iHood Heated Vest Review

I recently got my hands on an iHood heated vest with a retractable hood (ihood sent me one to review) and I absolutely loved it. While I am not usually a vest guy, the iHood has changed my mind, I think it was the 8 different heat zones and the unique power/heat level switch that did the trick.

I have used this vest for the past two weeks in a variety of different temperatures and could not be happier with the results. It kept me warm whenever I was outside, even when the temps dipped below zero. Keep reading to see my full review.

What is in the box?

The iHood comes nicely packaged in a little zipped pouch that includes the following:

iHood heated vest with a retractable Hood
7.4V 14400 mAh battery
AC Adapter and USB-C Cable
User Guide
Laundry bag

The Specs

Battery/Power Bank: The ihood comes with a 7.4V 14400mAh capacity power bank. According to the User Guide, the battery pack should keep the heat flowing for roughly 9.5 on low, 6.5 hours on medium, or 4.5 hours on high.

8 Heating Zones: The iHood heated vest has 8 carbon fiber heating elements. There are two on the left chest and two on the right chest, one large heat zone on the back of the vest as well as heated collar and two in the hood. The iHood was designed to keep your entire upper body warm which is why they incorporated so many heat zones.

Retractable Hood: The iHood has a retractable heated hood that can be zipped back into the collar. There are two heating panels in the hood, one over each ear. The hood also has a drawstring that helps keep the heat in while also protecting against the wind.

3 Temperature Control Switches: The iHood allows you to control the three different heat zones with one button. Simply press and hold the buttons different sections to turn on each heat zone. You can then adjust the heat setting for each heat zone by pressing the button once. Heat temps are indicated by the light color for each heat zone:

Red light = high temp

White = medium temp

Blue = low temp

Rapid Heating: The iHood is designed to heat up quickly. Once the power bank has been turned on, it will reach the desired temperature within 10 seconds. This is a major advantage when heading out into the cold.

Washable: The iHood can be hand-washed or washed in a machine. In most cases, hand washing is recommended but if you are washing in a machine, you will need to use a laundry bag to prevent damage to the wiring inside the vest.

High Heating Temperatures: The iHood can reach 160°F on high, making it one of the warmer heated vests we have reviewed. Top temperatures vary depending on the heat zone with the chest and back heat zones cranking the heat up to 167°F while the collar and hood top out at 140°F.

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iHood Heated Vest Features

This vest is bursting with features that make it comfortable and warm. The iHood heated vest has two pockets on the inside, one for storing the battery while the other can be used to stash your phone, keys, or other important items you want to secure.

The power bank not only powers the vest but can also be used to charge your phone or other electronics. It has 2 USB-A ports, 1 USB-C port, and 1 micro-USB port. The power bank is plugged into a USB connector cable in the battery pocket. The power bank also has a digital read out, so you never have to guess how much battery is left.

One of my favorite features of the iHood is the ability to turn the various heat zones on and off independently. Many heated jackets and vests only allow you to turn on all of the various heat zones but with the iHood, you can turn on the chest, back and collar/hood zones on separately, allowing you to control the heat levels more precisely as well as save the battery life by turning off heat zones you are not currently using.

The fact that this heated vest can be machine washed makes it very convenient to keep clean. While you should consider hand washing it most of the time, being able to throw it in a laundry bag and drop it into the washing machine can be a huge time saver.

How does it perform?

Fantastic is really the only word I have for this heated vest. The iHood heated vest will help keep you warm in even the coldest of weather while also being super comfy.

I have used this vest over the last couple of weeks and it has not failed me once. I used it while skiing, shoveling snow, going for a walk, and even plowing my driveway in 6°F temperatures and it has kept me warm through all of it. In addition, this vest is very comfortable to wear, the fabric and interior is very soft, it’s lightweight, and the fit is true to size.

One way to really up the up the heat factor is to put a fleece or other coat over top of the heated vest. Even when the temps dropped below 0°F, when I put another coat on top of the iHood, I was toasty warm.

The battery life is pretty close to what the company claims. I started the day with a 100 percent charged battery and while running the chest and back heating zones on high it dropped down to 64 percent after about 1.5 hours outside so it should last almost 4.5 hours on high which is what iHood claims.

Based on the performance I experienced over the last couple of weeks I highly recommend this vest. Buy this one with confidence.

The Bottom Line

Honestly, I loved this heated vest. It looks and fits great. The heat it produces makes it one of the warmest heated vests we have tested. The ability to control the various heat zones is a huge plus, as is the heated hood that can be tucked away when not in use.

Our only real complaint was the size of the outside pockets. I wished there were a bit bigger, but I also tend to carry quite a bit of stuff with me so this may not be an issue for you.

Overall, I am very happy to recommend this vest, it fits great, looks great and will keep you warm out in the cold.

Ready to buy the iHood? Check out the Men's or Women's iHood Heated Vest and buy with confidence.