ActionHeat Softshell Jacket Review: Are Heated Jackets Worth It?

The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket is a lightweight water-resistant jacket designed to keep you warm in cold weather environments with its built-in battery powered heat panels. The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket works great for keeping my torso warm while going for walks, working outdoors, while conducting military operations, or hunting. Having the option to add that extra heat for colder climates is incredible.

During my time in the military, there have been many times where the chill in the air took a toll on my morale. Having that extra layer to keep you warm could make all the difference. We already know that having many layers is crucial in cold weather climates, so that if you get warmer after moving around a lot, you can remove a single layer at a time. But when that sun goes below the horizon, sometimes the clothing you have on alone isn’t enough.

Having a heated jacket is worth the cost. I’m extremely happy with the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket. Being someone who loves the outdoors and serves in the military, I’ve experienced some chilly days and evenings when having a heated jacket would have made my time so much better.

Specs

Colour: Black, Navy, Sharkskin Grey
Sizes: S – 4XL (Men) , XS-3XL (Women)
Heat Settings: Low, Med, High
2 Zippered pockets
Battery Voltage: 5-Volt
Power System: 2 amp
SGS Zippers

Cost

At the time of this article, the ActionHeat softshell jacket costs $199, and includes a 5V Power Bank (6000mAh) with charging cable.

Check ActionHeat for the latest pricing!

First Impression

Immediately I was impressed with the look and feel of the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket. The all black with red zipper pulls looks sharp. I’m 5’10” at 185 lbs and the large fit perfect, so know that it’s true to size.

Once I charged up the battery pack, and quickly read the user manual included, I plugged the short cable inside the left pocket into the power bank and turn on the jacket. Within seconds I could feel the warmth on my chest and back.

I would describe it as sitting in a car with heated seats. That initial feeling of coldness turning into warmth is so satisfying! When I wore that jacket for the first time, the temperatures were around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). The heat on the low setting provided by the jacket was plenty enough.

I would even say that the heat wasn’t necessary to keep me warm, but an added bonus of comfort. The jacket alone is sufficient to keep me warm in the Autumn temperatures. Once the temperatures begin to drop at around freezing, then the heat will be needed.

Functionality

As I said earlier, the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket works very well in the cooler temperatures. Once it gets below freezing, I recommend using the jacket underneath a larger coat, either a wind breaker or a winter coat overtop. This will keep the heat from the ActionHeat softshell jacket close to your body, while the wind breaker or heavier coat will protect you from the outer elements, at the same time containing the heat from the jacket.

In the Spring and Fall months with temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you could use the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket on its own, but once those temperatures go to below freezing, then you’ll want to add a layer overtop the jacket.

Is the ActionHeat heated jacket good for hunting?

Heated clothing is excellent for hunting. I’ve used the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket and Base Layer Shirt while hunting, and while laying on the ground in the prone position, the heat was pressing on my back and shoulders and it felt incredibly warm, even though the ground was frozen.

Material

The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket is made up of 94% Polyester and 6% Spandex. It has a very nice feel on the inside with the fleece lining with an advanced heat-insulated layer. The outside is a soft water-resistant material that rain and snow just bounce off of.

On the inside there’s built-in heating panels made with ActionFlex material which are very comfortable and provide a ton of warmth. Like I said before, the jacket on its own is very warm.

Quality & Workmanship

I’m really impressed with the overall quality and stitching work of the Softshell Jacket. There were a couple of loose thread ends, but that’s not a big deal. Nothing was coming apart.

Looking around the jacket all the stitching is even and tight. The embroidered logo is very well done, with the ActionHeat flame centered on the upper back, and the ActionHeat brand on the left hip and upper right arm. No matter what way someone looks at you, they’ll see that you’re wearing ActionHeat apparel.

Heating Elements

The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket is excellent for chilly days on the range, in the field, or even while conducting winter warfare training under your outer jacket. The heating elements on the Softshell Jacket are on the front chest and upper back. Once the jacket is powered on, the heat is applied within seconds to the upper body.

If you ever find yourself walking outdoors when it’s cold outside and you end up having your shoulders shrugged continuously because of the cold, that is when the ActionHeat softshell jacket would have been nice to have.

Ghost Mode Button

One thing that makes both the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket ideal for tactical operators or hunters in the field is the ability to turn off the touch-button control LED light, while still keeping the heat activated. Having any sort of light omitting during night operations can give your position away if the opposing force has Night Vision capabilities.

During a training exercise, I was walking around our position with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) keeping watch as the other soldiers were in their fox holes. All the fox holes were dark, except for one. With the naked-eye, they all looked the same. But the one that was glowing when looking with NVGs was because someone in the fox hole was smoking a cigarette.

Having the ActionHeat clothing in the field during those cold nights can be the difference between comfort and misery. Being able to wear it without omitting any light can be the difference between staying hidden in the dark or being spotted from a mile away. The Ghost Mode Button makes the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket perfect for the tactical user.

Power Bank / Battery Pack

The battery pack for the Softshell Jacket plugs into the lower left zippered pocket. Inside this zippered pocket are two sections separated by a piece of fabric. The battery pack fits nicely and is hardly noticeable. There’s plenty of room for your hand or another device like your phone.

The battery pack by ActionHeat has two USB ports, allowing you to simultaneously warm your jacket and charge your phone! Keep in mind this will use up the battery faster. The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket has a standard USB cable, so you can use this with almost any power bank. The battery pack included is a 6000mAh Power Bank, but I have a 10,000mAh power bank as well that I can use.

Wrist Cuffs

One of the complaints I have with the Softshell Jacket is the cuffs at the wrist of the jacket. Because of the thicker material, if you tighten the cuffs at all it feels weird. The rubber material used to tighten the cuffs is an off choice as well. I would have much preferred a thinner water-resistant material similar to the jacket itself.

SGS Zippers

The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket uses zippers manufactured by SGS, which is a company from Shanghai. On ActionHeat’s website they say that this jacket uses YKK Zippers, so either they’re now beginning to use YKK zippers, or they previously did and just haven’t updated the material contents list.

The zippers are a good quality though. I’ve had no issues with the zippers and it runs very smoothly. On the pockets there is an insert for the zipper pull tab to tuck into.

Inside of the jacket is an internal zippered pocket which is great for your wallet or other smaller items.

Conclusion

The ActionHeat Softshell Jacket is a very comfortable battery heated jacket. The materials used on the inside and the outside of the jacket are of high quality, and the heat applied to the upper chest and back adds warmth which keeps your core body temperature where it needs to be.

For more tips on staying warm in cold weather environments, check out my article post How To Spend A Night In The Freezing Outdoors.

Thanks for reading this review on the ActionHeat Softshell Jacket. If you’re someone like me who enjoys spending a lot of time outdoors and you don’t want the damp coldness to stop you from exploring, then I would highly recommend picking up the Softshell Jacket or another product from ActionHeat like the base layer shirt.