Things that help with body heat is excercise and warm food/drink. This kind of heat feels nice but it doesnt help with the actual problem.
Batteries are cumbersome, unreliable in cold and I just wouldn’t trust this over proper layers.
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u/soggywaffles007 18h ago
Why would you wanna paint yourself with a higher thermal image than we already do? Thought the goal was to hide from thermal lol
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u/Hxrmetic 16h ago
Yeah man I’m getting targeted by thermal optics very frequently. Reducing my thermal signature is very serious to me. I’m kinda like really important and nothing short of the most highly trained special forces civilian division
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u/Overall-Avocado4537 14h ago
Spongebob undies on the very bottom. Merino wool base layer on top of that. Throw a shirt on that, and I like to wear pajamas or thin sweatpants, depending on what's clean. If you live somewhere snowy, go to a surplus store and get yourself sweatpants and a parka or a basic jacket. Otherwise, just find something cost effective that isn't complete shit. Merino wool balaclava and gloves to accessorize, cause we stay fabulooousss!! in this bitch.
Darn tuff socks, or granny's inch thick wool socks she made for you a decade ago. Some sort of thick insole that'll act like a sleeping pad for your feet. Any boot you normally run on top of that, hopefully waterproof.
All of that should cost you less than 200 dollars, under the assumption you own a normal person's wardrobe, and it's the system i've been running on all sorts of cold weather trips up in the mountains for years. No BS, no chinese batteries turning on you and becoming an IED, just warmth that'll keep your balls low even at the peak of winter... Unless you're one of the 7 or so people living in the Yukon or Siberia... Just move to Antartica at that point, you psycho...
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u/Ok_Ant8450 8h ago
People say layering but women in my family that just hate the winter as they get cold even with several layers, find these quite practical. YMMV but ive heard great things
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u/The_BigWaveDave 17h ago
Quality Arc'teryx or Patagonia jacket and some Hothands pouches or stick on patches.
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u/Trevor775 16h ago
No to antagonist, I work in a warehouse. I ripped it, got it fixed. The first day I wore it, I ripped it again.
Patagonia is made for casual hiking.
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u/likeaboz2002 18h ago
Heated cold weather gear is a waste of money. Spend that money on nicer layers, they’ll keep you warmer for longer and you won’t need to worry about charging them in an emergency.