Is this heated jacket the future of battery-powered clothing? Photo: Ravean
Heated clothing and gear seems to be something of a holy grail in the winter sports market. The appeal is obvious — who wouldn’t want a jacket, pants or boots with a continuous heat source? But making products light enough, affordable enough and that actually work and hold up to wear has eluded companies for decades.
Just ask The North Face. Back in 2002, they released a heated jacket, the MET5, memorable for being rather forgettable. And a decade later, Columbia Sportswear made The North Face’s failings pale in comparison. In 2011, with much bluster, Columbia released a line of shells heated by battery packs — which the company promptly recalled due to burn hazard and then dropped heated jackets altogether.
With technology the way it is, you’d think today’s market would be flush with new heated product emerging every day. And unfortunately you’d be wrong. A handful of companies make heated gloves and boot liners, but there’s not much else built to work for snowboarders, skiers and other mountain athletes. For now we’ll have to wait for head-to-toe heated comfort. But we can bask in the warmth of a few standouts from trusted brands. Here’s one offering each in the boot and glove categories, and a possible game-changer to the jacket landscape thrown in for good measure. Cozy up to this list. It could be an anomaly:
Burton Toaster Heated Boot Liner
Burton’s heated snowboard boot liner. Photo: Burton
Though online reviews are scant, The Burton Toaster Boot Liner offers some appealing features. For one, they charge via a micro USB cable. That means no batteries or other bulky what-have-yous to deal with. Burton says the liners heat in under a minute which, if true, dayum! These liners are compatible with any adult-sized Burton boots. For $220, it might be worth a try if you’re gonna be hittin’ it hard in super cold temps this winter.
Black Diamond Solano Heated Gloves
Black Diamond’s heated Solano glove. Photo: Black Diamond
Black Diamond claims these gloves, featuring a handsome goat leather shell backed by Gore-Tex and synthetic insulation, will keep your digits warm down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that if you find yourself in, God help you. That’s some serious insulation thanks to their AddHeat electric technology. Maybe owing to their hefty price tag of around $350, online reviews are scant, but these guys liked them.
Ravean Heated Down Jacket
And then there’s this jacket from a crowd-funded, Utah-based company. Their water-resistant, down jackets are available with or without a hood or as a vest. They deploy a 12-volt battery the company says lasts up to 10 hours and can warm you down to -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The battery charges in 90 minutes, but unfortunately it’s kind of bulky and you have to carry it around in an interior pocket of the jacket. At least that battery can charge your smartphone, so it isn’t dead weight if the sun comes out. Ravean’s men’s jackets usually sell for around $285 on the company’s site, a price that includes a 5-year warranty on the heating element and a pair of thin heated gloves that connect to the same battery.
