Living Off the Slab
Login

Testing the ORORO Heated Apparel Dual Control Jacket

During my fall trip of 2022, I took my wife’s battery powered jacket as an added layer of protection against the cold. Normally, I just take a couple of insulated layers and double up on them if needed, however because the heated jacket was available I decided to try it and it worked out very well. This got me thinking that I might want to get some heated gear for myself.

As the Fate’s would have it just about this time, the folks at ORORO Heated Apparel contacted me about doing a review for their “Classic Heated Jacket.” It is funny how these things work out and makes you think someone is watching and listening to us…but that is another story.

Watch the video (live 01/01/2023): https://youtu.be/s6N7p0AcW0E

To watch the videos before they go live on YouTube, ad free, join one of the Living Off the Slab supporting memberships. Click here to learn more!
ORORO Wear Heated Jacket
After doing some research on the ORORO Heated Apparel line, I noticed that they have a jacket with 5 heated zones; two in the front chest, one for the back and two additional zones on the upper arms. I thought this would be a better fit for motorcyclists, so I asked if they would send me one of their Dual Control Jackets to test and review. 
Dual Control Jacket
Luckily ORORO Heated Apparel agreed to send me the jacket and recently I received it. My first test was to go over the jacket with a fine toothed comb, looking for flaws in the sems, zippers etc. I am pleased to say that the workmanship on the garment is excellent.
Next, I needed to check out the fit and comfort. Having a 46 inch chest, I double checked their sizing chart and found I should fit into an extra-large model. Again, I was pleased to find that the jacket fit well and was very comfortable. I also like the fact that the jacket comes with a removable zippered hood, because I plan on using it for more than just motorcycle riding. The battery powered Dual Control Jacket will be perfect for winter walks and spring time camping. 

That is the big plus with a battery powered jacket, you can use it in many places, not just when you are hooked into the bike like the corded variety. The drawback is of course that you have to keep the battery charged and when doing bike trips I will definitely be buying a second battery.

After charging the battery, I thought that the best test for this heated  jacket would be to go for a 3 mile walk that I do on a regular basis. The temps on the day of my test were in the upper 30’s, 37F to be exact as I left my home.
Dual Control Buttons
Rather than having to reach into a pocket to adjust the battery and heating level, the Dual Control Jacket has two buttons on the left upper chest which allows you to easily adjust the setting of both the torso and arm zones. When  you first turn on the jacket (by pressing the torso button for two seconds) the garment will go into “preheating” mode. The button will alternate from red to off during this process that takes about 5 minutes.
Once the jacket has been preheated, the torso button will light up as “white,” indicating medium heat. You can then adjust both the torso and arm zones as needed. Each button has three settings, low (blue), medium (white), and high heat (red).
Once the jacket has been preheated, the torso button will light up as “white,” indicating medium heat. You can then adjust both the torso and arm zones as needed. Each button has three settings, low (blue), medium (white), and high heat (red).

During my hour-long walk I tried each of these settings and found that each of them works very well depending on the situation. For most of the trip I left the jacket on medium heat, but as I was walking up a few hills, I turned it down to low. Then on the last leg heading toward home, I switched to high; which was a bit toasty, so I went back to medium.


I found a few other video reviews online and one gentleman said he did not think the jacket was heavy enough to wear by itself. While this reviewer was testing the ORORO Heat Classic Jacket (with only chest and back zones) I did not find that to be the case with the Dual Zone Jacket. I have worn the jacket in 40 degree temps without turning it on and felt very comfortable. When the heating zones were working, the jacket was very comfortable down in the upper 30s’ I can see that maybe in the 20’s you would want to throw another heavier coat over the jacket, but that is what I expected. This type of jacket is meant to be used as a mid-layer.


So, after testing this jacket and living with it for a few weeks, I really like it. It is well made and the heating elements work great. I have also been very pleased with the battery life in that the hour walk I took did not cause the LED indicators to move from the full status. I will of course have to see how it works on a long bike ride in the spring.


To purchase the ORORO Heat Dual Control Jacket or any of their other products, use the links below. Linking through the Living Off the Slab website, will give us a small commission on each sale and help to keep these videos coming.


Ride Safe, My Friends!
--Craig Ripley

ORORO Wear Heated Jacket

Ororo Heat Dual Control Heated Jacket

If you want to stay un-tethered, this jacket does a great job of keeping you warm. I have been using mine for more than a year and still love it.

As with any of these battery powered products, getting and extra set or two of batteries is suggestion for thos long cold days.

Purchase from Ororo Wear