Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest

On the jobsite and off Milwaukee has become synonymous with quality and innovation. And the continued innovations in battery technology have allowed Milwaukee and many others to bring power to things where it was never before possible. Heated clothing certainly falls in this category. There are a lot of options on the market for heated clothing; more for men than for women. So we wanted to take a look at the Milwaukee M12 Women’s Heated AXIS Vest (333-20). The idea that you can get so much wear and warmth from a very lightweight women’s vest is great. Let’s see if this Milwaukee women’s heated vest lives up to Milwaukee’s standards, and ours.

Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest Overview

Our first impression of this Milwaukee women’s heated vest is it is not bulky and we thought the style was more flattering than many other similar women’s vests. Milwaukee states that the construction materials used provide protection from wind and water. And Milwaukee’s trademark AXIS Ripstop Polyester insulation is compressible so it doesn’t add bulk. We agree. It could be worn as an outer layer or comfortably under a loose jacket. It comes in sizes S, M, L, XL, 2X. The vest can be machined washed (battery removed) and dried on a low heat setting.

Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest Features

This Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest has two heat zones: chest and mid-back. It uses the same battery and charger as Milwaukee’s other M-12 tools and accessories.

The battery is connected and placed inside an outside pocket just behind and below your left underarm. While standing and walking we didn’t really notice the battery. But sometimes found it uncomfortable in certain sitting positions.

This Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest has three heat settings: high (red), medium (white), and low (blue). You can change the settings by pushing this button located at the right chest area. The vest heated up quickly and evenly in just a few minutes. Per their website, this Milwaukee women’s heated vest utilizes their “Quick-Heat function that creates and distributes heat three times faster than previous vests and market competitors.” And Milwaukee claims you will get up to six hours of low heat from a REDLITHIUM CP1.5 battery. We were able to get about 1.5 hours of heat on high.

The pocket zipper pulls are constructed the same as the main front zipper so they are easy to grab, even with gloves on. In addition to the outside front hand pockets, and the rear battery pocket, the vest includes an inside zippered breast pocket on the left-hand side (pictured below).

We really liked the big zipper. The slider hooked up easily at the bottom and the long rubber-covered-cord pull tab was easy to grip and pull even with gloves on. When zipped all the way to the top the padded neck was comfortable, not too high, and the top of the zipper is adequately covered so it is not against your skin.

We thought this vest had a lot of nice design features. The diamond quilt stitching should keep the thin insulation in place after lots of wash and wear. It has a generous length with a drop tail, and a drawstring adjustable waist (pictured below).

The smooth inside polyester lining allows for comfortable layering over a sweater or hoodie. Mentioned above and pictured here are the inside zippered breast pocket and drawstring waist.

Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest Performance

My wife wore this vest over a hoodie when we walked uptown for coffee. We were outside for about an hour and a half and it was around 45 degrees. She stayed warm the whole time with the vest on medium heat. She loved that she didn’t need to wear a bulky coat and that the vest has a more stylish design. However, her hands do get cold easily so she would have liked a heat zone over the front pockets.

Also, looking at our pictures reminds us that being able to easily clean outerwear is very important. Unlike many of the other heated vests on the market this vest can be machined washed (battery removed), and dried on a low heat setting.

Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest Value

This vest is a bit more expensive than many of the other heated vests we’ve looked at. However, by providing up to six hours of heat, the Milwaukee M12 battery technology is superior to most of what you would get in a less expensive, off-brand product. You can get this vest online from The Home Depot for $179 with battery and charger or just the vest for $139. If they sell out of your size at the Home Depot there are also a few, more expensive buying options on Amazon.

And probably one of our favorite features of this vest is that it uses the same battery and charger as Milwaukee’s other M12 tools and accessories. This means if you are already invested in the M12 tool line you should have a spare battery or two to toss in your bag in case you end up outside longer than expected. That would probably not be the case if you purchased an off-brand heated vest.

Milwaukee Women’s Heated Vest Wrap Up

Heated clothing is a game-changer when you need to dress for cold weather. You can keep warm with a lot fewer layers. Being able to wear a vest as your outer layer allows full range of movement for your arms. This is great for a lot of outdoor activities. And even if you wear it under a jacket your arms won’t be restricted by too much bulk in your sleeves.

This vest is warm, water-resistant, washable, and uses Milwaukee’s M12 batteries. That really adds up to a great vest. But it is worth mentioning that some really disliked the placement of the battery pack and most of us would prefer a heat zone for the front pockets.