DeWalt Tobacco Soft Shell Heated Work Jacket (Jacket Only)

A heated work jacket that plays nicely with 20V batteries

I’ve been wearing the DeWalt heated jacket through a few frosty morning starts, wet jobsite walkthroughs, and late-night load-outs. The short version: it’s a legitimately warm, wind-stopping soft shell that integrates cleanly with 20V MAX batteries and puts heat where you actually feel it. It’s also not a minimalist piece of kit—the battery adds some heft, and the main zipper needs a little extra care. If you’re already on the DeWalt battery platform, it’s an appealing way to turn the packs you own into all-day comfort, with a few caveats.

Design and build

The outer shell is a woven soft shell that sheds wind well and beads off light precipitation. There’s an internal wind guard behind the front zipper and a low-funnel collar with a chin guard, which together do a nice job cutting drafts at your neck and sternum. Inside, a fleece lining adds a bit of warmth even with the heat off, and it’s comfortable against a base layer.

Fit is work-friendly: not baggy, not athletically tight. Adjustable hook-and-loop cuffs let me seal around gloves, and the waist draw-cord cinches out the bellows effect when gusts pick up. The “Tobacco” color reads as a muted brown—neutral enough for sites and subtle for everyday wear.

This is sold as a jacket-only configuration, so you’ll need your own 20V MAX battery. It does include the power adapter with a USB port and an extension cable that lets you park the battery in either a front or back pocket. That flexibility matters: I preferred the rear pocket when standing or walking to keep the weight out of the way, and I moved it to the front pocket when seated or driving so it wasn’t pressing into my back.

Weight-wise, the jacket itself is reasonable. Add a 4Ah or 5Ah pack and you feel it, especially if you’re crawling or wearing a harness. A 2Ah pack is much less noticeable but doesn’t run as long.

Heating layout and controls

Five heat zones differentiate this jacket from “hand-warmer in a hoodie” solutions. You get pads over the left and right chest, both forearms, and the mid-back. The forearm zones are surprisingly useful; on cold mornings handling steel or aluminum, that forearm warmth kept my hands from feeling like blocks of ice.

An LED controller offers three heat levels plus a preheat bump. Preheat brings the jacket up quickly—I consistently felt warmth within a minute or two—then it drops to the set level. The high setting is toasty without getting sweaty; medium is where I spent most of my time moving around; low takes the edge off in shoulder-season weather.

Heat distribution is even and, importantly, quiet. Some heated garments crinkle or hotspot at the pads; here, the elements are thin and flexible enough that I forgot about them as I reached overhead or shouldered materials.

Battery use and run time

Powering from DeWalt 20V MAX packs is the point. It means I can charge all day off the same stack of packs and the jacket piggybacks that ecosystem. It also means runtime scales with the pack you choose:

• With a compact 2Ah battery, I averaged roughly 1.5–2 hours on High, 3–4 on Medium, and 5–6 on Low.
• With a 5Ah battery, expect about 4–5 hours on High, 7–8 on Medium, and 10–12 on Low.

Your numbers will float with ambient temperature, body movement, and how often you cycle preheat, but these ranges are realistic. I carried a spare compact pack to bridge through a full day, or I just ran Medium and toggled High when I stopped moving.

The included USB port on the power adapter is handy for topping up a phone, but it pulls from the same battery fuel tank. If you need maximum heat time, skip the phone charge or carry a separate power bank.

Weather resistance and comfort

Wind resistance is this jacket’s standout passive trait. Even with the heat off, walking into 15–20 mph gusts felt dramatically less punishing than in a standard cotton work jacket. In a steady drizzle, water beaded and rolled off the exterior for about 20–30 minutes before the fabric began to darken—good for passing showers or wet truck beds, not a substitute for a rain shell in a downpour.

Breathability is decent for a lined soft shell. I was comfortable bending, climbing, and hauling without feeling clammy, especially if I used Low or Medium and kept a moisture-wicking base layer under it. The low collar cuts drafts without rubbing; paired with the cuff closures and waist draw, it seals up nicely when the temperature drops.

Pockets and everyday usability

Pocket layout is practical without being cluttered:
- Two zippered hand pockets keep small hardware from slipping out.
- One external zippered accessory pocket rides well for a small notebook or compact flashlight.
- Inside, an internal zip pocket secures a wallet, and a second internal pocket with hook-and-loop closure fits a phone.

The zippered pockets open smoothly with gloves, and the internal organization works for both jobsite and daily carry. With the extension cable, routing the battery pack to the rear pocket kept the hand pockets free and balanced the jacket better on the move.

Durability notes

After weeks of use, the outer shell shows minimal scuffing and the fleece lining hasn’t pilled. The heating elements stayed flat and unobtrusive after multiple on/off cycles and careful washing following the care tag. The hook-and-loop at the cuffs still grabs well and hasn’t fuzzed out.

The front zipper is the one area that requires attention. It’s a smooth-running coil most of the time, but I did have a couple of mornings where starting the zipper was finicky, and once it misaligned and needed a full reseat. My tips:
- Start the zipper deliberately—fully seat the pin before pulling.
- Keep the fabric guard out of the teeth; with gloves on it’s easy to grab a bit of fleece.
- A light swipe of zipper lubricant or even a bar of soap on the teeth helps if it starts feeling grabby.

There’s a 1-year limited warranty on the jacket. As with any heated garment, keep your proof of purchase and inspect the zipper and seams early so you can address issues promptly. I didn’t need to file a claim, but I always recommend buying from a retailer with straightforward exchanges in case your specific unit has a hardware hiccup.

Sizing and layering

Sizing runs true for me in a standard fit. Over a base layer and a mid-weight hoodie, I was at the comfortable limit of my normal size; if you plan to layer heavily or routinely carry a 5Ah battery, consider sizing up. Sleeve length is generous, and the forearm heating pads didn’t bunch when I rolled up to the mid-forearm temporarily.

Who will appreciate it

• Tradespeople already invested in 20V MAX batteries who want heat without another proprietary charger.
• Outdoor crews that work in wind-exposed sites where cutting the chill pays dividends in comfort and dexterity.
• Anyone who needs forearm warmth for metal work or tool handling.

You might look elsewhere if you need a fully waterproof shell, prefer an ultralight garment with no battery bulk, or want a jacket with a bombproof, industrial-grade main zipper above all else.

The verdict

The DeWalt heated jacket earns its keep by putting heat where it’s useful, taming wind better than a typical work coat, and making smart use of 20V MAX packs you likely already own. The control scheme is simple, preheat is fast, and the pocket layout is thoughtful. Runtime on larger packs is solid, and the ability to reposition the battery front or back makes a real difference in day-to-day comfort.

The trade-offs are straightforward: battery weight is noticeable with bigger packs, and the main zipper benefits from a careful hand. Neither is a dealbreaker for me, but they’re worth noting so you can set expectations and handle the jacket accordingly.

Recommendation: I recommend this heated jacket if you’re on the DeWalt 20V platform and want a dependable, wind-stopping layer with well-placed heat and flexible battery placement. It’s a strong, practical upgrade for cold, windy days. If you’re sensitive to zipper quirks or demand a truly waterproof outer layer, consider trying it on in person and buying from a retailer with easy returns, or pairing it with a hard shell for heavy rain.