Winter is coming… and that means more fun winter themed destinations on our agenda! As a Florida girl, I do love the feel of the warm sunshine on my skin, but you of course also always want what you don’t have-and around here, that includes winter. The calendar may say that the season has changed, but I can tell you that the closest we are getting to a White Christmas around here is seeing the hundreds of Surfing Santas on the white sandy beach at Cocoa Beach. That means I have to go elsewhere to get my winter fix. One of the challenges I face when traveling to all of these fun winter destinations though is my lack of a proper winter wardrobe. As much as I love the snow and feeling of winter, I hate the feeling of being cold.
Through each year and each trip, I feel like I get a little bit better about how to prepare for the cold. During our trip to Colorado earlier this year, in the middle of frigid, below freezing temps, I may have actually been overly prepared. On some days, I overestimated my need for thermals, and doubled up. OK, I may have actually tripled up on one day. I was out there looking like Ralphie’s little brother from A Christmas Story, and I could barely move in my winter attire. I’m just not used to those piercing cold temperatures!
I learned that what tends to happen when you overly layer during cold temps is that you end up producing the opposite effect. Once you start being active, you then start getting too hot. Trust me, it is a total pain to strip down and take off ski boots, pants, and jackets just to remove those additional layers. I needed something that could provide me the warmth I needed, when I needed it. At the same time, I needed something that didn’t make me overly hot when it did start to warm up. I just don’t have the time or patience to be worrying about removing layers. I figured there had to be some in between that would accomplish my goals, and I recently found that.
Staying Warm With Fieldsheer’s Mobile Warming Technology
Technology is bringing me a whole new level of comfort this winter. I found out about this cool new line of Mobile Warming attire that was made especially for those like me that need to stay warm in their adventures, but need a little control over just how warm. The clothing is actually operated by a small battery that fits in the pocket. The first thing I have tried is a baselayer shirt that I am able to wear under my clothing, and I got this right before my recent trip to Alaska. It’s super cute and has a nice fit to it, so I can definitely wear this on its own as well. It is not thick, which makes it comfortable to move around in. I think it will be great for skiing the next time I go to Colorado. The warmth comes from the mobile warming technology built into the shirt that is controlled by the battery. You can very easily turn the heat up or down using a button on the side of the shirt. I was really surprised by how quickly the shirt warmed up. There are 4 different levels of heat, and as you switch between the different levels, the shirt adjusts it’s temperature instantaneously.
Fieldsheer’s Mobile Warming App
I was also able to download their Mobile Warming app and connect my shirt to it through Bluetooth. At that point, my cell phone basically became a remote control to either make my shirt warmer or cooler as needed. I could keep track of how much battery life I had left through the app as well.
I am totally not a techie, and initially I was a little intimidated about the idea of setting up the technological part of this. It was super easy though and the app does a great job of walking you through the process of connecting your garment to the app. If I decide to get more Fieldsheer Mobile Warming items, I can also pair those and be able to control all of my garments in one place. Pretty cool stuff!
I personally love this shirt, and it is going to be a total game changer in my winter adventures. If I have one complaint about it though, it is just that it doesn’t come in more colors. The Proton Baselayer Shirt that I have only comes in black, but it has a subtle camo look to it that gives it a cool look. This is the color I probably would have picked out anyway even if there were other options. However, if there were more colors, I would probably be ordering even more. It is meant to be a baselayer, but like I mentioned, I can totally wear this on its own too.
I truly didn’t know mobile warming was a thing until recently, but I’m so glad I found out about it!
My Tips for Using Fieldsheer’s Proton Baselayer Shirt
- The battery that is used for the Mobile Warming garments is a lithium ion battery, so if you are flying, make sure you pack that in your carry on. The battery was included with my shirt, so it’s great that it is not something you have to add on separately. If you lose it or just want an additional battery though, they do have those available.
- Download the app and set up your garment ahead of time before you actually get ready to use it. Make sure you are in a location that has good Wi-Fi. Waiting until you are in rural Alaska with no access to Wi-Fi is not the perfect time to try to set up the app and connect the shirt via bluetooth. When you get to a location with good service, you will find the process super easy though.
- Their website mentions that Fieldsheer garments have an athletic fit, and recommends that if you are in between sizes or unsure on how to use their measurement chart, that you should order up a size. However, I am typically a small in women’s shirts and ordered that size. Mine fit perfectly and I found it pretty true to size.
- Before you are getting ready to use your Mobile Warming garment, make sure you charge it. You will want to get atleast 3-4 hours of charge on the battery.
- There are 4 levels of heat settings. The level you choose to use will be a factor of how long it stays charged. It does have the ability to stay charged for up to 10 hours though when fully charged.
- While the purpose of this product is to keep you warm, I also found the added benefit is that it is really comforting to my achy back. Think of it as wearing a portable heating pad!
Fieldsheer Mobile Cooling Clothing
When I discovered the Mobile Warming technology, I found out that Fieldsheer also has cooling apparel. I may have eneded up with a couple of those shirts as well. Sure I need to stay warm when I’m traveling to my favorite winter destinations, but Florida is home. We are always dealing with heat here, but this past summer was particularly brutal.
The cooling apparel isn’t app based like the Mobile Warming line, but these shirts are really lightweight and cool and there is great design technology in these. They are super breathable, and the backs have a mesh material that allows for more venting. It has been a great shirt for kayaking, and even though I got in the water, this shirt dried extremely quick. I also realized that I never felt myself drenched in sweat. The material in this shirt is moisture wicking, and works to pull sweat away from your body. Not soaking in sweat as I was paddling was helpful, but another thing to appreciate with these shirts is the odorsheer technology that they use. Nobody wants to be the stinky girl, and I am happy to say that I was not. I’m sure my paddling friends were happy to not have to deal with me being the stinky girl as well!
These shirts also protect against the sun, and provide protection up to SPF 50 level. These are really great for any outdoor activities, and I know I will also be making use of these while I am out fishing, hiking, biking, and metal detecting. Another thing I am really excited about is that unlike the Mobile Warming shirts, these do come in a few more colors. It was a hard decision between the plum, sky, coral, and black, but in the end I went with the plum, and it was really pretty. Even an outdoorsy girl likes looking cute, right?
***** Fieldsheer was kind enough to let OutdoorTravelWriter.com be a tester for these products. However, we are not an affiliate, and do not make a penny if you buy these shirts, or anything at all. All opinions written here are our own, and in case you can’t tell, we totally love these shirts!