About Electric Clothing
Next time someone suggests racing an ATV over towering snow drifts, folks need not shiver in cold anticipation. Electric clothing, which keeps the wearer toasty in the frozen elements, may be the answer. Available in a variety of types, the clothing is usually rugged, waterproof and made to brave the great outdoors, especially if the outdoors are iced over and white.
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Function
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Electric clothing is made to keep people warm, dry and cozy in a frigid clime. Another use, since some of the jackets and vests come with heat packs that can be positioned to target specific areas, could be to relieve pain, soreness and muscle ache that would normally benefit from a heating pad.
Types
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Since electric clothes are used mainly for warmth, they are not going to come in styles fashioned after tank tops or string bikinis. Electric clothes are available in cozy outerwear. Jackets, vests, gloves, hand warmers and pants are on the market, as are heated liners for jackets, gloves and pants that can be worn beneath the outer garment.
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Features
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Electric clothing is generally powered in two ways. One method is with a rechargeable lithium battery pack that fits right into the clothing. The other way, often for clothing and gloves that are worn while driving cars, motorcycles or ATVs, run off the vehicle's 12-volt battery. Cords running from the clothing is plugged into the vehicle's accessory outlet or hooked up directly to the battery with a battery harness. Some of the clothing comes with temperature controls to adjust the heat output.
Identification
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Electric clothing does not come complete with flashing neon signs, twinkling lights or much of an indication at all that it is a piece of electric clothing. Jackets, vests and pants often include an outer shell of nylon, Teflon, denim or another heavy duty material. Inner shells can be coated with urethane or another insulating material. The highest quality electric clothing will be waterproof, includes flaps over zippers and pockets, and able to withstand cold, blustery, snow-laden gusts. Liners will be nearly invisible, since they are worn beneath an outer garment, but they will add a little bulk.
Considerations
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Heated clothing is not limited to people. Electric clothing for pets has at least one patent filed for it, describing how the clothing will include a way to be heated throughout the entire garment or broken down to target problem areas, such as an arthritic hip.
Other electric, heated items for winter use include the heated door mat to melt away snow in an entry way and the heated snow shovel which makes shoveling easier by partially melting the snow for breezy clean-up.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Ryn Gargulinski
