Why I needed a heated vest
Got real tired of freezing my butt off on morning commutes last winter. Riding at 6am when it’s 0°C sucks big time. Saw riders wearing these puffy vests that plug into bikes or have batteries. Thought hell, I gotta try this.
How I tested them
Bought two vests off the rack – one electric plug-in type, one battery powered. Tested each for a full week riding the exact same route to work.
First week with electric vest:
Took forever to wire it to my bike’s battery. Had to strip wires, connect to fuse box, the whole headache. Once hooked up though? Fired up instantly when I started the engine. Got so hot I had to turn it down after 10 minutes. Problem came when stopping for gas – unhooked it to walk inside? Instant freezer mode. Wiring also got caught on my jacket zipper twice. Damn annoying.
Second week with battery vest:
Slapped that sucker on straight outta the box. Charged the battery pack overnight. First ride felt great – same heat level as the wired one. BUT halfway through Wednesday? Battery died. Had it on medium heat! Ended up shivering the last 20 minutes. Next day I tried low setting – made it to work but felt lukewarm at best.
What I learned
- Wired vests give constant heat but chain you to the bike
- Battery vests feel freer but die when you need warmth most
- Both types heat unevenly – hot spots on chest, cold back
Would I buy again?
Kinda? For quick rides under an hour I’d grab the battery one. Anything longer? Electric wins even with the wiring crap. Honestly though? Neither is perfect. Might just wear three sweaters next winter and save the cash. This whole experiment cost me $300 and I still froze half the time. Typical.
