Heated clothing: comfortably spend time outdoors

Heated clothing: who may need it

Winter time is the time when everyone wants to warm up, regardless of gender, age, or occupation. Fisherman, hunter, road worker - everyone feels the cold equally. It is hardly possible to find at least one person who will say: “I like it when my feet and hands are frostbitten.”

If we take into account the type of occupation, then the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Russian Railways, and Housing and Communal Services require the most heated protective clothing - they are the ones who spend most of their time outdoors on duty. Fans of outdoor activities (hunting, fishing) are also frequent buyers of heated jackets, gloves and pants.

Such clothes will not allow a motorcyclist to freeze in winter...

...to the worker...

...to the military...

...or a fisherman

How does clothing like this keep a person warm?

Heating in such clothing is provided by the thinnest carbon thread. The jacket or trousers are literally permeated with such threads. They do not hinder movements and are completely invisible when moving. In addition, such things can be washed and wrung out - no damage to the heating elements can be caused by these actions.

Under the influence of electricity, infrared waves are emitted from the thread, which, in addition to heating the body, increase tone and improve blood circulation, which has long been proven by doctors. The elements are powered by regular or rechargeable batteries. But even simple batteries can maintain a comfortable temperature for several hours on end.

The carbon filaments of the heating elements emit infrared rays, and the external insulation prevents heat from escaping

Switching on, switching off and adjusting the temperature is done using the remote control. As for choosing a battery, it is better to choose batteries that, on average, are capable of maintaining the heating temperature of things at +45°C for 10-12 hours. Naturally, this temperature is too high and uncomfortable for humans, therefore (as it decreases) we expect a longer operating life without recharging.

Heating is turned on and adjusted using the remote control

Batteries

Heating elements are powered by batteries or accumulators. Rechargeable batteries are more economical and convenient to use. They are presented in a wide range in our online store. The batteries charge in a few hours and, depending on the chemical composition, can withstand from 500 to 1000 or more charge-discharge cycles.

The duration of a charged battery depends on its characteristics and operating mode. On average, a heated vest battery lasts up to 12 hours and provides heating up to 45°C. At a lower heating level, the battery life on a single charge increases. But at temperatures below -30 °C, the battery life is significantly reduced.

What types of electrically heated clothing can be found on Russian shelves?

There are several types of similar clothing that can autonomously heat a person for a long time. Here everyone chooses what they need so as not to overpay. Four of them can be distinguished:

1. Gloves and insoles . The most economical option, requiring a minimum of acquisition costs and consuming little energy. However, the body cannot be heated using these products.
2. Gloves can heat your hands up to +50°C, but this temperature is too high
3. Vest . Energy consumption and cost are a little higher, but there is already an opportunity to warm yourself, and not just your legs and arms.
4. The vest is quite light, but it provides enough warmth to not freeze at -25°C
5. Pants or jacket (separately) . Each item has the same energy consumption, but for a fisherman or hunter (for example), it makes no sense to separately purchase products that will not provide a comfortable temperature to the entire body during winter fishing or while tracking an animal in the taiga winter.
6. Pants will help if you have to sit in one place for a long time[/caption]
7. Costume . A good solution for everyone. Especially in conjunction with the first point - insoles and gloves. However, it is worth remembering that the cost of such equipment increases significantly, along with battery power consumption.

A suit is the best solution, but its cost is considerable

Just a few words and one review from the owner of each category of heated clothing.

Gloves and insoles: what are they and do they help in cold weather?

Insoles can be wired or wireless. The second option is preferable. Initially, all products are produced in the same size. They have contours along which the devices can be cut to the required dimensions. The batteries are built-in and there is a charging socket at the back. The products can heat up to +45°C and operate without recharging for up to 5 hours. Control is carried out via remote control.

Gloves. Products are produced in four sizes: S, L, XL, XXL. Rechargeable batteries are included and are attached to the outside of the wrist. The heating elements are located in the fingers. They do not interfere with various manipulations, work with tools or electrical equipment. By purchasing electrically heated gloves, you can be sure that your fingers will not freeze when working in the cold.

If you have an adapter, the insoles can be charged even from the car's on-board power supply

Such products will help you avoid freezing, but they cannot provide complete protection for a long time. For these purposes, it is worth purchasing something more substantial.

Heated vest: device and principle of operation

A fairly light item of clothing that can be worn under a jacket. On the inside there are two pockets (right and left) where the battery is placed. Heating plates (3 pieces) are located like this: one (large) in the lumbar region, and two smaller ones on the chest. Small plates can be moved to the shoulder blades, for which there are special pockets in the vest. The vest is made of fleece - a material that retains heat better than others and does not interfere with moisture removal.

There is a special pocket for the battery

Heated suits: types of sets produced

Such products are manufactured in two versions intended for:

• hunting/fishing in mid-latitudes (up to -45°C);
• extremely low temperature (-60°C).

Such clothing is available in both bright colors, designed to make a person visible, and in camouflage tones of khaki and white-gray. These are used by the military or hunters.

Bright colors are designed to make a person visible, for example, on a construction site

Not everyone can afford to buy a suit, much less a complete set of clothes, including a jacket, trousers, insoles and gloves. The manufacturer understands this. That is why a cheaper option is offered - a set of heating plates that are integrated into clothing independently, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

DIY heated jacket

Today we will make an electrically heated jacket, a kind of self-heating jacket. The author of this homemade product is Alex Gyver (YouTube channel “AlexGyver”).

You probably understand that an ordinary jacket, in principle, does not have such a function as heating a person. The jacket only makes it difficult for body heat to escape beyond its limits, and also protects from the cold wind. The person himself heats up, the person inside and the jacket outside, and you can help him with this, for example, by adding an electric heater under the jacket.

Especially for this project, the author purchased a lightweight windbreaker jacket for cross-country skiing, which in theory should protect from the wind, but not really block the heat coming from inside. Thus, from a windbreaker we will make a jacket that will not look like a down jacket, but will keep you warm just as well.

Opinions of people who use such products in everyday life

Our editors have read many reviews about heated clothing. The vast majority are, if not enthusiastic, then certainly laudatory. The only thing users complain about is the rather high cost of the products. For example, heated clothing “RedLaika” in the “pants/jacket” set can be purchased on average in Russia for 12,000-13,000 rubles. However, if you think about it, the price is not that high. An ordinary insulated winter suit costs only 2 times less, but it also restricts movement. This means there is something to think about. In addition, the manufacturer claims that the suit will last at least five (!) seasons.

These socks retain heat for a long time - up to 12-16 hours

Easy way

To make heated insoles, we will need two insoles, 4 meters of nichrome wire, that is, 2 meters for each insole. Its cross-section is 0.4 millimeters. In addition, you will need heat shrink, thread and needle, wire, connector, power supply of 12 volts and 2-3 amps. You should get 1-1.5 amperes for each transaction.

First you need to thread the nichrome wire into the heat shrink. After this, it needs to be heated so that the wire does not slip. Next, we lay the nichrome wire located inside the heat shrink on the insole to form a snake shape. We secure it all with threads.

When our product is almost ready, we will connect the wires to the batteries. It is difficult to solder nichrome wire, so we will use simple twists for connection. Polarity is not required here. We strip the wires and solder the connector. Here polarity also does not matter.

Checking whether the warm insoles are warm?

Let's test the finished insoles. First, plug in the power supply and insert the plug. Using a 12-volt power supply and 0.4-millimeter nichrome wire, we created heated insoles that will not overheat at these parameters. An optimal comfortable temperature will be maintained.

These shoes can be used while sitting at a computer desk or taken with you on winter fishing trips. In the latter case, you will need to use a battery, for example for a screwdriver. If the voltage exceeds 12 volts and the above current is 2-3 amperes, a regulator is required, since without it the nichrome wire will become red-hot. In general, the regulator of electricity and, accordingly, heating in the device will be very useful in any case, because with its help it will be possible to select the optimal temperature for heating the shoes.

What is the best way to buy heated clothing for fishing?

The purchase of such clothing should be approached with extreme care. Winter fishing involves sitting in one place for a long time, but at the same time you have to periodically drill holes. Add to this the need to carry a gear box and sometimes a winter tent from place to place. This means that the product should not only warm, but also be light and not restrict movement at all.

In an emergency, you can even recharge your smartphone from the battery

The most optimal option in this case would be to purchase a set of thermal underwear and insoles. On top you can wear light trousers and a jacket that does not restrict movement. Such equipment will not allow you to freeze during the day, even at a frost of -25°C, although in such weather rarely anyone goes out on the ice.

VERY IMPORTANT!

When going out on the ice in winter, you should not take a supply of alcohol with you in the hope of its warming effect. Consumption of alcohol-containing products gives the body a deceptive state of warming, acting completely opposite. The best option would be a thermos with hot, strongly brewed tea.

This is the best warming agent for use in cold weather.

Making heated insoles at home (photo instructions)

A homemade product will cost 30 rubles.

And you can buy ready-made and very cheap electric insoles in this Chinese store (pictured below).

Products for inventors Link to the store.

Tired of freezing from severe frosts? And do you think that it should be like that? Nothing like this. The insoles can be insulated and even constantly heated . Let's learn how to do this at home.

To make it we will need:

DIY electronics in a Chinese store.

• two insoles;
• nichrome thread (4 meters, 2 meters for each insole);
• heat shrink;
• threads with a needle;
• connector;
• 12 W power supply.

Step 1. We push the nichrome thread through the heat shrink. Then you need to warm it up so that the thread does not dangle inside.

Step 2. Place it on the insole in the shape of a snake, and then stitch it to keep it in place.

Step 3. Since nichrome is not soldered, we screw it to the wires using twists and also carefully place it on the insoles.

Step 4. In the middle of the wire, solder the connector. Polarity doesn't matter.

Step 5. Connect the whole thing to a power outlet and warm up the legs.

zen.yandex.ru/id/5b8d51ed7ea7cd00ab88d8e8/

Heated clothing for hunting: selection criteria

For hunting, it is best to purchase a jacket and trousers complete with insoles and gloves. It is this kind of clothing that will protect the hunter as much as possible from the effects of low temperatures. In the catalogs of such products there are many khaki colors, but everyone understands that such things are purchased for a trip to the forest in winter, when greenery is out of the question. And for a hunter, the main thing is camouflage. This means that the most acceptable protective colors will be in white and gray tones. It will allow the hunter to remain invisible in the winter forest.

Ideal camouflage color for a hunter in winter[

As for rechargeable batteries, when going into the forest, you should take care of spare elements. After all, no matter how experienced a hunter is, there is always the danger of getting lost. It may happen that an additional battery will save the hunter’s life by providing the necessary warmth while he is looking for his way home.

A spare battery won’t take up much space, but it can save lives

Summing up

There is no doubt that heated clothing is a very important and useful invention, which will not only help you relax comfortably outdoors in winter or spend the necessary time on duty, but can even save your life. The main thing is the right choice. After all, if, for example, thermal underwear is smaller than necessary, then it will begin to squeeze blood vessels and capillaries, slowing down blood circulation. This will achieve the opposite effect. As for manufacturing companies, we deliberately did not conduct ratings today. Judging by user reviews, they all produce high-quality products worthy of the buyer’s attention. Well, the question of cost is already a matter for our Dear Reader. You decide.

If you like active recreation or work outdoors, then you shouldn’t skimp on your own health.

We hope that the information we presented today was useful to Dear Reader. Despite the fact that our editors have tried to present everything simply and in detail, perhaps you have any questions or something remains unclear. In this case, you just need to state the essence in the discussions below. We will try to resolve unclear issues as fully as possible and in the shortest possible time.

Do you use heated clothing yourself? Then we kindly ask you to share your impressions of use. This information will be very useful for those who are just thinking about purchasing such a product. Write, ask, communicate, share your impressions. And finally, we suggest watching a short but very informative and fascinating video on today’s topic.

USB heated vest (real 7.5W)

In reality, a vest with real USB heating is not a joke, if anything.
The review includes measurements of size discrepancies, partial disassembly down to the guts, and other interesting things. Moreover, from the page and description of the store, nothing is obvious at all. For those who want spoilers, I will note some minor flaws and general suitability for intended use - for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, for lovers of winter fishing or hunting, and even for those living in northern latitudes.

Winter is coming, look at the USB light to see how it works.

Some time ago, news about a heated down jacket from Xiaomi spread all over the internet, and I was so excited about the idea. I’ve been monitoring Chinese stores for some time and expecting reviews, but they’re all out of stock and there are no reviews (I only looked here, maybe there are some somewhere?).

And then winter was just around the corner, frost was nearby and it was time to somehow realize the nagging wish. I came across this lot and remember how I looked at the reviews with one eye, did not see the total negativity as is the case with no-name products and decided to order. It turns out you need to read the reviews more carefully!

Let's go in order - shipping, a couple of weeks for delivery and I get this bag. We overlook minor sewing flaws; they are easily removed. Inside the fabric is similar to a flannel, externally the weave is similar to multi-layer “corn” (this is the name of the type of fabric!) and the latter turns out to be multi-layered. This was all clarified during the study of the insides.

It seems that the sellers didn’t make a mistake with the sizes, but there is a nuance©

Store sizes - L for height 160-165 cm, shoulder width 38 cm, chest circumference 100 cm, with height AN 60 cm. IT WOULD SEEM(!) With my size 169 cm height and 36-97-59, everything should “play”. Even if this is a normal size M.

But in fact, it’s worth remembering the review from the store above, where a person wrote about women and the suitability of size L for them. It turns out that the real numbers are 35-96-59. That is, the store size L closely matches the real M. It’s good that this was not in the sizing chart, because I could not delve into the numbers and “take a familiar letter.”

What happened next was more interesting. In the right pocket there was a USB type A cord at the end of a cable about 15 cm long and I connected a power bank to it. The button on the chest blinked, a minute or two passed, and... ahem... nothing happened.

There are no instructions, no explanations anywhere. Here we should remember one more review from the picture at the beginning of the review - nothing works and everything is decay.

Using a scientific method, I got hold of a working diagram! You need to hold down the button and then the consumption of about 1.5A from the external battery will begin and the vest will begin to warm up. After the heating inside reaches 39 degrees, the button’s glow color changes and it then simply maintains this temperature by turning on/off the power. I measured the gap with a multimeter and a temperature probe.

It turns out that there are 5 elements at the bottom and in a circle (they can be felt inside the structure and somewhere around 8*10 cm) + 1 element at the back in the area of ​​the shoulder blades - they warm and the very structure of the fabric does not allow the heat to escape outside, directing everything towards the person.

The placement of the cable and its length, the small pocket on the front under it (the regular Xiaomi 10000 still fits there), the star in the forehead, the light indicator on the left in the chest area - all this is upsetting.

And at the same time, it’s already a decent minus outside (-8 for us is a decent minus), but I put on a thin sweater, on top of it I put a vest with an external battery in its pocket, plus a light down jacket - quite comfortable. A down jacket in itself is more suitable for temperatures close to zero; a sweater can generally be ignored as a sweater. And based on the results, I began to think about even opening the cycling season again.

The question of giblets remains

It was interesting to see how it looks from the inside and maybe improve something a little.

At first I was happy - I thought this expander moved freely along the cable. It turned out no, it was fixed. And externally only about 10 centimeters. Now I'm thinking what to do. Should I remove it or resign myself to placing the power bank in a shallow pocket on the front?

I also looked at this web of cables and there is another fear - if you upset this fragile Chinese behind-the-scenes balance, everything will break.

Especially the button area, and here the thermostat is most likely hidden somewhere. It is clear that someone did something straight from the heart, soul to soul, tried

These same heating elements (I haven’t opened them completely, I’ll just convey the essence)

Some people may be confused by the appearance of technology like heated clothing (I propose to consider it technology), but with USB power and 7.5 watts of total power, it seems to me that even the most severe paranoids can calm down. For its purposes, being a portable source of heat in severe frosts and providing additional heating under the outer layer of clothing is very ok. It is not without minor design problems (small pockets, the LED is visible and visible far and wide, a short cable), with the traditional Chinese small size and curvature of the design inside, yes... With all this, it warms me in the cold winter season. And comparing the efficiency of such a portable option with some kind of stationary kilowatt heaters is kind of stupid.

One question for me only for the experts from the comments: “Will all this survive machine washing (in extreme cases, hand washing) or is it better to carefully use it further on some light sweater and protect it from serious contamination?” (question primarily for those who looked under the spoiler)

The product was provided for writing a review by the store. The review was published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.

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