December 18, 2024
CARHARTT WARMTH RATINGS EXPLAINED
Depending on where you live and work, cold can take many different forms. From the damp, brisk haze of a Pacific Northwest winter to the brutal, subzero windchills and February snowstorms in the Upper Midwest or Northeast. While in the Southwest cold can mean frosty mornings and cool evenings.
That’s why we developed four rugged levels of cold-weather defense and engineered them to outwork every kind of cold day. The Carhartt Warmth Rating system makes it easier to find the cold-weather gear that works best for your level of comfort and the conditions where you live and work.
Because warmth can be so subjective when it comes to individual preferences and environmental conditions such as sun exposure, windchill, humidity, and activity level we don’t assign specific Carhartt Warmth Rating temperatures but have general recommendations for conditions where each level might be appropriate. Read on to see Carhartt Warmth Ratings explained in more detail.
Light Warmth For Moderate Cold
Think of Level 1 styles as your first line of defense against cold weather. Maybe it’s a cool morning or late evening, or you’re in a transitional season where the weather can shift on a dime and be unpredictable from day to day. These jackets and coats are the ones you want to have on hand for whenever there might be an unexpected chill in the air.
Shop 1 Warm Rating
MIDRANGE WARMTH FOR MODERATE COLD
Ok, now it’s getting cold regularly. You need a go-to outer layer that you’re going to live in when you’re outside for a while. Sherpa-lined active jacs, utility jackets, field jackets, and denim jackets typically fall within this rating. This is also about the temperature range where you might expect to throw on a pair of bibs if you’re going to be spending a long time outside.
Shop 2 Warmer Rating
HIGH WARMTH FOR SEVERE COLD
There are a handful of Sherpa- and flannel-lined styles in this category, but typically we’re talking about insulated jackets and bibs in the 3 Warmest Rating category. This gear will provide even more protection against the cold than Level 1 or 2 outerwear.
Shop 3 Warmest Rating
HIGHEST WARMTH FOR EXTREME COLD
Get ready to face brutal windchills and snowstorms with 4 Extreme Warmth rated outerwear. Whether you’re operating machinery all day on the jobsite, settling in for a stretch at the ice fishing shack, or suiting up to hit the snowmobile trail, you’ll want this heavy-duty insulated gear to help keep you warmer in freezing conditions.
Shop 4 Extreme Warmth Rating
FAQ
Thanks to new advancements in fabric technologies, technical materials, and lightweight insulations, we are now able to achieve comparable, or even higher, warmth in gear that’s significantly lighter weight and more flexible. When comparing the actual warmth provided by two different styles, use our rating system to make sure you’ve got the precise level of warmth you need.
Our Warmth Ratings system lets you quickly compare the warmth of many different styles at one time without having to try on a new piece of gear every time. For example, once you know what Level 2 warmth feels like, you can expect all other Level 2 Carhartt gear to work just as hard protecting you from the cold. Then simply level up or down from there depending on conditions or how warm and toasty you want to be.
Warmth can be extremely subjective, and one that’s ultimately impacted by a few key factors beyond the outside temperature. For instance, your level of physical activity, the type of layers you typically wear underneath, and whether your body temperature tends to run hot or cold will all impact your comfort level at specific temperatures. By not defining the levels by temperature, the Carhartt Warmth Rating system allows you to find the level of warmth that works best for you, and all the hard work you do.
Nope. Only the products that need it. Our goal is to give you all the information you need to properly gear up. That’s why you can expect to find a Warmth Rating on all insulated outerwear including jackets, coats, bibs, and coveralls.
Very. We worked closely with Central Michigan University to ensure the accuracy of our ratings, utilizing an advanced testing mannequin they developed with significantly more heat sensors than other labs. This gave us a more accurate reading of body heat and warmth and seamlessly converted to a female body form to better test our hardworking women’s gear. For testing methods, we followed the standard test ASTM F2732, which is accepted across the clothing industry. All warmth rating data has been well analyzed and discussed by the team. If at any point we felt there were discrepancies between the testing results and expectations, the garment was re-tested by the lab to double-check the results.
Once our Warmth Ratings scale was developed, we sent the gear to our Carhartt Crew team of field testers, and their results and feedback confirmed a strong correlation between our lab testing and their personal wear experience.
Although some garments may look similar or use the same shell fabrics, other characteristics such as fit, styling details, trims, and linings all make a difference. When it comes to providing warmth, all the various design details on a garment play a role.
The weight and thickness of a garment does not equal warmth level. While this might have been a rule of thumb many years ago, improvements in fabric and insulation technology mean we can now achieve equal or higher warmth using lighter weight or thinner insulations and fabrics.