DeWalt Soft shell heated jacket kit

Why I reached for this jacket

Cold, wind, and unexpected drizzle are part of my workday from late fall through early spring. Layering helps, but once I’m on and off ladders or running cables, bulky insulation becomes a hassle. The DeWalt heated jacket promised a different approach: a soft-shell outer with four heating zones, a simple three-level controller with pre-heat, and the bonus of keeping my phone topped up via two USB ports. I ran it for several weeks on dawn-to-dusk days to see if it could earn a permanent hook by the door.

Build, comfort, and fit

The outer is a soft-shell polyester that’s wind-resistant and shrug-off-the-drizzle water-resistant, not a rain jacket. In a 20 mph wind it kept the chill off better than my standard fleece, and it didn’t balloon like a loose work coat. The interior is smooth enough to slide over a flannel or hoodie without bunching. The cuffs and hem have sensible adjusters that keep drafts from sneaking in.

Fit is “work jacket standard”: slightly boxy to accommodate layers. I wear a medium in most workwear; the medium here fit true over a base layer and flannel. If you plan to wear a hoodie underneath, consider sizing up. The collar lined up nicely with the heating element inside it—more on that below—and didn’t rub against hearing protection or a harness.

Pockets are straightforward: hand pockets left and right, an upper chest pocket, and a designated phone pocket that actually holds a modern big-screen phone in a case. Zippers on the pockets are low profile and stayed put. The battery pocket sits along the flank; it expands to accept larger XR 20V packs, which is useful, though you do feel the extra bulk when you sit or wear a belt tool pouch on that side.

Heating performance and control

The jacket uses four zones—left chest, right chest, mid-back, and the collar. That collar heater is a quiet hero; on windy mornings, warm neck = warmer body. The controller is a single, glove-friendly LED button with High, Medium, and Low, plus a pre-heat that jumps to High to bring you up to temp more quickly.

Warm-up is quick. From a cold start, I felt heat in the chest within a minute and a steady baseline by the five-minute mark. On High, it’s toasty without feeling like a toaster strapped to your sternum. Medium was my default for movement-heavy tasks. Low kept a comfortable buffer on truck drives between stops or when I was doing more sedentary planning. Heat is even and doesn’t create hot spots that make you toggle constantly.

One thing to note: there are no heated hand pockets. If you rely on pocket-warming on breaks, you’ll miss that. I prefer keeping gloves on, so it wasn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s worth knowing.

Battery life, power platform, and device charging

The jacket accepts both 20V and 12V lithium-ion packs. The kit includes a compact 20V 1.5 Ah battery, charger, and a USB power module that has a battery fuel gauge and two USB ports. The module is handy beyond the jacket—charge a phone, headlamp, or small accessory without dragging a separate power bank.

Real-world runtime with the compact 1.5 Ah 20V battery:
- Low: roughly 3–4 hours
- Medium: about 2–2.5 hours
- High: 1–1.5 hours

Bump to a 4.0 or 5.0 Ah 20V XR and the story improves dramatically. I saw 6–7 hours on Medium and a full day on Low if I was in and out of heated spaces. Of course, using the USB ports to charge your phone chips away at those totals. The fuel gauge helps you plan: I got in the habit of checking it before long exterior tasks, and I kept a spare 4.0 Ah in the truck for all-day cold snaps.

Weight balance is good with the compact pack; with a 5.0 Ah, you notice the heft, especially when crouching or climbing. It didn’t impede harness use, but I did prefer routing the cable carefully and expanding the battery pocket so the pack sat flat and didn’t flop.

Weather resistance and breathability

This is a wind fighter first. In gusty conditions the soft shell cuts the bite and the heating elements make up the rest. In light rain and wet snow it shed moisture well enough that melt-off didn’t soak through during a half-hour walk to and from a truck and job trailer. In sustained rain, water will eventually find seams—the right move is a shell over the jacket if you’re out long. Breathability is on par with other soft shells; I didn’t get clammy carrying sheet goods up stairs, and I could pop the front zip a few inches to vent without losing the heat I’d banked.

Day-to-day usability

• The controller location is easy to access and visible at a glance. I could cycle modes with work gloves on.
• The collar heat is the standout feature in this lineup. It reduces the need for a gaiter in moderate wind.
• The phone pocket is genuinely useful. Paired with the USB port, it creates a tidy, cable-managed charging spot.
• The jacket layers well under a hi-vis vest or rain shell without feeling like too much bulk.

Durability and quality notes

The outer fabric took scuffs from plywood edges and a brush with masonry without pilling or snagging. Stitching at high-stress points like pocket corners stayed tight. The heating elements never glitched during my time with the jacket.

The main zipper, however, is the weak link. On my first sample, the zipper separated at the bottom twice over a couple of weeks, especially when I’d yank it closed quickly while wearing a tool belt. Reseating it solved the immediate issue, but it wasn’t confidence-inspiring. I exchanged it and the second jacket has behaved, though the action still feels lighter-duty than the rest of the build. My takeaway: be deliberate with the main zipper, particularly if you’re layering thick mid-layers or cinching the waist tight.

Support-wise, the warranty is one year limited. In my experience, the exchange process didn’t go through the same channel as my power tools; it routed through the apparel side, and the back-and-forth took longer than I’d like. If you’re buying for hard daily use, consider a retailer with an easy exchange window and stress-test the zipper early.

Sizing and layering tips

• If you’re typically between sizes or plan on a hoodie underneath, size up. The heating elements work better with a little air gap than when they’re pressed tight.
• Keep the cuffs snug; it noticeably improves perceived warmth on windy days.
• If you’ll run a 5.0 Ah or larger battery frequently, use the expanding battery pocket and check the cable strain relief so nothing pulls when you bend.

What I’d change

• Beefier main zipper and bottom stop.
• Optional heated hand pockets for break-time comfort.
• A slightly deeper drop tail would help when crouching or working on low outlets.

Who it’s for

• Tradespeople already on DeWalt 20V who want a heated layer that integrates with their batteries and can charge devices on the go.
• Pickup-and-go pros and DIYers who work in wind and intermittent cold rather than all-day soaking rain.
• Anyone who values collar warmth and fast warm-up over bulkier insulation.

If you want a bombproof outer shell for abrasive environments or rely on a frictionless warranty process, you may be better served by a heavier-duty work jacket paired with a separate heated vest.

Value

As a kit that includes a 20V battery, charger, and USB power source, the overall package makes sense—especially if you’re entering the DeWalt platform or could use an extra compact pack. Existing 20V users will immediately benefit from larger batteries they already own. The feature mix—four heat zones, pre-heat, two USB ports—feels full without gimmicks. The durability question mark lands squarely on the main zipper, which is unfortunate given how well the rest of the jacket performs.

Recommendation

I recommend the DeWalt heated jacket with clear caveats. It delivers fast, even heat, the collar zone is genuinely useful on windy days, and integration with 20V/12V batteries plus dual USB charging is practical on jobsites. Runtime with a 4.0–5.0 Ah pack covers real workdays, and the soft shell balances wind resistance with reasonable breathability. However, the main zipper feels under-spec’d for rough treatment, and my support experience was slower than expected. If you’re gentle with zippers, buy from a retailer with a good return window, and plan to pair it with a larger 20V battery, you’ll get a warm, versatile layer that streamlines cold-weather days. If you need maximum durability and bulletproof support above all else, consider alternatives or a heavier outer shell over a heated mid-layer.