Heated Gilet

Heated gilets: a sleeveless layer with panels that warm on demand

A heated gilet is a body warmer with slim heating elements sewn into the lining, powered by a rechargeable battery that sits in an inside pocket and switched from a button on the chest. Most designs put the panels over the middle of the back and across the chest, some add a collar or a hood, and the outer shells range from a quilted windproof face to a fleece finish. Sizes here go well up the range, which matters more than usual on a garment meant to be worn over other layers.

How does a heated gilet actually warm you?

It does not heat the air around the body; it warms the surface the panels touch. Heat travels from the element into the layer against the skin, so a gilet worn over a thin base layer feels warmer at the same setting than one worn over a thick jumper that insulates the wearer from the heat. Hence the two habits that make these garments work: keep the layer underneath thin, and put an insulating layer on the outside.

Why sleeveless rather than a full jacket?

Because the arms are what get in the way. A gilet leaves the shoulders and elbows free, which suits driving, working with tools, fishing and standing on a touchline, and it fits under a coat without bunching at the armhole. The cost is obvious enough: nothing warms the forearms, so a cold wind still finds them. When the whole body needs covering rather than the core alone, a heated jacket is the version to look at instead.

What should you check before ordering one?

• Panel placement: elements across the mid back and the upper chest cover the areas that make a body feel cold; a single back panel does less.
• Battery pocket: an inside pocket with a cable port keeps the lead out of the way, while an outside pocket puts a hard block against the ribs.
• Control: a button with distinct settings can be adjusted through a coat, which a small recessed switch cannot.
• Shell fabric: a windproof face holds the warmth in, a soft fleece face breathes more and lets it go.
• Fit over layers: the panels need contact, so the gilet should sit close without compressing whatever is underneath.

Can it go in the washing machine?

Check the label, and disconnect and remove the battery first, without exception. Most designs are washed cool on a gentle cycle with the cable port closed, then dried flat and never tumbled or ironed over the panels. Heat and agitation are what break the fine wires inside the lining, and a failed element shows up as one panel that stays cold while the others work.

When is an unheated gilet the sensible choice?

Whenever nothing needs charging. For steady movement, walking uphill or a day of physical work, the body makes the heat and the garment simply has to hold it, which is what a fleece gilet does with no battery and no cable to remember. Plenty of people keep both, with a mens fleece gilet for the walk and the powered version for standing still afterwards.