A Winter Jacket That Charges Your Gadgets
By Rik Fairlie
Mountain Hardware has developed a winter jacket with a heating element that will keep you toasty while it charges your gadgets.
Yep, that’s right. Reach into the front left pocket and you’ll find a power adapter that enables you to charge your iPod, digital camera, GPS device, or cell phone—no matter if you’re riding a mountain bike or roaming snowy city streets. The heating and power capabilities are made possible by the addition of rechargeable lithium-ion battery and heating system developed by Ardica Technology.
The $240 jackets, branded Refugium for men and Radiance for women, are sold separately. You can add Ardica’s Moshi heating system for $145; the tech connector kit will set you back another $50.
The Moshi system comprises three heating elements–one in the mid-back and two one the front midsection of the jacket—that together weigh less than one pound. Users can adjust the temperature setting via a toggle switch on the left breast of the jacket to deliver up to 100-degree heat. The heating elements can be fully charged in less than three hours, and a charge should last up to eight hours on the lowest heat setting, according to Mountain Hardware spokeswoman Paige Boucher.
I tried on the men’s jacket with the heating element recently. I could feel the heating elements but they’re constructed in a flexible, modular block and covered with neoprene, so they’re pretty soft. (As a not-so-graceful skier, I do wonder how soft the heating elements would feel if I fell on them.) They produced quite noticeable heat that felt concentrated in the areas where the heating elements are located. I mentioned this to Ms. Boucher, and she said your body would evenly distribute the heat when you’re out and about in cold weather.
The thermic micro-insulated jackets are designed as a mid-layer coat, to be worn under a ski jacket or alone in warmer climes. While they are for outdoor sports enthusiasts, the jackets are also nice looking for city wear, thanks to a slim profile that lacks the puffiness of down jackets.
The jackets and Moshi heating/power system will be available Oct. 15.
This is kind of a funny idea. Is there a big demand for a jacket that can charge your gadgets?
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