ORORO Heated Quilted Vest – a vest with a battery in the pocket
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra.
There’s a moment every winter where I stand at a bus stop or a soccer field and think: why did I not wear the big coat? Then I wear the big coat the next day and I’m sweating on the train.
The ORORO Men’s Heated Quilted Vest is the fix for that. It’s a thin quilted vest with four carbon fiber heating pads and a rechargeable battery in an inside pocket. Press a button on the chest and it warms up your core, collar included.
It looks like a normal vest. It’s secretly a heated blanket you can wear to the store.
What is the ORORO Heated Quilted Vest?
ORORO is a brand that makes heated jackets, vests, gloves and socks. This quilted vest is its lightest. ORORO says it weighs 14.4 ounces in size L, and is 19% lighter and 50% thinner than its Classic Heated Vest. That’s the point: you can wear it over a flannel on a chilly morning or under a winter coat without looking like the Michelin Man.
The outside is a water-resistant nylon shell with diamond quilting. The filling is FELLEX insulation, which ORORO says is bluesign certified. There’s a full zip, a stand-up collar and two zippered hand pockets.
How does it work?
The heat comes from four carbon fiber pads: one in each hand pocket, one in the collar and one across the middle of your back. A single button on the left chest switches it on and cycles through three levels.
ORORO gives these run times:
- High: about 3 hours
- Medium: about 6 hours
- Low: up to 10 hours
The battery is a 4800mAh, 7.4V pack that sits in an inside pocket and charges over USB-C in about four hours. It also has a USB port, so it doubles as a small power bank for your phone. Take the battery out and the vest goes in the washing machine on cold.
The good and the not-so-good
What I like:
- Heated hand pockets. Every winter jacket should have these.
- Thin enough to layer, so one vest covers a lot of different days.
- Machine washable once the battery is out.
- The battery can top up your phone in a pinch.
- ORORO gives a 3-year warranty on the heating elements and a year on the battery.
What could be better:
- Three hours on high is not a full day out. On a really cold day you’ll be on medium, or carrying a second battery. ORORO sells bundles with an extra one.
- Buyer reviews of ORORO vests disagree on sizing. Some find them snug, others loose, so check the size chart.
- It’s a vest. Your arms are on their own.
Who is the ORORO Heated Quilted Vest for?
Dog walkers, sports parents on the sidelines, commuters, people who work outside, and anyone who’s always cold in the office. It’s a strong holiday gift for the person who complains about the thermostat.
If you only get cold hands, start smaller with a pair of Ocoopa rechargeable hand warmers. If you’re heading properly off-grid in winter, pair the vest with a satellite messenger like the Garmin inReach Messenger Plus.
Where can I buy the ORORO Heated Quilted Vest?
ORORO sells this vest on Amazon through its own store, in several colors and sizes. The battery and charging cable are included. ORORO’s own shop lists the black version at about 170 bucks.
Warm on the outside, smug on the inside. Take my money!