8 Best Heated Vests To Keep You Warm & Toasty

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Heated vests are an incredible invention. You just slip it on, adjust the heat settings, and in less than a minute, you’ll start feeling warm around your torso, shoulders, and neck.

Whether you’ll be working outdoors or enjoying winter activities, a vest is the most ideal heated apparel to keep you warm. Why? Many vests have a lightweight design and take up less space in your suitcase compared to jackets and coats.

They are made with flexible material, eliminating any restriction to movement. So you can enjoy hiking, running, cycling, ski touring, or other winter sports while staying warm. Heated clothing can be a great addition to your packing list for long hikes.

More especially, a heated vest that does not only keep your torso warm but your neck and back as well. Here’s a review of the best-performing vests on the market and why you should consider them as your next addition to your travel gear.

Our Top Picks For Heated Vests: At A Glance

These vests were reviewed based on factors like battery life, heating panels, settings, price points, and whether they were water resistant.

Here’s a snapshot of the best heated vests to stay warm during any cold occasion.

Best Heated Vests	Check Latest Prices
Best Overall	Ororo Heated Vest
Best Lightweight	TideWe Heated Vest
Best For Hiking	Arris Heated Vest
Best Unisex	Dr. Prepare Heated Vest

8 Best Heated Vests: In-Depth Review

Now that you have a brief idea of which of these garments are performing well on the market, let’s dive into an in-depth review of why they do so well in keeping you warm.

Ororo Heated Vest: Best Overall

Key Features:

• Four carbon fiber heating elements
• Three heating settings
• Four heating areas
• Up to 10 hours of battery life on low setting

Ororo’s vest is arguably the best one you can find on the market. It is a lightweight heated vest with a slim fit design, and it’s filled with FELLEX® insulation to keep you warm for long periods. The vest comes with a battery pack and a USB port for charging smartphones.

You can wear the Ororo heated vest whenever you need to. It’s a water-resistant vest, so you can wear it on rainy days or perhaps when taking your furry friend out on a brisk walk. This heated vest is also good for traveling and working outside.

The only drawback is that the indicator light and water-resistant material of the vest is quite noisy. This means you might not find it ideal for hiking in the peaceful woods. Yet, the vest makes up for the sound with its good battery life and adjustable heating settings.

Pros:

• Heating areas are placed to keep the upper body warm (including the neck)
• Washing machine-friendly
• Water-resistant

Cons:

• Noisy (not suitable for hunting)

TideWe Lightweight Heated Vest: Best For Travel

Key Features:

• Four heating zones
• Three adjustable heating settings
• Up to 10 hours of battery life on the lowest setting
• Machine-wash friendly

TideWe’s vest is a close runner-up for the best heated vest on the market. This lightweight heated vest is really good at keeping your core body warm when doing outdoor activities or winter sports like ice fishing, ice hockey, or hunting.

Thanks to its superb lightweight design, the TideWe heated vest is ideal for traveling, hiking, and hunting. The heated vest comes with a power bank that has two USB ports, so you can charge your vest and mobile phone simultaneously during your adventure.

TideWe’s heated vest is also great for doing daily tasks like running errands, cleaning, or going on a grocery run. The only con we found was that the heated vest’s battery life only lasted for about three hours on the highest setting.

Pros:

• Good battery location
• Fully charged in three to four hours
• Collar made with oil-resistant material

Cons:

• Only lasts for three hours on the highest setting

Arris Heated Vest: Best For Hiking

Key Features:

• Seven heating panels
• Five heating levels
• Adjustable size
• Rechargeable batteries

If you’re an avid hiker, you’ll know that picking the right hiking shirt can enhance your hiking experience. The Arris heated vest gets warm in less than five seconds, and its multiple heating levels will keep you as warm as you need during a cold winter.

Most heated vests on the market typically use a 5V USB. Arris vests, on the other hand, are powered by a 7.4V rechargeable battery, which offers more power.

A standout feature that sets the Arris apart from the rest is its updated size-adjusting method, which allows you to adjust the width to waist your size.

The vest’s adjustable size allowed us to wear it no matter how thick or thin the shirts we had on were, and it comfortably fits under a winter coat.

Another thing out of the ordinary about the Arris heated vest is its possible health benefits. The vest can help promote healthier blood circulation and muscle pain relief.

Pros:

• 7.4V rechargeable battery
• The new size-adjusting method comes with extra panels
• Improves blood circulation and relief from muscle pains

Cons:

• Not recommended if you wear a pacemaker

Dr. Prepare Heated Vest: Best Unisex

Key Features:

• Three heating levels
• Six heating zones
• Adjustable zippers on the sides for sizing
• A full power bank will keep you warm for seven hours at the lowest setting

Dr. Prepare’s heated vest is the best vest on the market for both men and women. The unisex heated vest has four zippers on the sides that allow you to adjust the size of the vest as desired, making it a one-size-fits-all. You’ll get a waist size ranging from 36 to 49 inches.

It’s also a lightweight heated vest with a fine interior lining that gives unrestricted coziness, whether you’re backpacking through the U.S. or just taking a walk to the park with your pup.

Dr. Prepare has heating zones that warm core body parts like the neck area, back, abdomen, and waist. This heated vest also promoted blood circulation, pain, and tension relief.

The biggest drawback of Dr. Prepare’s vest is that it does not come with a battery pack. But, compared to more expensive vests, you’ll be getting everything you need on the best budget. Another slight inconvenience was the location of the battery pack, which was on the ribs.

Pros:

• Suitable for men and women
• Budget-friendly
• Well-placed heating zones

Cons:

• Battery pack is not included
• Battery pack location is on the ribs

Prosmart Heated Vest: Best Polar Fleece

Key Features:

• Two to four heating areas
• Two carbon fiber heating elements
• Three heating levels
• Machine washable

Prosmart has one of the best heated vests currently on the market. The fleece vest comes in three colors and allows you to choose between having two or four heating zones. It is a sharp-looking vest made with refined material to keep you comfy and stylish all day.

Forget athleisure — Prosmart’s fleece vest is all you need to keep you warm on a cold day, whether you’re just running errands or doing winter sports like skiing or ice skating. The vest’s battery pack is CE certified, and you can recharge it up to 800 times.

The Prosmart vest has a battery life of up to 10 hours, which can keep you warm the whole day. It’s an affordable vest and gives you a stylish, non-puffy look, which makes it stand apart from most other heated vests. This vest also promotes metabolism and muscle-pain relief.

Pros:

• Stylish fleece material in three colors
• Unisex (for women and men)
• USB port compatible with cell phones

Cons:

• No front heating panels

iHood Heated Vest: Best Detachable Hood

Key Features:

• Eight heating elements
• Three heating areas
• Water-resistant
• Machine washable

If you’re looking for the best heated vests with a detachable hood, look no further than iHood. These heated vests warm your whole upper body, mid-back, and both your left and right ear at the same time.

iHood detachable hood vests can take on rain, snow, and wind on any cold day thanks to the maximum 158°F heating temperature. These heated vests work 30% better than similar products due to their thermal efficiency.

The only con we found with iHood’s removable hood heated vest is that it has a weaker battery life than its competitors, lasting only 8.5 hours on the lowest setting. But the vest heats more parts of the body than most, making up for the battery life shortfall.

Pros:

• Detachable hood
• Multiple heating elements
• 7.4V CE-certified power bank

Cons:

• Only up to 8.5 hours of battery life on lowest setting

CosyYosy: Best Vest With Heated Hand Pockets

Key Features:

• Four carbon fiber heating areas
• Three different levels of heating
• Available in three different colors – red, orange, and white
• Not washing machine-friendly

CosyYosy’s heated vest has a fashionable and functional design that allows you to carry your everyday essentials or portable hiking gear in its multiple pockets. So, if you don’t want to take a daypack with you on a hike, the vest’s six pockets have you covered.

The vest heats the core parts of your body, like the neck, collar, back, and belly. You’ll have two exterior breast pockets, two hand pockets on the sides, and two interior pockets. The vest’s V-neck collar is also a plus, keeping you both warm and stylish.

CosyYosy vests have a maximum high temperature of 149°F, which is relatively low compared to similar products. But the vest’s battery makes up for that, lasting about 12 hours on the lowest heat setting.

Pros:

• Six pockets
• Heated hand pockets
• V-neck collar with drawstring hem

Cons:

• Hand wash only

Afunso: Best Heated Vest Without Battery Pack

Key Features:

• Four heating zones
• Short Circuit Protection
• Lightweight (14 ounces)
• Overheat protection

Afunso vests have a stylish, lightweight, and ergonomic design. The vest heated our backs, belly, and necks within three seconds. In addition to fast warming, Afunso also has an ultra-soft inner lining and an outer layer designed to insulate heat.

A fully-charged power bank can give you about seven to ten long hours of warmth. The short circuit protection automatically lowers the temperature should the vest overheat. The only con is that Afunso’s vest does not come with a battery pack, which is sold separately.

Nonetheless, Afunso has heated vests worth buying. The vest has a chin-shaped V-neck design that helps reduce that uncomfortable, choking feeling or skin damage due to the rubbing of the collar.

Pros:

• Puffy outer layer (high-quality cotton wool filling)
• V-neck ergonomic collar
• Rapid heating

Cons:

• Battery pack not included

Buyer’s Guide: What To Look For In An Electric Heated Vest

Whether you’re looking for something to heat you up in the winter or just an extra layer to ward off the bitter cold on a rainy day, a heated vest is just what you need. But before you make a purchase, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Battery Type

Obviously, the battery is the biggest factor to consider when buying a heated vest, as it does the majority of the work in keeping you warm. Most vests use a rechargeable lithium battery to generate heat. The higher the voltage on the battery, the more heat you’ll get.

Buyer’s Tip: Avoid buying a vest that uses nickel batteries, as they are heavier and lose their recharging ability over time.

Battery Life

A heated vest will keep you warm for about 10 hours on the lowest setting, but that changes dramatically when it is on a medium or high setting. While others will last for about six hours, some vests will drain the battery after three hours.

When you pick a vest, have where you’d like to wear it in mind. If you are wearing the vest for skiing or any snow-related activity, you’ll want to keep it on for long hours and on the high setting. Whereas if you’re wearing it for a short hike or an errand, you won’t need it on for long.

Heating Zones and Materials

While the battery generates the heat, the carbon fiber or conductive thread is what gets the heat to the rest of the vest.

Heating zones are places where elements are woven into the vest and, from there, generate heat that radiates throughout. There are usually three to five zones that are built into core parts like the back, chest, and neck.

Insulation

If you plan on being in the cold for an extended period, you’ll need to wear a vest with lots of insulation to prevent the loss of heat. Wearing a puffer vest heated with a battery on frigid days will give you an extra layer of protection against the cold.

Charging Time

Charging times vary from vest to vest. While others can fully charge in about three to four hours, others might take seven to eight hours. How often you’ll be wearing your vest is the biggest determining factor of whether you need a quick recharge time or not.

Charging Options

Having a vest that can be charged on the go is another important consideration when making a purchase.

Some brands use a USB port to charge the battery, which is available and compatible with a car charger and a power bank. While others use a proprietary charging system that exclusively uses a wall socket.

Pockets

Most heated vests have pockets just like normal coats. They usually have an inside pocket where you’ll keep the battery and two front (left and right-hand pockets). These come in handy for storing your important personal items or keeping your hands warm.

Heated Vests: FAQs

Here are a few frequently asked questions about buying a heated vest:

Are Heated Vests Safe?

Yes, heated vests are safe, and for two specific reasons. One is that the batteries used in these garments are not powerful enough to burn or electrocute. Secondly, most of these clothes are waterproof and designed to be worn in the rain.

Are Heated Vests Machine Washable?

Many of the heated vests on the market are machine-friendly. But they need to be handled with care. So always use cold water, a mesh laundry bag, and a delicate cycle.

How Long Do Heated Vests Stay Warm?

This varies from vest to vest, but in general, these garments last for about 10 hours on the lowest setting and between three to four hours on the highest setting.

Final Thoughts On The Best Heated Vests

Heated vests are a game changer. Whether you’re looking for something to keep you warm while running errands on a cold day or an added layer of heat while on a ski tour, a heated vest is your best bet.

These vests are designed to keep you warm and toasty, no matter the activity. They’re flexible and fashionable, so you won’t be compromising on movement and style. Get yourself a heated vest today, and keep warm with its on-demand heat.