After reading the thread about the heater body suit I got to wondering about the electric vests. I bow hunt from a summit viper in PA in November. It seems to me that you might get too much of the blob effect with the body suit. So with that in mind have any of you used them and how did they work? Also what brands do you have?

I was given a Milwaukie rechargeable hooded sweatshirt and I highly recomend it, just buy a second battery.

GobiHeat vest here - great product.

This one:
Gobi vest

I’d recommend a second battery - batts take a loooooong time to charge.

I know different people that started using them in the last couple yrs. Got me thinking hard about it myself. Last yr late flintlock season a gang of us went out the last day. Snow on the ground and plenty cold. Guy that was on watch all day had one and he was dressed lighter than I was, and I was on drive.

They work, or at least his obviously did. My one brother's been using one for about 2 yrs now in the winter. He does some dock work outside quite a bit in the wintertime. He loves it.

I have both a 7.4v Gerbings vest and belt-level Velcro wrap and love both. The wrap is used the most and warms the kidney area. I carry an extra battery and use a middle heat setting most of the time. Adds almost no weight and it’s great to get a shot of heat during a long sit. I can actually eliminate a layer of regular clothes by wearing either. Be sure to wear it over your first base layer and tight to your body or you won’t feel the heat. The wrap helps with back support too.

This advice is spot-on. I’d not want one of the heated products as an outer layer.

I’ve never used a battery powered vest but a tip I’ve found recently that works for me….. when I’m hunting I always take my Jetboil and a Peak or Mountain House meal for a hot lunch. I carry a little extra water that I can heat up and put in my half liter Nalgene bottle and then stick that inside my insulation layer. When it cools down, I simply reheat it. It works great for cold days on the stand.

Mackey.

Mackey, that's a nice trick - but likely not easily accomplished whilst suspended from the perch of a climbing treestand.

Thanks for the info guys,I am going to get one just have to decide which one.

I was still getting over the Chemo last year. I'd dropped over 50 lbs. #2 son, Moose bought me a Venustas heated vest for hunting.

It lasts me on low for better than 4 hours in the stand. I'd come in at lunch, and it would be fully recharged for the afternoon hunt. I used it again last spring for turkey season.

My only admonition with these vests is don't depend on them. I don't know how many cycles this one's been through-- several dozen at least. However, I'm a half-mile from the cabin at most. I wouldn't walk into the wilderness with one of these, expecting it to keep me from freezing.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=electric+vest+vestuvus&rh=n%3A7141123011%2Cp_89%3AVenustas&dc&ds=v1%3A9mmXPoRMW%2B%2Fyf0GW3QQa5PXqNRiWNeRSom1b0Hoihy0&crid=LWMJQSU3W3AE&qid=1695649188&rnid=2528832011&sprefix=electric+vest+vestuvus%2Caps%2C91&ref=sr_nr_p_89_2

I have a DOACE vest from Amazon. I just picked one at random since I had no info to go on. It works very well when used as others have suggested. This one used a phone battery pack. For some reason, it won't work with every pack. I have a 25 AH pack that will run the vest for nearly 8 hours on high. I tried my wife's 10 AH and the vest won't even turn on.

Got this one got my wife.


3 levels of heat and lasts all day.

My wife loves them and has gone through a few now, and learned that each brand has the heating elements in different locations and the puffy fabric ones work a lot better than the fleece ones, and they had different run times based on the battery size and capacity there’s no standard.
I would recommend not shopping for one by price alone look at the locations of the heating elements and then buy a few batteries when you buy the vest because they might not be available later if that model gets discontinued.

I got one off of Amazon last year, and now don't know how I ever sat in a treestand for hours in cold weather without one.

Now that we have rechargeable batteries and power packs, they're great. Before that, the cost of batteries got steep.

So far, I have used a very oversized insulated coverall I bought for $30 here. I slip it on in the blind and I stay VERY toasty for the whole 5 hour sit.

I've been impressed with the 7.4v Gerbing vest I bought 4+ years ago. I have two batteries for it and they charge fairly quickly.

4 settings, 100*, 110*, 120*, 130*. The higher the temp, the faster the battery runs down. It has to be about single digit temps for me to up it to level 3. I can dress with at least 1-2 less layers, and am much more comfortable while on stand.

You have to get the heated gear close to the skin, immediately after your base layer.

A buddy has the Ororo, and that battery is much more versatile, and can be used as a supplemental charger for other devices.

I don't stand hunt. I have a tag for a late cow elk hunt. It's very open country and the only practical way to hunt is to drive an OHV from hill to hill and stop and glass. In late Nov, it can get cold during the driving part. Last year after I got my cow, it was a 5 mph, 10 mile drive in the dark through the rocks back to camp. That vest felt really good.

I bought a middle of the road heated vest from Amazon. Have used during the commercial fishing season for 2 years now...have used other brands..all about the same to me. Best advice I can give is to fit snug...loose vest won't feel warm. I've worn mine as a second layer never as an outside layer.

I use a Milwaukee vest right over my base layer, then go from there depending on how chilly it is. Works great for me in Virginia, all the way up to the UP of Michigan.

I second the Milwaukee vest. Also, as mentioned, wear next to base layer or you won't feel the heat

I bought a cheap one from eBay. It makes a huge difference in my comfort level and I haven't come in from being cold the last two seasons. It uses a power bank, not dedicated batteries.
My wife bought me the heated socks for Christmas. I've tried them once and they are great, but they do have proprietary batteries. I'm not sure how long they will last or if I can get a replacement.

I was going to buy one a couple years ago since I have batteries and chargers for work, but I saw something that looked like the battery was located in the small of the back? Is that right? I thought that would prove uncomfortable sitting against whatever. Can you comment on that?

I have a vest and hoody, both ORORO Brand, highly recommend.