In construction, cold weather is just part of the job. No matter how low the temperatures dip, the work still has to get done. My workwear used to consist of bulky thermals and lots of thick layers, but it wasn’t enough. I was still freezing my a** off!

One day, a coworker arrived on site and he wasn’t wearing usual stack of sweaters. He looked perfectly content, so I had to know what the secret was. He pulled out his phone to show off the controls for his heated Fieldsheer jacket and I was hooked! Here’s a look into my closet with four of my favorite Fieldsheer head-to-toe essentials for the jobsite:

1. Foreman Jacket

A tough canvas jacket is in every worker’s closet, but does yours have heated hand-warming pockets, multi-zone heat, and a thermal-lined drawstring hood? The heavy-duty jacket is warm enough for changing seasons, even without the added battery heaters. When the wind picks up or temperatures drop, I can turn on heat instantly. Plus, the 11-hour battery life keeps me warm through even the longest days.

2. Primer Pant

Changing my base layer basically changed my life! My old pairs of long underwear were faded and full of holes; plus, they were never warm enough in the first place. The stretchy fabric doesn’t bunch up or chafe like cotton and it’s made with a built-in mesh liner that wicks moisture to keep you warm and dry. Three heating zones with four heat settings give me total control over exactly how much warmth I need.

3. Heated Socks

Numb toes are simply not safe on the job site. These performance-blend socks go up above my calf, so I can wear them over the base layer for overlapping coverage without added bulk. Just like all of my other items, the socks have multiple heat settings that are controlled wirelessly with hidden wires. The battery on these lasts the longest of anything, so my toes are always toasty!

4. Workman Glove

I wasn’t sure how a battery-powered glove would work in the real world with the extra weight, but the designers really thought of everything. The 10-hour heating system is powered by split battery packs in the cuffs, so the weight is well-distributed, and it’s actually much lighter in weight than I was expecting. The glove itself has a stretchy mesh liner that moves with you and a rugged leather palm that still looks like new, even after months of use.

I don’t always wear all of my Fieldsheer gear to work, but there are some days when I need to pull out the big guns and layer up. However, the weather forecasters aren’t super trustworthy, so I usually have at least one item with me just in case. While the rest of the crew runs to their cars to get another layer, I just click a button and kick up the heat!

-John Cruz, Construction Foreman