Winter is well and truly here. The days are darker, the evenings are chillier and the wind is becoming more and more biting. I never used to feel the cold, but have started to more this year for some unknown reason, so when 8K Flexwarm offered to send me one of their heated jackets to review, I couldn’t say no. Admittedly, I was somewhat dubious initially. How warm would it be? Surely it’s just a gimmick…?

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

How does it work? I hear you ask!

It’s simple and quick to both set up and get going. The jacket comes with a small, but mighty, rechargeable 7500mAh power bank, that can be recharged. This plugs into a small USB cable within the internal pocket of the jacket. It’s small, hidden and doesn’t affect the fit or line of the jacket once on, so never fear! The power bank also has another USB port, so you can fast charge your smart phone too. Perfect if, like me, you spend too much time taking photos and absolutely destroying your phone battery life… So far, with my trials and tests, I’ve managed to make the pack last a full day (turning the jacket off once I’d warmed up) and even got a phone charge out of that, too.

The jacket stood up well in a rain shower, something I was very concerned about for a product with internal heated elements and wires, until I discovered that it’s also machine washable, despite the technology within. It’s not waterproof, but then it’s not designed to be. As a top layer on a cold, dry day it’s perfect – but it’s equally suited as a mid layer under a shell or waterproof layer, as it’s not super thick or heavy duty.

The heat is on…

The heat settings can either be adjusted from buttons on the left hand side of the jacket, or using the “Powered By Flexwarm” app which works via the Bluetooth on your phone. You can choose whether to heat the front of the jacket, the back, or both if you’re feeling super chilly. The three heated zones warm up very quickly (you can choose from 40, 45 and 50 degrees of temperature or adjust to suit within the app) and, unlike some other heated jackets, the 8K Flexwarm technology has been designed to eliminate cold patches and uneven heating. Flexwarm is an ultra thin heating layer printed to the internal fabric – It heats fast, distributes evenly and feels like a cosy hug! The only way I can explain it to heated jacket newbies, is to compare it to a heated car seat… You know it’s there, you’re instantly warmed up, but don’t feel uncomfortably warm at any point.

What about the jacket itself?

The first thing I noticed was the style of the jacket, it looks good and wouldn’t look out of place in the hills or on a weekend city break. It’s thin enough that you can wear it underneath another layer without being too hot, or can be worn on its own.

My next point is both a pro and a con of the jacket… It is a very snug fit. For me, this is perfect as I like my jackets fitted, incase I want to wear them under another layer, but I would advise sizing up regardless of your size, definitely for the female jackets anyway. I’ve heard from many people that their jackets came up very small as well, and am inclined to agree. That being said, it was still incredibly comfortable, and as I’ve previously mentioned, you can’t feel, or see, the power bank.

My only negatives were that I’d have liked a slightly roomier fit (easily solved by sizing up) and I wasn’t a huge fan of the buttons being illuminated when heating the jacket, as I feel it detracts from what otherwise looks a sleek, stylish outdoor jacket. I understand the requirement for them to be lit, however, and it does help with knowing which setting you’re on, if not using the app!

At £225 for the female version of this jacket, it’s not the cheapest coat out there, but given its benefits and how warm it is, I can’t recommend it enough for those of you who feel the cold. It’s gained a permanent position in my outdoor gear cupboard and I can’t wait to use it over the winter months. It will be equally as useful on a chilly commute as it will in the hills!

• I was kindly sent this to review, but as ever my opinions are my own. The links within this post are affiliate links.