Kolon's heated Sport Life Saver III makes a trip to Yellowknife totally doable
By Darren Murph 
posted February 3rd 2009 8:43AM
posted February 3rd 2009 8:43AM
[Via BeSportier]
posted February 3rd 2009 8:43AM
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I might actually move back to New England from Florida is I had a couple of these.
But, do they make a solar powered--USB powered version?
this is nothing new. spyder at least has one, though its $1250
http://www.spyder.com/Mens-Insulated-Jackets/Alpen-w-Heat-Jacket-3000.html?color=600
Yellowknife... pfff, come up where I live. Igloolik Nunavut 69º N.
Sounds like a great place! I love extreme weather. Furthest north I lived was 68.5º N but that was during military service. We had no gore tex or wool underwear (except socks) only cotton!
I can't believe no one has made a Kolon joke yet...
... is this jacket any good for keeping your Kolon warm?
*sigh*
Useless.
Nobody is gonna suffer frostbites on his back or chest, this thing is likely to make the wearer sweat while his toes freeze away.
Heated garments could have some (limited) utility if they provide warmth to hands, feet or ears from which the body in extreme conditions drains blood to concentrate it on vital organs.
To protect your back traditional clothing( maybe with modern fibers) are perfectly efficient.
Yeah, but if you body core is warmed by this coat, it won't have to drain the blood from your extremities to keep you warm.
It's not a miracle auto-survival tool, but it could definitely help if the heat lasted long enough.
Not to mention it's pretty attractive, for that kind of gear.
Besides - losing a few toes and not dying of hypothermia is better than just plain old dying of hypothermia.
Jerk Face is on target here. If your body core is warm, bloodflow to the extremities isn't restricted, and so they stay warm and useful. Once your core temp drops, your body starts to hoard blood in your trunk to keep the vital organs happy. Keeping your trunk warm allows your body to spend some of that heat to keep your fingers and toes radiating heat, and also functioning.
Just ask Ra's al Gul: "Warm your chest, your hands will take care of themselves."
@ JerkFace & DeucheExMachina
Sorry fellas but you don't know what you're saying.
Don't need to ask anyone, coz twent, haem , some years ago , when I workrd for the ski patrol on the italian Alps I got all the experience I need working (occasionally) with temperature as low as -41 ¤C.
Like all my collegues I had to supplement our standard issued uniform with personal pro goves and socks ( and shades of course) because if the gore-tex suit we were issued was even too warm ( we wore only a T-shirt and long johns under it, with a sweater in the backback) our hands and feet would freeze while our back were sweating.
Even if for ...some years I have worked in totally different fields , I still renew my ski instructor lincence every 3 years, and for as long as I can remember I have seen people sporting heated ski boots , and gloves, but no company ever put electrical resistances in jackets because it makes no sense whatsoever.
Besides the reasons I explained before, If you wear anything, even just a T-shirt under the jacket, it would isolate you from the heat generated by the resistances in the jacket making it just a waste of energy.
And if you want to isolate your chest from outside temperatures silk/cotton or hi tech underwear that achieve the result without electrical components have existed since my infancy.
The idea that if you keep your body warm your extremities will take care of themself is pure B.S., and keep in mind that 70% of body heat dispersion happens through your head, so if your theory would be right a simple hat would keep your feet from freezing.
I suggest you go to Antartica and experiment this theory on yourself.
@ JerkFace & DeucheExMachina what you are saying is true to an extent - the core heat does affect the extremities. This is why you can walk around with no hats or gloves and not get frostbite on a reasonably cold day. However this effect only goes so far and this is why Kilgore is ultimately correct. Once the temperature drops to a certain point you *need* to have proper protection on hands, feet, and head. In those extreme temps you can get frostbite in a matter of minutes if your hands are exposed. No fancy chest warmer is going to change that fact.
Forgot to add: From my personal experience, I don't think I have ever had a case where my torso was too cold while snowboarding. Typically if anything my torso is too hot and my hands are cold. Thankfully any decent jacket/pants come with vent systems nowadays so I can just open up a couple of vents to cool off a bit.
No 70% heat dispersion through head:
http://nakedbones.net/2008/12/18/scientists-debunk-the-myth-that-you-lose-most-heat-through-your-head/
Put a Darth Vader mask on this thing and it'll be full of win.
When I was working up in the Brooks Range of Northern Alaska, on remote mountain tops... this would have been great. Less bulky than my Parka. Try getting out of a helicopter, lugging gear when you have a 1000 ft precipice and helicopter backwash to deal with! But, I'd like to know how this works when there is no power.
Strap a Darth Vader mask on this thing and it'll be full of win
Wear it outside and you'll be full of FAIL! (with the DV mask that is)
wouldn't you want to make it brighter so people can see you easily?
Black on white snow = good contrast
Chris: Not when you are stuck in a blizzard. Bright orange is a better color. But I don't think this is a jacket made for the polar explorers. I would guess it is for the people who are more obsessed with their kit than the trek.
This will be great for adventurers looking to snazz up their "I never leave the city but I want to look like one who do-kit".
I laugh at people spending $500+ on jacket's with recco chips just to hang it on the back of a café chair. My $100 none-gore tex outer shell has served me well for a few years now.
Instead of hauling a battery pack and a heater, why not just put on an extra layer of wool?
Don't judge Ryback. I have a recco chips jacket and hang it on the back of a chair in cafe and restaurants. Where else do you want me to hang it? I do backcountry and the chip might be a life saver to me, hopefully I'll never need it. Mind you, I also wear this jacket in rainy summer days, it keeps me dry and doesn't heat me up like a raincoat. I love tech wears.
That headline made my day! I was born and raised in Yellowknife, so it's awesome to see it mentioned on Engadget!
I was also raised in Yellowknife and was quite stunned to see it on Engadget! Although, we certainly never wore any heated clothing in the winter and walked to school everyday in the winter (or drove my snowmobile).
Hey you two could have been neighbors! Think about it....
Yellowknife is NOT COLD they should have tested it out in Labrador, THAT PLACE IS FREAKING COLD! -70 Celsius on average for the whole of winter.
uh....no actually. There is no possible way that Labrador has an average winter temp of -70. It’s not even that cold at the north pole.
Sweet piece of trekking tech.....
Didn't North face come out with a heated jacket years ago?
Yes they did... the North Face Met 5.. famous for it's failed battery connections.
Those things still go on ebay for $500.
This one won't have any battery issues. You just plug it in.
thanks for remembering the met 5, we all know how that last. i'm not charging my jacket. if i can store the energy used while move to warm me while stationary i'm all for it. as for you all who are saying a way to keep the extremities warm... Loki has jackets with integrated mitts that will use core warmth for your hands. There is also an integrated neck gaiter to help stay warmer easier. Check out http://www.lokiusa.com/
Does anyone know the price or where to buy?
id never wear something named "kolon"