New Makita Heated Jackets

Makita is the latest power tool brand to come out with a line of heated jackets. There will be two versions of these jackets – one that is powered by Makita’s 12V Max Li-ion battery packs, and one that is powered by their 14.4V/18V Li-ion batteries. These new jackets will feature 3 heating zones and 3 heat levels.

Features

• Left chest, right chest, back heating zones
• Wind and water-resistant outer shell
• Low, medium, high heat levels
• Runtime: 1.5 hours on high, 2.5 hours on medium, 5 hours on low
• 4 pockets – zippered chest pocket, left and right side pockets, arm sleeve pocket
• On/off heat controller
• LED indicator
• Battery pocket on left rear side
• Easily removable zip-off sleeves convert jacket into a vest
• Knitted cuffs, fleece-lined collar, drawstring waist
• 94% polyester, 6% spandex
• Available in small, medium, large, extra-large, 2XL, 3XL sizes

Model numbers: CJ100DZ* for the 12V model, and DCJ200Z* for the 14.4V/18V model, where * is the size.

Street Pricing: ~$190-$200

Batteries and chargers are sold separately.

Availability: Right now the products have been released in Canada and the UK, but we expect for USA release to follow shortly. It’s possible that Makita is waiting to officially announce the new jackets at the STAFDA show later this month.

Competition

Milwaukee’s 2nd generation heated jackets and hooded sweatshirts look to be the strongest competition. They’re been in the market longest, and are very heavily promoted during cooler seasons.

Bosch’s heated jacket is also new this year, and has more of an everyday-styling look to it.

Dewalt’s heated jackets are also new, but word on the street is that the battery and power pack is placed in a very uncomfortable position for sitting back. On a warmer note, pairing one of these jackets with a 4.0Ah 20V Max Li-ion battery will provide incredibly long runtime.

First Impression

Personally, I think the teal-trimmed zipper makes the jacket look a bit goofy. There are plenty of other places where Makita could have placed some nice teal accents, such as the pocket zippers or zipper pulls. What I’m thinking – and hoping – is that the colors look more subdued in person. Online images can sometimes be tricky like that.

One of the unique points about these jackets is how the sleeves can be unzipped and removed, leaving you with a warm heated vest. That 2-in-1 aspect seems like a neat idea, but I don’t really see the utility in a heated vest. The rare times when I wear a vest in winter, I typically have a fleece jacket or something similar underneath. If that’s the case, then it seems that the heating efficiency of a heated vest would be reduced.

I like how these jackets are available in 12V Max or 18V varieties, but it isn’t clear as to whether the power adapters will be available separately. Are the power source pockets sized differently? Are the adapters hard-wired into the jackets? Can a 12V Max jacket be powered by an 18V adapter, and vice-versa?

Most jackets are designed for righties and have left-side chest pockets. These jackets have right-chest-side pockets. While I’m sure this is something I could get used to, muscle memory would probably have me frequently reaching for a non-existent left-side pocket, unless this was to be my only jacket for the entire jacket-wearing season.

Makita cordless power tool owners and users will definitely be happy with these new offerings, but I don’t think brand-agnostic users will find these jackets as appealing. I’m not really wowed with this jacket, at least not as much as I am with Makita’s competitors’ heated outerwear.