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Outdoor Life's best budget vest at about $100. It heats the collar and back and has built-in hand warmers, with all zones and modes on one chest button. It lasted only 3.5 hours on high, and the unisex cut was long and awkward, which makes it a poor layer under a jacket.
In the box: Yes. Sold 'with Battery Pack' on Kemimoto's site (other Kemimoto vests on Amazon come without a battery, so check the listing)
Top complaints
- Awkward, long unisex fit
Outdoor Life's size small fit long and awkwardly, and it found the vest not ideal for layering.
Source: Outdoor Life - Shorter run time
It lasted 3.5 hours on high in Outdoor Life's test, behind the Gobi Dune and Venustas.
Source: Outdoor Life - Confusing listings
Kemimoto's own site shows a $159.99 list price marked 50% off ($79.99). The Kemimoto vests that show up on Amazon are different models sold without a battery.
What owners love
- Hand warmers and collar heat for the price
Outdoor Life liked the built-in hand warmers and collar heating at a budget price. Kemimoto calls it a 3-in-1 vest, hand warmer and neck warmer.
- One-button control
The chest button controls zones, modes and the light (Outdoor Life).
Source: Outdoor Life - Heat-reflecting lining
It has a thermal-reflective lining to hold heat in (Outdoor Life; Kemimoto describes it as graphene).
- You need more than about 3.5 hours on high
- You want a slim layer under a coat
- You want a fitted, gender-specific cut
- Trying a heated vest on a budget
- Warm hands without gloves (heated hand-warmer pockets)
- Wearing as an outer layer
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Outdoor Life: Best budget (updated 2024-11-27), about $100: hand warmers and collar heat, but an awkward, long fit and 3.5 h on high.