A couple of years ago, Makita came out with a long-sleeved cooling jacket, which featured fans that draw hear away from the wearer. Now, they’ve come out a new cooling vest, model FV214DZ.
Not much information is available right now, but enough to pique my interest.
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To start off, this is not Makita’s first expansion since their first cordless cooling jacket, there are other models, including full vests. This model is a more lightweight vest, for lack of a better way of putting it. It’s sleeveless, and with cutouts in the front panels as well.
The new Makita cooling vest secures via two plastic buckles. There are zippered pockets on both sides, top and bottom – up near the shoulders and down by the mid-torso.
At the rear, two low-profile fans draw air at a flow rate of (up to?) 2.7 cubic meters per minute. The noise level is said to be 40 dB(A). The fans are both powered by brushless motors.
There are two colors right now, a light grey and blue.
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It looks like there are mesh panels up around the neck collar and below the armpits, with air pushed through by the fans positioned at the wearer’s lower back on both sides.
I would assume the fan works in a similar manner as the inflating cooling vest, where it pushes air throughout the inner panels, rather than pulling it out.
Aside from the interesting design and shape of the vest, I found myself impressed with all the different power options. It appears that the vest can be powered using a proprietary Li-ion battery pack, a 10.8V (12V Max) battery adapter and power source, as well as a 14.4V/18V adapter. At this time, it doesn’t look like there is any 40V Max XGT power source (yet?).
The slim Li-ion battery pack has a USB C port and can also be used as a power bank to charge electronic devices.
When I’ve seen images or videos of Makita’s cooling jacket over the years, it was always nothing short of amusing. With the full-sleeved jacket inflated during use, wearers comically look a lot like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
This isn’t Makita’s first cooling vest – they also have a full vest option. But compared to their cordless fan jackets and full-body cooling vest, this new model is much closer to what I would imagine cordless battery-powered cooling workwear looks like.
Would you use a cooling vest to combat summertime back sweat?
I have never seen any Makita heating or cooling workwear products in person. Here in the USA they are way behind competitors with respect to heated gear, and it’s unclear what types of users the new cooling vest was designed for, but this still seems like an interesting concept.
Brad
That would be a no from me.
Dean
Looks ridiculous unless you’re in the Space Force! Doubt many would buy into this. Now if they made a thin and lightweight safety vest with ported vents down the back and up around the neck that might be something usable. Still probably a no though due to the excess weight of the battery. I wouldn’t want to have excess weight hanging on me. Think the whole idea is a pass for me.
Dean
Looks more like a woman’s snow vest!
Stuart
Here’s the thing – Makita has made cooling jacket and another vest. Would they have expanded with this model if they haven’t seen some measure of success so far? Probably not.
The 12V Max and 18V power sources have belt clips to help offload some of the weight from the garment.
fred
The people who presumably buy this sort of PPE need to place their workers in un-productive hot environments where shedding clothing (e.g. working bare chested) is not viable, I can see a use in industrial and utility industries. But it looks like the materials of construction are synthetic – which in some applications (where fire or electrical arc discharge is a possibility) this would be a show-stopper.
Jared
That’s an interesting consideration. I wear my evaporative cooling vest with coveralls around the farm sometimes. I might be able able shed clothing to ride a tractor, but my skin isn’t tough enough to do bared-wire fencing without some protection.
I wore it while working in an automotive shop too – but this white vest probably wouldn’t fare as well there.
Jared
I use an evaporative cooling vest right now. If there were a powered one that worked and didn’t get me wet? I’m interested.
The evaporative cooling vest is great. I love having it for outdoor work on hot days. If I ruined it I would buy another ASAP. Seriously, why choose to be uncomfortable?
I should note, if you wring out the evaporative cooling vest as much as possible, it doesn’t really make you wet. Maybe a slight dampness on your clothing right after you take it off that disappears in a minute or two. I end up leaving my wetter so I don’t have to re-soak it as often and it keeps me cooler.
A battery version has the benefit of being able to run for as long as you have power – which is a significant advantage. I kind of doubt it would keep you as cool as an evaporative vest though.
Wayne R.
I worked outside in Miami for several years. I’ve worked in equatorial Asia, outside. I survived without the similar horror stories from working outside overnights in February in Minnesota, etc. – I more easily recall the seriously cold times than the hot ones.
But if I was daily wearing body armor, or bunker gear, or worked in a steel mill, or maybe in a poorly ventilated bakery, this would probably be appealing to at least try.
MFC
When I was spraying insulation in 2-3 houses down in Houston I would take the blower hose every 5 minutes, tell them to stop feeding insulation, and shove it up my shirt to cool down. On those days I would go through 2 gallons of water and an electrolyte drink or two. Here in Texas our attics get to be about 140⁰ F. So most guys will choose to do their work from 4 a.m. til noon if they are an insulating contractor, but I would wear this or a stay puffed marshmallow shirt any day. I could care less what it or I looked like, and every other guy that has had to work in unbearable stuffy crawlspaces would agree. The heat will kill you or seriously hurt you via heat stroke if you’re not careful.
I’ll be keeping my eyes out for these.
Nathan
aside from assuming it wouldn’t fit me or they wouldn’t make a size that fit me. I’d want probably 2 more fans.
but I like the idea. I’d wear the puffy vest if it kept me cool in the summer. 90+F with 80+ humidity. OK. There are times I’ve thought about getting a motorcycle cooled outfit and figuring out a way to make that work.
Don’t know that I’d pay over 400 for one though. but I do like the idea
Aaron
I’m potentially interested in the battery pack… Does this use the standard 12v barrel connector? I haven’t seen a small pack like this for heated gear from a brand that I consider legit, but I’d have room for a usb-c charged pack for my heated gear that would lay flat without a ton of bulk.
Jim Felt
Stuart.
“his isn’t Makita’s first cooling vest…”
The “T” is lost somewhere in the inter webs. ;-)~
Stuart
Thanks! *fixed*
Koko The Talking Ape
Hard to imagine that this would work better than just dampening your t-shirt. Maybe in humid areas?
Nathan
when the humidity is over about 70% – weted clothes don’t work quite as well.
I laugh when I see these bars out here wiht the mister systems – oh it’s so much cooler. when the humidity is 80% or higher I’m just wetter, and still sweating but now it’s cut with some water mist. thanks.
give me some fans only – and some shade. that’s much better. meh
Lance
Water mist cooling works great – in dry climates. I can’t see much use for these on the eastern side of this continent.
Koko The Talking Ape
Well, water cools when it evaporates, so when it’s humid out it doesn’t evaporate as fast and doesn’t cool as well.
But it also cools by simply being something relatively massive (compared to the air) touching your body. Even if the water doesn’t evaporate quickly, a wet shirt will still pull some heat off your body. It will continue to do that until it reaches your body temperature, which will take a while.
But of course, a wet shirt can be messy, and might look unprofessional.
Alex
In hot weather, it’ll be dry in an hour. Then what about the next 8 hours of my shift? Do I keep excusing myself to go outside and pour another bottle of water on my back?
Plus, then I’m dripping in water. A fan is simply better technology.
Fans are what we use today. This doesn’t replace dampened shirts. It upgrades us from big noisy fans that never quite point in the right direction, to small quiet ones that stay with us.
aerodawg
I live in AL so cooling is much more useful than heat the majority of the year.
Marc
I live in Hawaii and work as an electrician. Is hot all year round. When I go in attics or closed rooms I sweat like a pig. I’m buying this vest
Randy
I have and regularly use the Makita cooling jacket and it is very effective.
Several notes:
In Japan it is a work requirement to have your arms covered to the wrist.
Also, the jacket is available in several different materials including materials that are flame retardant for use by welders. Each different material type is represented by a different jacket color. The jacket also includes mesh pockets to insert cool packs. These packs are available from Makita and a variety of other sources. Another accessory are air filters to go over the input fans. This is especially useful in dusty environments so the dust is not ingested and forced through the collar into your face. When properly fitted. the cool fan air is forced out the arm cuffs and neck collar. A cool breeze is felt around the neck and across the base of the head while the chest and back area remains cool. The traditional 18 V Makita battery can be cumbersome especially in a seated position therefore, the accessory flat battery is better suited for the jacket. This is also true for Makita‘s heated jackets.
Alex
If they made these vests in hi-vis with all the appropriate reflectivity I would think they would be able to make a killing in warm climates. I could see widespread use of these on commercial projects state side.
Nathan
That’s a good point have this in hi vis might help sales. I mean you could always put that tape on them
King duck
I would buy it but doesn’t come in extra fat
Plain grainy
So if your out all day in the hot sun, does the material leech chemicals that can enter your skin? What is it BPA in plastics, other chemicals that are dangerous. Two many questions that are probably unknown. UVA protected? Those would be my concerns.
Alex
Standard safety vests are made of similar material. Are you worried about them, too?
There are a million dangers at any job site. I’ve never heard of even the most paranoid being worried about the material their vest is made of.
Champs
Can’t always take the day off when it’s hot/humid/rainy and you still need that extra layer.
Boaz
This is coming home… I’m a structural welder in Florida. Our shop is covered but still open to the elements. When it’s 90-100+ degrees outside and I’m in full leathers (yea chaps and jacket) with a respirator under my hood something like this is a must have. We do have compressed air vests available but they’re nothing short of terrible, and you’re tethered to the wall with any number of obstacles in the way. If an insulated vest fits under my leathers in winter the cooling vest will in summer. Now that I know this exists I’ve gotta have one.