As far as tool manufacturers go, Milwaukee is the oldest name in heated gear. They’ve been in it the longest and it really shows in some of their newest products. We had a sneak peek last week at the New Product Symposium and they proved once again that they’re always thinking about ways to improve their products.

Last year the M12 Heated Gear line saw the introduction of the hoodies and they have been a huge hit. I can speak from personal experience that for about 8 months out of the year it is my most used tool. It’s the first one I turn on in the morning and the last one I put away in the evening. The hoodies had a broader appeal than the jackets because they could be worn in more climates. This year the hoodies remain mostly unchanged except for the introduction of a few new color choices. The much requested black is now in the mix along with 2 Real Tree camo patterns.

The jackets have been out for 4 seasons with some small changes and a couple new introductions. For this upcoming season Milwaukee chose to improve the garment portion of the jacket. They have the electrics and heating elements pretty much figured out but had been lagging behind the other manufacturers in the style department. This year they stepped it up a bit. They added velcro cuffs, elastic drawstring waist, more stylish zippers, and accent colors. In addition they have slimmed the fit a little. They still claim it’s a working coat but realize that keeping the garment close to the body helps it perform better. The final improvement is that all their heated gear including the jacket (finally!) are machine washable.

The best introduction in the M12 Heated Gear line this year is the introduction of a 3 in 1 system in the camo jacket. The system has an inner heated vest and an outer jacket shell with a hood. The jacket can be worn vest only, shell only, or vest and shell together. This is a great introduction. It allows a person to wear the vest under any jacket of choice. You can wear it under blaze orange or under your motorcycle or snowmobile jacket.

Look for these new products to hit the shelves and online retailers in the next few weeks. We don’t have price information yet but imagine they will be very similar to last years. The 3 in 1 will be more considering there are more parts to it but the other releases should be comparable to years past. Almost all of us here at Tool Box Buzz hail from far northern states so we’ll be using ours in probably a month or two. Stay tuned for a thorough review of a number of the new products in the M12 Heated Gear line later in the season.

Contributing Editor Jeff Williams is a Project Manager for a masonry restoration company specializing in large historic buildings. Jeff comes from a long line of Contractors. His parents started a Commercial General Contracting firm many years ago and it has afforded him life-long, hands-on learning opportunities from rough and fine carpentry all the way to structural steel and concrete. Jeff has a Construction Management degree and loves the thrill of coordinating and successfully managing large jobs from start to finish. Inspired by the difficulties sometimes encountered to complete punch lists his motto is, "Work hard until the job is done."

@jeff_williamsJeff Williams

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