Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I rarely write reviews (actually, this may be my first), but given the dearth of information on heated jackets in general, I figured I should do a comparison between the Milwaukee Heated Jacket and the Bosch, both which I own. If you're reading this, you probably have looked around quite a bit for a heated jacket with decent battery life (there are quite a few that last for 2 hours, but not many that go above 4), and found that there were basically only 3 brands: Milwaukee, Bosch, or Dewalt. I bought the Milwaukee for myself earlier this year and then the Bosch for my mother about a week ago. Despite the similarities in the heating system (tri-color activation switch, relative placements of heating elements), there are quite a few things that are different. General: The biggest obvious difference between the jackets is the placement of the battery. The Milwaukee stores its battery in a small pocket along the back-left side of the jacket. This does take a bit getting used to and you're always going to feel it while sitting down (some chairs more than others), but it's not bad. I found myself getting used to it after a few days and it hasn't been an issue. The Bosch on the other hand keeps the battery in an inside left pocket, which actually does feel more natural. In all honesty, there's nothing to be said about it...It feels exactly as it sounds (as if there's a substantial round battery pack in your pocket). Style: Without a doubt, the Bosch is a better looking jacket for casual use. While the Milwaukee is by no means bad looking, it screams utility, while the accents on the Bosch really make it look more of an everyday jacket. While both of the exteriors are water resistant to similar degrees, the exterior layer of the Bosch is "shiny metallic black" while the Milwaukee is "matte black". Obviously preference of this sort of stuff is in the eyes of the beholder (and there's plenty of pictures on the internet if you care to take a look at both), but the Bosch has the edge here. Lining: The linings of both jackets are both polyester, but that's where the similarities end. The Bosch has a slippery/smooth polyester lining, sort of reminiscent of the inside of a sports jacket. This layer is very thin. I wouldn't say it's super delicate, but I'd be fairly careful of sharp objects. An "issue" that I found is that since the lining is so thin, it's so close to the heating elements and it tends to create hot spots. As a result, the Bosch does get "hotter" faster, but the hot spots do get uncomfortable at times. The Milwaukee, on the other hand, went with a fleece-like polyester lining. This makes the jacket warmer without the heating elements on and in my opinion does spread the warmth more evenly. One major issue that I found with the Milwaukee is that there tends to be a buildup of static in the lining (only with the battery plugged in). I'm unsure if this is just a defect with my jacket, but I usually expect a minor electrical shock whenever I put it on. Also, probably due to the lining, I would say that the Bosch is somewhat lighter. Heating: Honestly, besides the lining differences causing the heat to feel a bit different, both jackets work similarly and I wouldn't rate one higher than the other in this regard. The Milwaukee does have separate heated jacket pockets but I usually don't use them since I usually keep my phone and other metallic objects in there. Plus, why run down the battery faster? I'll probably update this at a later date as I get a better feel for the differences, but both will keep your core warm when it's cold out. EDIT (11/28/2013): I'm not sure if it's just my jacket, but I found that the heating element on the left side of the jacket (where the battery is) ends up being warmer than the right. It probably won't matter once you warm up enough to keep your core warm, but it was definitely noticeable. Battery life: I'll need to come back to this at a later date. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do a timed run of both jackets (since it's fairly rare for me to be outside more than few hours), but off-hand, my mother did complain that the Bosch didn't last for 6 hours...more like 4. I wouldn't put stock in this though, so the jury's still out if they truly do last the full advertised duration. One thing that I nearly forgot about is that Milwaukee's battery holster has a built in push-button battery life indicator while the Bosch does not. It may not be that important if you charge your battery regularly anyway, but I can see the uses of it. Other differences: There are a few other differences design-wise between the jackets, but nothing I would consider a deal breaker. The Bosch has a smaller outside breast pocket. Both jackets have a inner headphone channel in left pocket. The sleeve openings of the Milwaukee are smaller and elastic with the Bosch are larger and can be made smaller with Velcro. As stated, none of these things are really something that you'd really care all too much about...except for one thing: The Dealbreaker: The zipper. Oh man...this is where Bosch, in my opinion, dropped the ball. Both jackets have substandard zippers (WHY?!), but Bosch is much worse. Having done and seen a bit of textile work, this is the type of zipper that will split early on you and then repeatedly do so again and again. If you do get the Bosch, be very careful, since once it starts splitting, it's not going to get better until you replace it. I'm not sure why neither company went with a more heavy-duty zipper, but this is definitely a black mark against both jackets (the Bosch more than the Milwaukee). Overall: The Bosch Heated Jacket strikes a pretty good balance between utility and style. While Milwaukee's version screams "simple" utility, this jacket has just enough pizzazz to look good no matter the situation. If you don't really prioritize this though, the lining of both jackets actually causes the heat to diffuse differently, which may be a key point if you're worried about hot spots.