Most heated jackets are waterproof or water-resistant, and sometimes both. It will all depend on the brand and the manufacturer, but you will find that most heated jackets today are made to be lived in. There are a number of benefits to wearing heated jackets, with many elite athletes preferring them for performance.
They also are useful in extremely cold temperatures, and you don’t need to be an athlete to enjoy the privileges of a warmed-up coat in the winter. Because they are made for cooler temperatures, heated jackets are typically designed to be resistant to precipitation, and thus are often waterproof. If you are thinking about getting one, learn more about heated jackets and their benefits here.
The Concept of Heated Jackets
The concept of heated jackets is simple. They are jackets with a coiled system that is connected to a battery pack that powers up and heats the coat. They are usually waterproof, as they are designed to be worn in precipitation.
Heated jackets often come with batteries that can be recharged so that you can continue to enjoy the heated benefits for the duration of your coat life. The greatest benefit of a heated jacket is that it helps you to maintain a consistent body temperature when you are outside. That can be more difficult in extreme temperatures.
Athletes enjoy heated jackets for that reason. While every athlete warms up for performance, that is much harder in the cold. They will use heated jackets, and a number of other heated garment products to overcome that drawback.
Other kinds of heated jackets depend on gel packs that you can use to stay warm. These are packs that you can warm up in the microwave and heat up your coat and your body that way. These coats are also going to be waterproof and water-resistant in most cases, as they will be made for winter weather and for activity in precipitation.
The Waterproofing Concept of Heated Jackets
To make a heated jacket waterproof, there are two ways. You can use a waterproof material such as spandex or nylon. Some polyester and cotton fibers can be used that are waterproof.
Gortex is also a popular waterproof fiber, and nylon shells work well to make a jacket waterproof. Sometimes, a heated jacket is only made to be water-resistant. In this case, the manufacturer would apply a coating to the product in order to ensure that water didn’t penetrate too much.
Water-resistant materials will allow for water to bounce off of the coat so that the coat isn’t impacted. When you are wearing or working with a waterproof or water-resistant coat, you simply have to be careful about getting it too wet. A waterproof and water-resistant coat can withstand a lot of precipitation, even if it is heated.
What you want to avoid is having it immersed or dunked in water when battery packs or coils are in the coat. This is not the same approach when you are wearing a coat with gel packs in it. You can remove them and wear or wash the coat as normal.
As far as washing is concerned, you can wash heated jackets. You will wash them as normal, you just need to take the battery packs and coils out of the jacket. Heated jackets are waterproof and safe to wear. As with anything with a battery, you will have to take a little more care with this than usual.
Benefits of a Heated Jacket
There are many benefits of a heated jacket. To start, having a jacket that can be heated to keep you warm is a versatile garment. Some heated jackets can even be adjustable, and that is a versatility in the cold that you almost can’t say no to.
When you consider the number of times that you have stayed home or avoided an event because of the weather, a heated jacket sounds like a really great idea. You won’t have to worry about being cold because you won’t be. Another key benefit of a heated jacket is that it is durable.
The waterproof and water-resistant nature of the jacket adds to this durability. Most heated jackets have to accommodate the additional inserts of battery packs and coils. So, they start off by being durable before the heat components are even inserted into the jacket.
The jackets are also very efficient and do the job. It does not take long to heat up the jacket and become warm. This isn’t a situation where you drive for half an hour before you start to become warm in your coat.
Many heated jackets are made with Graphene, among the strongest materials to make coats from, and this is going to yield very specific durability and efficient jacket. The waterproofed and water-resistant nature is another clear benefit. Not only is the coat waterproof, but the coils inside the jacket are as well, for your protection.
Waterproof membranes are inside the jacket and on the coils of the batteries to help the coated heat up and stay dry. Like any waterproof jacket, there are limits, the coats can’t be submerged. However, they are very effective in most climates.
Performance is another key benefit of waterproof jackets. It is also a key reason why people buy them. Athletes need heated garments sometimes when they are working out or competing in the cold. Heated jackets and clothes will help prevent athletes’ body temperatures from dropping, and keep muscles warmed up when they need to be.
They have been used by the London Olympic team and also by many sports teams all over the world.
The Batteries in Heated Jackets
There are a few different kinds of batteries in heated jackets. Powerbanks are the most commonly used form of battery pack in a heated jacket. They come in 12 volts, 7.4 volts, and 5-volt power banks.
The five-volt power bank is among the most commonly used and is also used for charging electronic devices. The 7.4-volt power bank is a common system for heating garments, and these are frequently rechargeable as well. You’ll see these in gloves a lot, but also in jackets.
The twelve-volt systems are used for heavier charging needs, and can even be seen in motorcycles and ATVs, but they will be found in jackets. When they are, you know you are getting an excellent jacket that will never have you feeling cold. Another thing to keep in mind when you are looking at heated jackets is the length of time the batteries will last.
The higher the voltage on the battery pack, the longer the charge will last. A 7-volt battery is one that could last as long as six to eight hours, and a 12 volt will have an even longer charge than that. In some heated jackets, you can even charge your smartphone.
In the end, if you have seen a heated blanket, you can understand how a heated jacket will work. In this case, however, you are dealing with a battery pack and not a plug for the wall. Although heated jackets will warm up quickly, they still do not warm up instantly.
You may want to start the warming a few minutes before you head out when you are wearing one. Most heated jackets have adjustable controls in them so that you can do just that. You will find you won’t always need to keep the controls turned on.
When they warm up, they do so quickly enough, and you can conserve battery power and enjoy a nice warm coat knowing you can turn it on, and off, whenever you want.