COOPH Heated Photo Vest: How to Make Outdoor Shooting in Winter all Comfy
Fair warning. Once you get used to the battery-powered heating, you’ll find it difficult to wear anything else outdoors again.
The COOPH heatable photo vest is a lightweight, functional all-around companion for anyone who likes to shoot outdoors.
Today I'm shooting Bourglinster Castle, located 17 kilometers outside Luxembourg city. This castle was first mentioned in 1098 as belonging to St Symeon of Trier and it was built on the grounds of an even more ancient castle. At the time it had a residential keep, a chapel, and a wall, but centuries later, a defensive moat and two towers were added. That's an upgrade in castle technology. The COOPH heatable photo vest is an upgrade in wearable technology. You could never tell from its streamlined design that it's home to a heating system that I can control with my smartphone.
As I step out of the car into the cool wintry air, I crank up the heat to full blast. After hiking up the ridge for a bird's eye view of the castle, I'm warmed up, and a quick swipe of my finger can take the heat down a notch.
With 6 zip-up pockets, there’s a place for everything. I can maintain my nearly OCD gear organization while on the go. I know exactly where my lenses are but I don’t look like I’m trying to smuggle a 5-course meal into a movie theater.
Sometimes it's a pain to pack extra layers of clothing when you've already got to keep track of camera batteries and lens caps, etc. But the COOPH heatable vest is surprisingly lightweight and compact when not being worn.
The heating function won’t save you if you’re trapped outside in a blizzard overnight, but after a few uses, it might become difficult to go for a hike or even walk the dog without it.
Plus it's reversible, so I can practically change up my whole outfit while I'm on the run or in between shoots. In addition to being useful and functional, this is one of the most versatile clothing items I own. It looks just as good under the forest canopy as it does under the fluorescent lights during a motorcycle ride through the city.
Sometimes great shots require hard work. I’m willing to suffer through some rain to capture the heightened contrast in my street shots of Tokyo. And I’m happy to hit the trail before sunrise to capture the treeline at golden hour. In these moments that have the potential to feel miserable, this heated vest keeps me toasty.
I write and shoot for The Outdoor Journal and whenever there’s a team discussion on COOPH, there’s invariably a joke around the name - as in, how do you pronounce it? “Koof”? What does that even mean? Jokes aside, we have great respect for the brand and its founder, Ulrich Grill - who is also the founder of Zooom, the Fuschl-am-See, Austria-based media agency that incidentally created Red Bull Media House and various Red Bull-branded events.
The Outdoor Journal has previously reviewed other COOPH gear, including the awesome, Original Field Jacket that’s 100% cotton, yet fully waterproof (made of Stotz ETAProof cotton fabric from Switzerland).
Click here to purchase the COOPH heatable photo vest.
Disclaimer: The Outdoor Journal received a free sample to conduct this fair and unbiased review.
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