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So I’ve recently been sent a Flexwarm Gilet or what you may also describe as a bodywarmer to review. Here are my thoughts and the pros and cons:

NB: This post was created in collaboration with 8K Flexwarm, who provided a heated gilet for review, but all views and opinions expressed are my own.

What is it?

It is a gilet or bodywarmer that heats up!

8k Flexwarm make heated jackets for men and women.  They are designed to be worn in any weather conditions, and they make a collection of lightweight, versatile heated jackets and gilets designed to provide the perfect balance of warmth, weight and style.

Heated Gilets can reach temperatures of up to 50°c(122°f) in 360 seconds, keeping the cold away, so you can always stay snug and warm.

With the jackets and gilets you also have the ability to adjust the temperature from an app.  The power bank that you keep in the pocket of the coat, also provides you with the option to charge your smartphone on the go too.

The 8K Women’s Gillet that I was sent to review can easily be worn on its own or underneath other jackets on chillier days.

Technology

Flexwarm® heating technology allows the 8K Flexwarm Heated Gilet to remain lightweight and comfortable while providing active heating, rising to 50°c(122°f) in only 360 seconds.

Using a thin layer printed to the internal fabric, Flexwarm® is able to provide fast and efficient warmth evenly across three zones that can be precisely controlled to your temperature of choice using the Powered by Flexwarm® app, unlike traditional carbon fibre wire heating, which heats less quickly and can leave cold spots between the wires.

I think the technology behind the system itself is a little bit complicated for someone with a brain like mine so I’ve included this video below so you can see how they work.

 

My Experience of the 8k Flexwarm jacket 

When the gilet first arrived I found the initial stages easy. I downloaded the app and charged the power bank and was ready to go.  It took me a few times to work out how to pair the app to the jacket. I think the app has been designed to be very straightforward but if it doesn’t pair straight away then you try something else as you think you may have been doing it wrong.

Anyway do persevere. If you keep the button with the cross on pressed down whilst trying to pair the app to each other, they should connect within a minute or so.

The jacket itself is very lightweight and easy to wear. The power bank because of this does feel a little bulky in your pocket, but to be honest given the amount of things I usually carry around with me, not too much. I also think that as the power bank means you can use it to charge your phone too, there is an additional reason to use it and when your phone is on its last legs, like mine always is, you certainly don’t mind the slight weight or bulk then.

Whilst I do think you need to be wearing a thick t-shirt or light jumper to feel the full warmth of the jacket, the one bit I have truly LOVED is the hand warmer pockets, that  provide that extra essential warmth, all the time. I always have cold hands and this is a fantastic way to keep my hands frost free.

For a wander out with friends it was the perfect addition.

Where can I buy the 8k Flexwarm Gillet?

You can buy this directly from 8k Flexwarm’s website: https://8kflexwarm.com/

The Women’s Heated Gilet in black that I have usually retails for £200 but is currently on sale at £180.