We were lucky enough to get one of the M12 Heated Jackets 2331-XL ($169, Ohio Power Tool) just in time for what we saw as the perfect testing grounds. The Ohio State vs Michigan football game and while not the rival it once was (because of the obvious overwhelming talent we see from the Buckeyes each year) never the less a few hundred thousand nice folks still show up each year to participate in game and merriment that accompanies just such an occasion.
The Milwaukee M12 Heated Jacket, Kit 2331 or as a standalone without battery & charger 2330 ($119, Ohio Power Tool) comes in 4 sizes (M-2X) but only offered in the one color, Milwaukee Red. A great choice for OSU tailgating. The jacket has 3 “heating zones”, one on each side of the chest and another across the back. This keeps the core of the body warm which in turn warms the arms and other extremities. The jacket is constructed of a 95% polyester, 5% spandex mix and is wind and water resistant. The heating elements are actually sewn in carbon fiber strips and the whole jacket is hand washable if you remove the battery holder.
The jacket is very simple to operate, there are 3 heat levels and all of this is controlled by 1 button on the left chest. Hold it down for 4 seconds and it lights up in “warm up” mode for about a minute them kicks down to medium unless you hit the button again, to stay on high heat. A few more taps and you can select medium or low, it’s really very easy. For serious cold weather the M12 jacket works best with a shell over it, maximizing the heat generated keeping it close to the body. At the Milwaukee press event when we first saw this jacket several months back they had a manikin wearing one with a shell over it that was at a toasty 144 degrees in a 68 degree room.
The tailgate last Saturday never got above 39 degrees and with a strong breeze it was pretty chilly. The jacket first got turned on right at 11am before our walk over (yes we live about a mile and half south of the shoe) and it was just after 2pm before the first battery died. We switched out the battery for the spare and we were warm again for another few hours. The exact time the second battery dies is not clear thanks to another product from the Milwaukee region that was providing some warmth internally. Both times we had it on the medium (white) setting, we would have tested it on low to see if it got the full 6 hours they claim but we couldn’t in good taste have a bright blue light on our chest when playing against Michigan. On medium we were very toasty, even though the jacket is pretty light weight it definitely lived up to our expectations, while warming up on high heat is was almost too warm.
A few important things to consider when managing your M12 batteries for this jacket, the battery pocket in the back cannot fit a M12 XC battery however there is enough room for 2 standard size batteries (1 in the battery holder, other loose). If you want to stay extra warm on medium or high heat you will need to plan accordingly. Also we were using Red Lithium batteries which provide an 30%+ better runtime vs regular M12 batteries.
The M12 Jacket unfortunately is not yet on store shelves but they are expected in any day now, definitely before Christmas. Check out all the new Milwaukee M12 tools which are now in-stock at Ohio Power Tool including the brand new M12 Oscillating Tool 2426-22, M12 Palm Nailer 2458-21, M12 Hammer Drill 2411-22 as well as all your other classic favorites.
