Heated Vests

[Steve Maskery]

The cold never used to bother me, but as I get older I'm getting nesh. I'm thinking of getting a heated vest for use in the workshop in the winter. Does anyone use one and do they actually work?

Something like this.

It will also need a power supply, such as this.

With change out of £30, it seems like a very reasonable solution to me, if it actually works.

 

[rafezetter]

Hate to state the obvious but you could buy yourself a cheap fleece for that that doesn't require batteries either

 

[HappyHacker]

The vest does not say what its consumption is but as the battery is claiming 500amp hours there should be no problem apart from charging time

I have not tried an electric vest but when working in the cold I put my thermal underwear on plus layers and that has been enough in the past.

Possibly worth a punt , let us know how you get on as I am getting old and nesh as well and may be interested.

 

[Yojevol]

What about my feet? I'm looking for steel capped snow boots!
Brian

 

[John Brown]

500Ah ???
The battery in my diesel Merc is only around 100Ah, do you get some sort of trolley to move the battery about?

 

[Rorschach]

I made my own heated clothing, it worked well but the batteries you need to run it are heavy and awkward and I ended up not wearing it.

That power supply is mislabled, there is no way it can have that capacity and you will need a decent capacity to get any serious run time.

Mine runs on 2 x 10Ah batteries for mine and got about 4- 5 hours of run time on full power (20W)

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well I have taken the plunge, the vest, the power bank and a pair of heated insoles as well, so I should be toasty.
The workshop is quite well insulated, but last winter it did get down below 10 quite regularly, though I don't think it ever got lower than 5. That's too cold to work in comfortably, really.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

On a separate, but still workshop heating, note, I have, today, replaced the instant tap on my sink. The other one packed up. It's been in just under 4 years and very rarely gets used. So I am not impressed. I think it cost £60 at the time.
I've replaced it with one off eBay, £19.99, and it gives an LED temp readout. We'll see how it performs. The ad showed it reading 49, but I think you would have to have it coming out a drop at a time to get that. If I run it slow I can get 40, which is enough you wash my hands.
Here's the thing. It came with a (separate) Australian plug and all the instruction are entirely in Chinese!

 

[SamTheJarvis]

I can get behind the idea of heated insoles/gloves, a vest would seem to me to be a bit egregious, where a woolly jumper would do just fine. You'll have to let us know how that vest works out x)

 

[Inspector]

Heated vests, jackets, pants, gloves, boots, insoles and hats are available here. Not usually for indoors but outdoors for work and sport, lots. The upside that may not be apparent is they are less bulky so Steve can wear a heated vest under his shop coat and not be all puffy. Much safer around the shop that way. My shop is heated but if it was iffy like his I would consider them. I have used cooling vests to stay comfortable working in 40C in the machine shop I inspected in so the reverse makes sense to me.

Pete

 

[Trainee neophyte]

What about my feet? I'm looking for steel capped snow boots!
Brian

Canadians can't put steel in their boots, because of the cold. I think they may do something with Kevlar instead.

Cold store boots might be what you are looking for?

 

[ScaredyCat]

I use Keis heated clothing when i ride my motorcycle in Winter. Toasty.

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/102586

You can even get heated insoles.. https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_cat/1391

.

 

[SammyQ]

From mountaineering experience in below freezing most days at altitude: 'use the layer system!':

1. Lifa's or similar next to the skin
2. Lightweight - 200 - fleece (or wool) shirt
3. optional, body warmer/fleece gillet
4. heavier fleece.
and now, (roll drums) A HAT!

Seriously, if your feet get cold, put on a hat. Bobble, fleece, whatever, lined preferably. Seems counterintuitive, but generations of sub-arctic winter mountaineers in Scotland et al can vouch for its efficacy. Hands are harder to sort. Silk gloves are thin enough to still provide touch, but will probably shred with wood. Best as liners for heavier work gloves.

Feet are probably best served by wool socks, with thinner ones as liners.

HTH. Sam, not-a-Munro-bagger

P.S. All the above applies to outdoor toil...if you have to resort to that level of personal insulation in the workshop, INSULATE THE BUILDING and then buy a good heater!!

 

[Rich C]

5. Down jacket.

Always good to have as an extra layer, especially if you're stopping and starting.

 

[SammyQ]

Agreed. Goretex top for pluvial precipitation.

Sam

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well it arrived today. Well-made. But.

Does that look like XXL to you? More like Small or Medium at best. It is supposed to zip up...

The listing said it was being sent from London. It actually came from China. Return address on the packet is somewhere in UK, but starting a Return on eBay gives me an address in China and postage is at my cost!

I'm not happy. Pity, as it looks like a decent garment, just nowhere near the size it is labelled as.

 

[sammy.se]

Well it arrived today. Well-made. But.


Does that look like XXL to you? More like Small or Medium at best. It is supposed to zip up...

The listing said it was being sent from London. It actually came from China. Return address on the packet is somewhere in UK, but starting a Return on eBay gives me an address in China and postage is at my cost!

I'm not happy. Pity, as it looks like a decent garment, just nowhere near the size it is labelled as.

I would contact the seller and explain the problem. If they acknowledge it's their fault they may send you a free replacement.

PS I bought something from a Chinese eBay seller and it was delivered from Basildon. I think they have delivery agents or something. It arrived in a few days.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[sammy.se]

When I say delivery agents I meant local stock/warehouses and delivery, even though they are a Chinese company

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[Steve Maskery]

This definitely came from China, it has an Import label on it.

 

[loftyhermes]

Steve, did you buy the one you linked to in the original post because if you did then the sizes are ladies sizes.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The listing has changed since I bought this. In the original listing there is no mention of it being a ladies' garment and the picture shows a bloke wearing it.