When you live in Minnesota and are a year-round bike commuter like I am, having a good winter jacket is indispensable. For the past few years, I’ve worn a North Face puffy jacket as my primary winter coat, often paired with a smaller Patagonia jacket as a secondary layer. This combination has worked out well for me and I’ve been able to get through the long Minnesota winters without much issue. I’m still always on the lookout for new gear though (especially new electric gear). So when a company called Ororo offered to let me try out their Ororo Heated Jacket, I had to take them up on it.
Ororo offers a lot of different heated jacket options. I ultimately opted for the Ororo Men’s Heated Down Jacket. And I have to say, I’ve been really impressed with this coat. So impressed, in fact, that my Ororo Heated Jacket has become my new go-to winter coat. It’s a sweet jacket, and one I’ve been using for all my outdoor winter adventures. That includes biking my son to daycare (yes, even in the winter), delivering food with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub on my ebike (yes, even in the winter), and doing whatever else it is I may be doing outside in the cold.
In this Ororo Heated Jacket review, I want to go over some of the features of this coat and provide some insight into why it has become my favorite winter coat.
Ororo Heated Jacket: Brief Overview
- Ororo Heated Apparel sells heated jackets, coats, vests, and other heated accessories, including heated gloves, socks, scarfs, and hand warmers.
- The heated jackets and coats are powered by a removable battery. When in use, the battery goes into a zippered pocket located in the interior lining of the coat.
- The heated jackets and coats can be set to three temperatures: hot, warm, and cool. Ororo advertises that you should get 3 hours of battery life on the hot setting, 6 hours on warm, and 10 hours on cool.
- I found the down coat (which is the one I tested in this post) to be warm and able to handle even the coldest conditions. I live in Minnesota and have used the jacket in temperatures as cold as negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit and had no issues keeping warm.
- The short of it – the Ororo Down Jacket looks great, can handle even the coldest temperatures, and has a pretty affordable price point, in my opinion.
Pros:
- Ororo Heated Jackets are stylish jackets that look pretty good.
- The down jacket I got can handle really cold temperatures without issue.
- Having a heating element to my jacket is awesome.
Cons:
- The battery in the interior pocket can feel a bit off and can make the jacket feel a little unbalanced (as if you have too many things in one pocket). It took me a little time to get used to it.
- The jacket seems to be sized a bit smaller than I expected. I typically wear a small with most brands but had to exchange my Ororo Jacket for a medium.
- Having a battery means you have another thing you have to remember to charge.
What Is The Ororo Heated Jacket?
The Ororo Heated Jacket is, as the name suggests, an electric heated jacket. The jacket is lined with heating coils that are powered by a 5200 mAH battery pack. The battery pack is removable and sits in an interior pocket on the bottom left side of the jacket.
When you want to recharge it, you remove the battery pack, then plug it into a USB-C charging cord. Ororo provides a charging brick and cord with your jacket, but any USB-C charging cable works to recharge it.
Here’s a look at the battery pack. It’s pretty small and has the Ororo branding on it.
To control the heat on the jacket, you simply plug your jacket into the battery pack, then hold the Ororo button on the front of the jacket for a few seconds. The button will eventually start blinking, indicating that the jacket is heating up. It heats up pretty fast – a few minutes and you’ll start to feel the heat on the interior of the jacket.
Other than the battery, button, and heating coils, everything else about the jacket is what you’d expect for a winter jacket. It’s made with 750-fill down, which makes it warm enough to use in just about any climate. I live in Minnesota and have been using it all winter, with temperatures as low as minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit on some days. I’ve felt plenty warm in it, so long as I’m properly layered underneath. And believe me, if a jacket can stand up to a Minnesota winter, it can stand up to just about any winter weather in the world.
Ororo Heated Jacket Features
Since the Ororo Heated Jacket isn’t your typical winter coat, I figure it might be useful to go over some of the features of this jacket so you understand what it’s all about. Here are the main features I’ve noticed with my Ororo Heated Jacket.
Multiple Heating Levels. Ororo Heated Jackets come with three temperature levels – hot, medium, and cool. To change the temperature, you simply push the button on the front of the jacket. The light on the jacket will change color to correspond with the temperature. Red is hot. White is medium. And blue is the coolest temperature level.
I’m a big fan of the button lighting up because I think it makes the jacket look cool. During the day, you can’t really see the light, but at night, it’s definitely noticeable.
The heating coils are located in the interior of the jacket and in the pockets, so it’ll keep your core and hands warm. There are also heating coils around the collar, which makes my Ororo Heated Down Jacket very comfortable when I have it zipped up all the way.
Removable Battery Pack. As I already mentioned, the Ororo Heated Jacket is powered by a removable, 5200 mAh battery pack. Ororo advertises that you can get 3 hours of heating on high heat, 6 hours on medium heat, and 10 hours on low heat. I haven’t done any formal tests to see how long the battery lasts, but I can say that when I’m out and about, the battery can last me the entire day. For the most part, I keep the temperature at medium unless it’s really cold outside, in which case I’ll turn it up to high heat.
The battery back can also double as a phone charger, as it has a USB port to plug in your devices. Obviously, if you use it to charge your phone, you’re going to shorten how long it can power your jacket.
The battery pack includes a USB charging port, so you can charge your phone if you find yourself in a pinch.
When plugged into your jacket, the battery pack goes into a small interior pocket located near the bottom of the coat. This can feel a bit weird. When I first got the jacket, I kept feeling like something was falling out of my coat pocket. I’ve gotten used to it at this point, but it is something that did take some getting used to.
I know that having another battery pack to think about isn’t ideal for some people. I have a lot of things to charge when I’m out and about – my computer, my phone, my ebike battery, an extra battery pack for my phone, and now the battery pack for my coat. I’m used to carrying all of these things in my backpack, but I can understand that some people would rather carry fewer things.
A Word On Sizing. One thing to note is that I think the sizing on the Ororo Heated Jacket runs a bit smaller than I expected. I initially ordered a size small because that’s the size I wear with all of my other jackets, but I found the small to be a bit tight on me. I’m 5’10” and about 150 pounds, so that can give you an idea of how big these jackets run. I ended up exchanging the jacket for a size medium, which I find fits me much better. My advice is to consider sizing up when you order this jacket.
Taking A Look At The Ororo Heated Gloves
In addition to the Ororo Heated Jacket, I also got my hands on the Ororo Twin Cities Gloves. Naturally, because I live in the Twin Cities, I had to go for the gloves named after my city.
The Twin Cities gloves are two sets of gloves – a thinner interior glove that’s more of a performance glove, suited for mild weather, and then a larger, thick pair of gloves that’s better suited for winter. The thick pair of gloves are regular gloves and don’t have heating coils. The interior glove is the one with heating coils. Similar to the jacket, the gloves are powered by two small batteries (one for each glove) and are controlled by a button on the glove. When you turn it on, the button lights up and tells you the temperature setting – red for hot, white for medium, and blue for cool.
If you have mild winters or want to use gloves in the spring or fall, these will do the trick. Unfortunately, they aren’t thick enough for the Minnesota winter, even when using the heating elements of the glove, so for the winter, I’ve found myself turning back to my regular, analog mittens. If I could redo the gloves I picked, I probably would have considered going with the Amsterdam Heated Mittens, which are not only less expensive than the Twin Cities gloves, but also look better suited for winter weather.
Another thing to remember, similar to the jacket, I found the gloves ran smaller than I expected, so I recommend sizing up if you order any of the gloves.
Final Thoughts
The Ororo Heated Jacket is a brand of jacket that I like. I think the jacket looks cool. Plus, I’m a tech person, so I enjoy that there’s some level of technology in this jacket, even if it’s as simple as putting heating coils inside the jacket.
My Ororo Down Jacket can definitely stand up to any winter weather too. I’m a bike commuter, even in the winter, and I’ve had no issues biking in even the coldest Minnesota weather with this jacket. Even without the heating technology, the jacket feels plenty warm with just the down filling. With the heat turned on, it feels even better. Of course, you still have to wear proper layers under the jacket, but assuming you’re doing that, the Ororo Heated Jacket will keep you warm.
For now, I’ve put my other jackets in the closet and am sticking with my Ororo Heated Jacket as my everyday winter coat. If you’re in the market for a new jacket or coat and want to try something different from your typical brands, I think it’s worth taking a look at Ororo. I’ve had a good experience with my coat.
If you’re interested in checking out the Ororo jackets, you can check them out here.
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More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:
- Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
- Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
- Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
- Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
- Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
- KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
- Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
- Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
- Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
- Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
- Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
- Hiboy S2 Scooter – The Hiboy S2 is an excellent entry-level commuter scooter that's perfect for someone looking to save some money in transportation costs and improve their commute. Check out my Hiboy S2 Review.
- Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R Review.
- Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.
More Recommended Investing App Bonuses
For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:
- M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
- SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Webull (20 free stock shares) – Webull's current promotion gives you 20 free shares valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free shares using Webull.
- Moomoo (15 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 2 different referral bonuses if you open an account using a referral link. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
- Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.
More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses
If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.
- Upgrade ($200) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $200 referral bonus if you open an account and complete a direct deposit. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $200 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- Ally Bank ($100) – Of all the banks out there, Ally is, without a doubt, my favorite. At the moment, Ally is offering $100 to customers who open an eligible Ally account and meet the requirements. Here are the step-by-step directions to earn your Ally Bank referral bonus.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($175) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
- Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
- US Bank Business ($800) – This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
- Fifth Third Bank ($200) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and South Carolina. If you don’t live in one of those states, you won’t be able to open an account online but you can still open an account in-branch if you happen to be visiting a city that has a branch. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, especially since there are plenty of data points showing what will trigger the direct deposit requirement. In addition, you can open the Fifth Third Momentum Checking bank account, which comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Read my guide on this bonus here.
- GO2Bank ($50) - GO2Bank is an easy bank bonus that I recommend people take advantage of if they have an easy way of meeting the direct deposit requirement. I like that it’s easy to open the account and that the bonus pays out quickly. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your GO2Bank $50 referral bonus.
- Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link. Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
- Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
- Varo ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.
Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.
Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.
Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:
- SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
- 5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
- US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $800 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
- M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
- Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
Love this review! As someone who’s always on the lookout for reliable winter gear, I’m so glad you shared your experience with the Ororo Heated Jacket. The thought of being able to stay warm and toasty while still looking stylish is music to my ears. Definitely adding this to my wishlist – thanks for the great recommendation!