Tool Box Buzz

Milwaukee Insulated, Weather Resistant Work Bibs 

Contractor clothing trends can be interesting to say the least, especially when it gets cold. Tradesmen, including myself, traditionally layer like crazy, and mostly choose clothing that gives us warmth and mobility. It doesn’t always look pretty but it works – well, a little.

Finding Durable Clothing

When you work in the elements you tend to choose tools and clothing that can stand up to the harsh environments and test of time. Once you find a brand, tool or clothing that fits that mold, you tend to hold on tight!

What’s Important?

What aspects are important to the employees who will be wearing these garments?

Our crew, and probably most folks in the trades, would agree that the following, are a decent criterion, on how to choose quality work clothing.

• Durable construction
• Abrasion resistance
• Fit and Feel – designed for freedom of movement
• Performance in elements
• Personal Protection Equipment [PPE]

Obtaining these criterion by wearing sweatshirts, hoodies and a motley crew of other clothes is difficult, if you want warmth, mobility and durability, you gotta pay for that!  

Milwaukee Work Gear for the Trades

Milwaukee Tool recently launched a full line of Work Gear that utilizes GRIDIRON Ripstop Polyester to deliver superior durability without the bulk of cotton duck. The line includes:

• GRIDIRON Hooded Jacket
• GRIDIRON Traditional Jacket
• GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls

Milwaukee GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls

The new Milwaukee GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls focus on improving durability to extend product life, by utilizing Ripstop Polyester reinforced knee panels, cuffs, and pockets to protect the most common places where bibs rip and tear.

The bibs featrue metal buckles and zippers we used to stand up to daily abuse in jobsite conditions. The legs are insulated just enough not to be too bulky, allowing you to still bend, kneel and step up without issue.

Freedom To Move – Mobility Matters!

Milwaukee uses FREEFLEX™ Stretch Zone across the inner legs combined with lighter, more durable material to maximize mobility and reduce bulk.

We noted that this stretch panel allows stepping up onto our work platforms easy, and did not hang up or need to be hitched up, in order to step high.

The waist has two buttons, on each side, that allow adjustability up to 2-inches. The legs have zip to thigh, zippers and buttons to allow you to put on, or take off the bibs without removing your boots.

Pockets Plus!

Milwaukee focused on providing reinforcement in areas where traditional workwear fails, like adding reinforced pocket edges. This area routinely fails from using ou pockets and from clipping tape measures or knives to them.

The Milwaukee GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls have great pockets for small tool, and cellphone storage. We found the zippered chest pocket perfect to protect your phone from dust and weather. We found ourselves using the other “exposed pockets,” for pencils, sharpies, safety glasses and other small tools.

The side leg pocket is perfect for a utility knife and the left-side, and the tape measure and hamper loop worked great.

Improvement to the Milwaukee GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls

There is not much to critique these bibs, they fit the bill as advertised. If I were to make any improvements to them I’d add a thin neoprene knee pad. While the pants are insulated and do provide some comfort, working on your knees for any length of time would benefit from knee protections.

Overall Impression

These Milwaukee GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls are warm, comfortable, durable and flexible to work in. Our crew liked the bibs, they all noted that they wished they had additional sets for the entire week.

My search for rugged cold weather clothing never ends.   I am always on the look out for premium clothing that has exceptional durability, comfort, quality of construction, and fit that you can not only feel in the fabric but see the results in the performance of the clothing.

These bibs also have a zero break-in period, and their weather proof, windproof  qualities allowed us to stay productive and comfortable in 7-degree weather.

For $135.00, these bibs are a keeper.

Milwaukee GRIDIRON Zip-to-Thigh Bib Overalls Video Review

1 Comment

1. Scott

   January 7, 2018 at 7:22 am

   Yes padded knees. Not bulky pads but built in permanent 3H neoprene material would be pissah!

   Reply

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