Peggy tries a Venustas heated jacket
Testing the Venustas Women’s Waterproof Heated Lightweight FELLEX Jacket
Have you considered a heated jacket to help take the chill off during outdoor winter activities? If you love the outdoors, or you are required to spend time outdoors when the weather is chilly, or you just love being warm on cold days, the Venustas Women's Waterproof Heated Lightweight FELLEX® Jacket might just be a perfect option.
Venustas reached out to offer us another heated product to review. We had opted in the past for the heated vest, which I like very much. I found that I also quite like the heated women’s jacket.
Design & Comfort
The Venustas Heated Vest that I received last winter for testing, is a padded vest that’s also heated. The vest is well-fitted, with a snug but not restrictive cut, which means I can wear it comfortably for hours on end. I opted for a men’s style, because I don’t like the tapered waist of women’s clothing. My hips are pretty large, so I chose the size that would fit around my hips. There is extra space at the waist, and enough room for a sweater or sweatshirt underneath without restricting my chest.
When Venustas offered me a second test item, I requested the women’s 3-in-1 jacket. Tony bought the men’s version and it has proven to be the best “car jacket” because of how versatile it is. Sometimes he just needs a little bit of a fleece, and wears the fleece liner alone. If it’s drizzly or rainy, he adds the water-resistant shell for extra protection.
Unfortunately, I was told that the women’s 3-in-1 was discontinued and they didn’t really want a review of that. So, I opted for the Women's Waterproof Heated Lightweight FELLEX® Jacket instead. At the time of this writing, the women’s 3-in-1 is still listed on the website, at a very reduced rate. I don’t think I need any more jackets, but that layering option sure is tempting!
Women's Waterproof Heated Lightweight FELLEX® Jacket 12V
I opted for the heated lightweight jacket because, as I mentioned in my review of the padded vest, we just don’t hang out where it’s extremely cold. Mostly I want something that can take the chill off, and something he help me feel comfortable sitting around the campfire on a chilly night. While the fire keeps my front warm, I’ve always given up early because my back half is cold.
If you live where temperatures linger below the zero degrees Fahrenheit mark, you might want one of the heavier jacket styles. There are plenty of styles to choose from.
I’m glad I ordered the “lightweight” style. It’s not bulky, but it does weigh a few
This jacket is machine washable. So if you ski into a muddy spot, or if you spill your chili dog, or hot cocoa, or hot toddy, have no fear! Pop it into a cold-water wash (don’t forget to remove the battery first!) and hang it up to dry, and you are ready to return to the slopes. Or the hot dog stand. Or wherever it is that you can get a hot toddy outdoors.
I really like how this jacket fits me. I ordered a 2X size, because if it’s winter I am probably already wearing layers or a sweater to enclose. The bottom hem has an elastic so the bottom can be snugged up to keep the breezes out. The sleeves have a hook-and-loop strap to keep those breezes away from my arms. The arms are just the right length, they reach my hands without swallowing my hands.
The zipper feels like decent quality. The collar goes all the way up to my nose if I zip up all the way. All of the pockets have waterproof zippers.
The Heat
The vest features five large heating zones: two in the pockets, one in the collar, one in the mid-back, and one in the lower back. With three temperature settings (high, medium, and low), warmth is available for all my heating needs at the press of a button. The heating is impressively quick — within minutes, I could feel the warmth on my back and neck, where I wanted it most. I didn’t notice any uneven hot spots.
The high setting is plenty warm for very cold days (for me, that’s below 40 degrees), while the medium setting offers a comfortable warmth that’s perfect to take the chill out of the cool air. The low setting is great for when I’m just looking for a little extra hug of warmth. The jacket doesn’t make me over-heat, and the low setting helps extend battery life. There goes my excuse for not walking outdoors on a cool day!
Mostly I’ve worn the jacket without the power turned on, because it is warm enough for the little bit of cold that I have encountered. The FELLEX insulation between the waterproof shell and the mylar thermal lining keeps the cold out, even when it’s breezy or drizzling. However, the days have only begun to cool off and I am confident this heated jacket will get me though the cold winter months.
The hood is pretty big, so when I just pull it up it sort of covers my whole face. When it’s raining that’s a good thing, but when I am trying to walk around it’s a little bit clunky. I can set it to a better position, but the hood is really my least favorite feature of the jacket. The hood is removable, though, if I never warm find a way to make it comfortable to me. It does have drawstrings to snug it up against my head. A small bill ensures the rain doesn’t fall directly on my face. I think I would really like it if I have to be out in the rain. But I don’t really like to be out in the rain. Haha. I may remove the hood in the long run. Time will tell.
Battery Life
The power bank I received with my Venustas Women’s Waterproof Heated Lightweight FELLEX Jacket fits neatly in a hidden pocket. Compared to my vest and Tony’s 3-9n-1 jacket, this battery is a lot larger. Some of the Venustas heated clothing required a 7.4V battery, and some a 12V battery. My jacket is the latter. The battery I received with my jacket provides 15,000mAh and appears to be the largest battery offered.
Battery life is adequate. On the high setting, I got about three hours of heat, just as advertised. I imagine I won’t need high heat very often, and I rarely have more than three hours to sit by a fire anyway, so this combination suits me well. I assume the six and 10 hour estimates will also be fairly accurate.
Charging the power bank is also straightforward, I just pop it onto a USB-C charge cable overnight. In the morning, I plug it in and I’m ready to go.
The USB-C port can be used as a power supply. I haven’t tested how much that affects the heating time, but it’s nice to know in an emergency I could pop my phone into it for a bit of battery extension. This is also another good reason to keep the USB-C cable in the battery pocket!
Ease of Use
The control of the Venustas Heated Jacket is very simple. The power button is handily on the left chest. Press it once for a couple seconds, to turn on the vest. Then cycle through the three heat settings with just a simple press of the button. The LED indicator shows the setting, so there’s no guesswork involved. Red for high heat, white for medium, and blue for low. Everyone around me knows how cold I was, by what color my button is glowing.
Pockets!
Every woman knows that pockets in garments are vital to our comfort. Venustas does not disappoint in this jacket. The battery pack itself has its own inside pocket, at about waist height so they don’t weigh down the upper part of the garment. That pocket is large enough that I also store the power cable with the battery in case I need to recharge on the go.
The two heated pockets at the lower front are huge! I usually judge a pocket size by how well it holds my phone. However, one day I was carrying am empty 20-ounce travel mug, and didn’t want to set it down and forget it. I thought maybe I could cradle it in the pocket. To my surprise, it went all the way in, and the zipper still closed! Color me impressed! The pockets have fleece inside, so they feel soft and cozy on the back of my hands.
In fact, every pocket in this jacket (I didn’t test the battery pocket) is more than large enough to hold my iPhone 16 pro. There is a secure inside breast pocket, sort of behind the power button. This is large enough to hold a wallet, or other items you want safely close to your body. Two breast pockets on the outside keep things handy, and easily hold my phone. The real surprise bonus pocket on the left sleeve gave me a big grin. That, too, is spacious enough to hold a phone or anything that you might need to take in and out frequently.
Durability
I expect to be wearing this jacket for years to come. The outer shell feels durable and resistant to light wind and water, making it a reliable option in slightly wet conditions. The solid stitching is and the safely-integrated heating elements feel secure. I don’t worry about them coming loose or malfunctioning.
Other products
Venustas offers several styles of jackets, hoodies, and vests. They also have socks, gloves, and waist-belt hand warmers with extra pockets.
Final Thoughts
The Venustas Women’s Waterproof Heated Lightweight FELLEX Jacket is going to keep me warm and comfortable in colder conditions. The combination of lightweight design, fast and effective heating, solid battery life, and easy-to-use controls makes it a must-have for outdoor enthusiasts or anyone who feels the cold more than most. Whether you're sitting around a campfire, hiking the trails, or wandering through a winter light show, this jacket would make a noticeable difference in your comfort level.
I do look forward to sitting by a campfire with this jacket. I’ll be able to stay out longer, warming my feet on the fire while my back, neck, and hands stay toasty warm.
