If you have been to a ultra-obstacle course race (ultra-OCR) with me or any winter race, you may have noticed that my pre/post-race jacket has a glowing light on the front. This is an ORORO-branded heat jacket and after owning their Classic Jacket for the last four years, I just upgraded to the Classic Heated Jacket 2.0 with 4 heating zones. Here are my thoughts on the update and if it is worth picking yourself up a new jacket:
What’s New? Let’s start with what makes this the 2.0 version and then we can talk about what the jacket shares with its predecessors. The new jacket has four heating zones as opposed to the two that were in the original model. The original had heating areas on the chest and the back. The new version has heating on the back, the neck, and two heating zones right by the pockets. The more heat the better, and the ones by the pockets are a nice addition. Everything else is the same as the 1.0 version.
Material: The jacket is water resistant on the outside, making it great for rain or playing in the snow with my kids. The inside of the jacket is lined with insulation to help keep the heat in. Despite having electronics inside, the jacket is machine washable, which is a nice benefit.
The hood is lined with a fleece material making it extra warm. Of note, I decided to keep the detachable hood on for this jacket so I could tell it apart from my other one. After testing it with the hood, I may re-attach my hood to the other jacket. The hood was so warm it removed the need for a wool hat while spending time in the snow.
Performance: The battery will last approximately 10 hours in low power mode, which is as advertised. When it is in high mode it won’t nearly last as long. From my estimates, I would say it lasts just under four hours. This is with a new battery, which I suspect like my phone, will decrease slightly over time.
Use: While you aren’t going to see me throw on an ORORO jacket and run World’s Toughest Mudder, you might see it on me pre/post-race. However, I think some of their other products are better for pre-race and others are more versatile (more on that in the next review).
The jacket is simple and stylish making it good for attending a formal event in cold weather, participating in an outdoor sport like skiing, or watching a football game. For skiers, this feels like a must-have item keeping it off while skiing and turning it on for the sometimes long, cold, and windy chair lift back to the top of the mountain.
Overall: At just under $200, this isn’t the cheapest product but you are getting what you pay for. This product is more versatile than some of the other cold weather options OCR athletes are known to wear and the battery on the jacket means that if it isn’t that cold, you can always use it to charge your phone. If you already own one, you probably don’t need to upgrade, although you can always hand your old jacket to a family member and pick up the 4x heating zone one for yourself.
Check back later for a review of some of ORORO’s other products including what I think is the best pre/post race product, the ORORO Poncho Heated Blanket and what I think is their most versatile product, the ORORO Softshell Heated Vest.
