Wondering about the purpose of the self heating jacket? Read the background of how, when, and why a heated jacket was invented and its uses for intended wearers.
Imagine the soldiers of the Kingdom of the North fighting against the white walkers wearing self heating jackets. But, sadly, it’s not possible since it was 298 AC.
However, luckily, we live in the 21st century, where advancements in technology have led to innovations such as battery-heated jackets to keep you warm during extreme winter.
Today, we will discuss the background of how, when, and why a self heating jacket was invented and its intended purpose.
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Who Invented Self Heating Clothes?
Before answering the question under discussion, why was a self-heated jacket invented, let’s have a sneak peek at who invented it.
In 1912, a physician named Dr. Sidney I. Russel invented the first-ever electric blanket. As the name suggests, an electric blanket comes with a built-in electrical device placed on top of the bedsheet.
The primary purpose of Dr. Sidney for creating an electric blanket is to keep the sick patients warm. Using an insulated metal tape, he covered the electrical wires to create the first-ever self-heating blanket.
In the beginning, the electric blanket came in the form of an underblanket placed under the bed. An underblanket is the one that goes underneath the bed covers to offer heat from below.
The commercial production of the self-heating blankets was officially commended in the 1920s for the patients with weakened lungs admitted to tuberculosis sanatoriums. A British company named British Thermega Underblankt started manufacturing electrical under blankets.
However, around 17 years later, over blankets were introduced in the United States later in 1937 to cover the sleeping people from the top like the conventional blankets. In the 1970s, another version of the self-heating blankets was introduced in which warm water circulated within the coils to create warmth.
With further advancements in technology, the manufacturers started incorporating different features such as automatic temperature control and safety thermostats in the electric blankets. It was George Crowley who invented a heating blanket controlled via a thermostat in 1930.
During World War II, manufacturers researched electrically heated suits designed to keep the fighter pilots warm. As a result, they improved the safety features and made the suits thinner.
Fast forward to the 2000s, the clothing industry incorporated the above concepts to design electrically heated jackets.
What is a Self Heating Jacket?
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A heated jacket is essentially an outdoor garment serving as the outermost layer to offer you desired protection from chilly winds and snow. It’s certainly in demand for outdoor winter sports, including skiing, winter biking, hiking, trekking, etc.
One of the most significant advantages of a heated jacket is the temperature adjustment according to the wearer’s requirement and outside temperature. A heated jacket comprises the following primary components:
- A garment body with a weather-resistant and waterproof exterior
- Heating panels
- Temperature control settings
- USB cable to connect to an external power bank
As explained earlier, a heated jacket works on the same principle as the heated electric blankets. The manufacturers assemble electrically powered heating zones between the fabric while offering a USB connection to the external battery or power bank.
Next, the electrical current passes through the small copper wires to generate heat. You should know that heat is usually the wasted energy of the electrical circuits. On the contrary, it plays the primary role in the operations of the self heating jackets.
The tiny wires spread all across different heating zones of the jacket to ensure uniform heat distribution throughout the body. Furthermore, these smart jackets come with temperature control settings which you can easily adjust according to your heating preference.
You don’t need to worry about getting an electric shock as these smart jackets include an internal thermostat. If the temperature overshoots the desired settings, the integrated safety feature automatically turns off the jacket to prevent any permanent damage to the internal circuitry.
On the downside, any damage to the electrical wires can harm the entire heating system of the jacket.
Mechanism of a Heated Jacket
The manufacturers face the two primary challenges while designing a self heating jacket:
- Cost
- Weight
- Flexibility
- Versatility
Many heated jackets comprise carbon fiber that offers the desired freedom of motion. Usually, these fibers are woven into the heating elements to serve the following purposes:
- Protection of the heating elements
- Heat distribution
The manufacturers carefully integrate the conductive threads and the circuitry within the jacket fabric without compromising the comfort level and, of course, the stylish appearance.
The next important question is how long the heated jacket offers warmth. The answer depends on the selected heat setting. A premium-quality jacket lasts for nine to 11 hours on the low-heating model and six to eight hours on a medium heat setting. Lastly, a heated jacket keeps you warm for one to three hours on the highest heat setting.
Furthermore, many advanced heated jackets allow the wearers to recharge their smartphones on the go.
You should know that an electrically-heated jacket is multi-purpose winter wear that you can wear as a regular jacket after removing the battery. Hence, you can wear a heated jacket as a regular garment all year long.
A Revolutionary Self Heating Jacket by GAMMA
Source: GAMMA
The Graphene self heating jacket by GAMMA is a versatile, lightweight, and affordable jacket to keep you warm during extreme winter. It’s a 100 percent Graphene infused jacket featuring a built-in heating system to offer even heat distribution throughout the jacket.
Consider this durable jacket as a one-time investment. Courtesy of the thermoregulating features, you can wear the GAMMA graphene jackets in tropical climates, cold weather, and anywhere between.
Design
The GAMMA graphene jacket is exceptionally lightweight and super-thin to maximize your comfort and flexibility. Furthermore, you can place your belongings and other personal stuff in any available ten pockets.
This unisex jacket features a minimalistic monotone all-black exterior with a straight, loose-fitting. Furthermore, you have ample space underneath to wear an inner layer of sweaters. Of course, you can always use the waist drawstrings to adjust the fitting.
The jacket features additional finger-less hand sleeves to protect your hands from chilly winds. As a result, you can move and lift your arms without exposing yourself to the cold air. Not only that, but the adjustable velcro cuffs prevent the winds from entering via the sleeves.
The jacket also features a rain hem which you can adjust accordingly. Similarly, the hood comes with three-way adjustable drawstrings to maximize the protection of your face, head, and neck.
The GAMMA Graphene jacket incorporates the following ten pocket system
- Chest pockets
- Inner chest pockets
- Front pockets
- Hidden sleeve pockets
- Arm pocket
- Buttonable inner pocket
- Power bank pocket
The GAMMA self heating jacket isn’t bulky with visible pockets despite having so many pockets. Moreover, all these pockets feature a secure and water-resistant zip opening to secure your wallet and keys.
Graphene
This all-weather jacket features an outermost shell made of Nobel prize-winning material, graphene, offering breathability, flexibility, weather-resistance, hypoallergenic, and anti-odor. The cherry on top is a stylish and comfortable jacket that you can wear daily to work.
Wear Graphene is a Honk Kong-based company incorporating state-of-the-art technologies in garments to make them sustainable and stylish. The smart graphene-infused jacket automatically adapts to the body requirements to cool the body during summer and vice versa.
The Graphene material guarantees the durability of the jacket since it’s stronger than diamond and steel. Hence, the jacket can accompany you for multiple winter seasons without wear or tear.
Lucky for you, this heated jacket is wind and water-resistant, making it a perfect choice for sports, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Furthermore, the antimicrobial and anti-odor properties of graphene keep your body clean, fresh, and dry.
Selecting suitable comfortable clothing is a real challenge for people with sensitive and hyper-senstive skin. Graphene is resistant to skin mites and any other form of allergens, thanks to its hypoallergenic properties. As a result, you can wear this self heating jacket irrespective of your skin type.
One of the most significant advantages of buying the Graphene self heating jacket is that it is machine washable.
Other noteworthy features of Graphene are the thermal conductivity properties. Hence, the material serves as an insulator to trap the body heat from leaving outside. Similarly, during the summer, graphene keeps your body cool while wicking away the mosiutre or sweat from the body.
Since you can wear the jacket during summer, the GAMMA jacket guarantees protection against the harmful UV rays coming from the sun. As a result, the jacket prevents skin damage and other sunburns due to excessive exposure to the sun.
Heating Mechanism
The GAMMA Graphene heated jacket comprises three hating panels made of carbon fiber.
You must be wondering how a GAMMA heated jacket outshines the rest of the self heating jackets. The heating principle of all these electrically heated outerwear is the same with three, four, or five heating panels.
However, these heating panels don’t ensure uniform disruption of warmth throughout the body. Instead, the heat is more targeted in the areas with heating elements.
On the contrary, GAMA reaps the extraordinary properties of Graphene and combines them with the heating elements to guarantee uniform heat distribution, thus leaving zero cold spots. In addition, the latticed structure of Graphene disperses the heat through the pores to keep you warm in cold weather.
You can connect an external power bank to activate the heating system using a USB-A input. Next, you can select any three available heat settings - low, medium, and high. Fortunately, the jacket heats up to 50C degrees within 30 seconds.
On the downside, the jacket doesn’t come with a power bank; however, you need to buy an additional one.
There is only a single button that you can press to select any of the three settings. For instance, the red color means high setting while the orange color refers to medium setting. Lastly, the green color represents the low setting.
Why Use a Heated Jacket?
Most of the self heating jackets are designed for the following purposes:
- Outdoor door cold-weather sports
- Downhill skiing
- Winter biking
- Trekking
- Hiking
- Snowmobiling
- Construction workers
- Carpenters
- Health workers
- Casual wear
Keeping yourself warm is an essential human requirement. However, it’s a primary concern, especially for those working outside in cold temperatures, as it can lead to life-threatening risks, such as hypothermia and frostbite.
People who work outdoors include construction workers, baggage handlers, snow cleanup teams, police officers, firefighters, etc. According to OSHA, all outdoor workers deal with cold stress, including chilly winds and low temperatures that lead to the heat removal from the human body.
Inadequate and improper dressing is one of the significant risk factors for cold stress. That’s why OSHA recommends protective clothing for all the outdoor laborers working outside under 4C degrees or 39.4F degrees.
Wearing a proper lightweight heated jacket improves the overall productivity and efficiency irrespective of the lower temperature. Furthermore, the jackets with water-resistant outer coating offer protection against rain and snow, thus minimizing all the environmental hazards.
Similarly, the self heating jackets must offer a comfortable fitting to support the movement. On the other hand, a poorly fitted jacket doesn’t offer the desired flexibility. Additionally, it doesn’t offer sufficient space underneath to wear an extra sweater.
The good news is that many manufacturers from Western Europe and the US are producing premium-quality heated clothing. As a result, the total market share of the heated clothing industry is 47 percent in the US and 41 percent in Europe as of 2016.
According to an estimation, the heated clothing global market will present growth of 18.6 percent during the next five years, reaching $120 million in 2024.
Conclusion
A self heating jacket is undoubtedly a revolutionary piece of clothing to keep you toasty during a snowy winter. All you need to do is zip the jacket up, connect the power bank, and select the desired heat setting to stay warm and active.
The main objective of a self heating jacket is to address the challenge of wearing multiple layers to keep you warm during extreme winter. As a result, the graphene-heated jackets by Gamma offer flexibility and freedom of motion while offering the desired warmth and weather resistance.