18V Ridgid Heated Jacket Reviews
Heated wear has been in the market for about six years. The most common are coats and hoodies from companies like Milwaukee, DeWalt, Bosch, and now the Ridgid heated jacket, making a comeback.
Initially, there was a surge of heated wear products, but some companies backed out or cut down on production with time. Among the companies that backed out was Ridgid, but now it’s back with a heated jacket, and it is unknown how long it will be in the market. The Ridgid heated jacket takes away the freezing part of the morning or the winter.
The Look of the Ridgid Heated Jacket
Features
The Ridgid jacket has several cool features like its three core heating zones, each with three heat settings, and a removable belt clip. These are some of the many features plus the ones listed below.
- A 2.1 AMP output USB Power Port for recharging
- 3 Heating Zones on the Chest, Back, and Pockets
- With 3 Heat Settings per Zone, each ranges from high, medium, and low. Different colours on the indicator panel represent the heat levels. Red is HIGH; MEDIUM is white while Blue is LOW, which quickly tells the mode your jacket is on. The power indicator panel is on the inside of the left-hand side.
- You can turn one zone off without interfering with the rest.
- It is resistant to water and wind.
- The battery pouch is expandable.
- A removable belt clip
The Look
The material used to make it is of good quality and the outer part looks nice. On the outside, it is made of 95% polyester and 5% spandex making it smooth, and the inner part is 100% polyester. Generally, it is a large size giving you room to move around comfortably. The three heating elements are placed in the mid-back with each on the front chest panel.
First Impression
At first glance, it has a sleek look that you can have on at any time of the year as it is designed with different people in mind. You can easily access the zippers even with gloves on since they have pull strings.
With a waistband cord to tighten up, you are working on a bending position to prevent it from riding up or exposing your inside. For an outside contractor, it does not appear durable enough for outdoor work like roofing or landscaping. It is lightweight for spring or fall days.
How it Works
It needs a charged Ridgid 18V battery and a power source adapter that comes with the jacket you slide onto the battery. Make sure it locks before plugging in the power source adapter then press the power button to activate the power.
Note: You can charge your phone or music device from the USB charging port on the power source adapter.
After power activation, decide where to place the battery: in the battery pocket or clip it to the pocket or belt depending on where it is comfortable for your body. Now you can turn on the heating elements and the power button on the inside of the left panel. Please press on the power button until it turns red to indicate it is on.
Once the heat is on, it will automatically pick from the high, indicating red. When it is heated, you can press the button again to change it to medium heat, which will show yellow or low heat indicated by the white colour.
Keep the device you decide to charge concealed, bypassing the cable through the inside into the electronics pocket, on the left side. Your device will be secure, reachable, and out of sight. It costs $159 alone, but if you want a battery and charger, you will part with $199, and it only comes in black.
Common Issues
One of the Ridgid heated jacket’s downsides is access to the battery pouch, di-lodging it, and its bulkiness when sitting or bumping into other things. When you have the jacket on, accessing the battery is difficult because it is about ¾ to the left. After securing your zipper, the battery pack does not move.
Conclusion
The Ridgid heat jacket is ideal for those working outside on a cold day and in need of some warmth. Investing in this jacket is advantageous to you because it performs well, and it is also a good fit for many.
The heating zones do not cover the whole jacket, and they only keep your core warm. Some other brands have heat zones on the pockets and shoulders, unlike the Ridgid jacket. However, 18V is sufficient to warm you.
For those who are tall and huge, this is a perfect fit for you because it has long, accommodating sleeves, and is wide in the middle. The manufacturer recommends hand washing, which may not happen so often because wiping keeps it clean.
