Winter Adventure heated Gear - Is it Worth the Hype?
This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via a link on this page, we make a small commission at absolutely no extra charge to you. Thank you for your support of this small women-led business.
Winter adventure heated gear? WHAT? That’s for those who can’t handle the cold right?
I’ll be the first to admit that the thought of a heated vest sounded amazing. But as a regular hiker, I didn’t want to seem too “weak sauce” when it came to winter cold.
Heated socks and gloves are acceptable attire on the ski slopes. But heated vests and jackets?
Hmmmm…
Then I tried the Venustas winter adventure heated gear vest.
Nope! Not weak sauce at all.
In fact, this heated vest is 100% on my regular winter gear rotation.
Gotta walk the dog? Get out the vest! Spectating Colorado spring soccer? Turn that vest on high. Just plain cold all the time? Get yourself a Venustas!
I am now a convert - bring on the winter adventure heated gear. I’m all in and you should be too!
Exclusive Promo Offer
Save $15 off ANY PURCHASE of a Venustus product when you use our exclusive Colorado Hikes and Hops promo code “COHH” on your next purchase.
Why should you invest in winter adventure heated gear?
Start any Colorado hike in cold weather months and you’ll quickly realize one of two things -
Scenario 1: You overdressed, finding yourself in a furnace within minutes of the hike. Layers come off and your pack starts looking like the Pillsbury doughboy.
Scenario 2: You underdressed because you’ve been there, done that in scenario 1. What you didn’t plan on was shivering and shaking for the first hour of your hike, trying desperately to warm up.
Plugging in the battery pack on the Venustas winter adventure heated gear vest
This has been my life for so many winter hikes!
Until I put on my Venustas winter adventure heated gear vest 7.4v with heating pockets.
A flick of a button to “on” and within seconds, warm spreads over your core with five heating panels on the waist, pockets and mid back. I did not realize what a HUGE deal it was to start a hike already warm.
A small button on the upper left chest controls the heat. Turn on and prewarm with the red blinking light. The button controls High, Medium or Low warming options.
Made with premium white duck down, this coat is toasty warm with or without the heating elements on.
On a recent weekend trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, I wore this vest on three separate snowshoe hikes. The weekend’s average weather never got above 20 degrees. The wind was whipping and it was downright cold!
I wore a base tank, long sleeve Smartwool hooded sweater with the Venustas heated vest on top. The last layer, my Patagonia lightweight puffer was a wind buffer.
Throughout the best snowshoe hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park (averaging 5-6 hours of winter hiking/snowshoeing), I was warm but never too hot.
On the steep inclines, I turned my Venustas heated vest off, allowing the duck down filling to serve as warmth for those portions of the trail.
Machine washable, woven fabric to keep its shape
FIlled with Duck Down weathers
Velcro Battery pocket for removable battery
7.4V Rechargeable battery (USB port for quick recharge)
5 heated zones
Battery lasts: 3-4 hrs on high, 4-5 hrs on medium, 8-9 hrs on low heating setting
2 deep front pockets with zippers
zip bag to hold vest, battery and charger
Staying toasty warm on a frozen lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
immediate core heat
As soon as I hit the on button on the Venustas heated down vest, I felt a blanket of warm cover my core. I kept telling my husband, “I feel like I just sank into the hot springs.”
We ran into two volunteer park rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park. I was turning on my vest when we walked up to them. After a brief drive demo of the vest, they both were curious how long the battery would last. Ranger One had purchased heated gloves a while back and returned them - they were a bust.
Still feeling snug as a bug after a hours long snowshoe hike at RMNP
Extended battery
I was happy to report, 5 hours later, that the battery pack kept me warm the entire time we were out on the snowshoe trail. As Venustas claims, medium heat battery life lasted 5 hours and counting for me. When we got off the trail, the battery had 30% life left.
Consistent heat created consistent warmth all day
On most winter hikes, I find myself shivering at the end of the hike. Energy depletion and consistent cold creates a sudden cold that only a really hot shower alleviates. Each day I wore this vest, I didn’t have that issue at all!
Some portions of our snowshoe hikes were completely exposed, knocking the windchill to below 0°F.
Down vest keeps you warm even when not heating
A woven material creates a wind barrier combined with the down filling, giving you warmth even when the battery pack is not turned on. This vest uses very lightweight fabrics and materials that still pack a punch in the “let’s stay warm” category.
Rechargeable battery
The battery pack is easy to plug into any USB port. It took around 5 hours to charge from 0 to 100%.
Venustas Heated Down Vest 7/4 v Cons
The Heated down vest runs big
I ordered a size small and could have used an extra small. There was ample room in my armpits and belly area. However, the extra room was nice for layering.
Battery pack is bulky
While the pocket for the battery pack is in the lower left pocket, I still had issues with it knocking against the hip belt of my Osprey Sirrus backpack. I would have prefered it a bit higher - maybe create a mid waist pocket.
Battery is heavy
Winter hiking in Colorado requires a lot of layers. Extra weight is a given. That said, I wish the battery was a tad smaller and lighter. I ended up cinching the battery pocket up and over my hip belt. Otherwise it would drag down on the left side of my body.
Add Cinch ties at the base of the vest
When I snowshoe, I usually wear snow pants along with a few upper body base layers. Having cinch ties on the base of the best would have kept the vest right in place.
On/off button is hard to see
My old eyes couldn’t figure out if the vest was on HIGH or MEDIUM heat. The button itself, located on the upper left side of the vest, is easy to access. However, I found it rather difficult to see, looking down at my chest, if it was on the right setting. Brighter lighting would be great for old eyes like mine!
Venustas heated vest thoughts on the snowshoe trail in Rocky Mountain National Park
This heated vest retails for $179.99 and carries a 1 year warranty on the battery and 2 year warranty on the elements. It is machine washable. Water and scratch resistant.
Exclusive Promo Offer
Save $15 off ANY PURCHASE of a Venustus product when you use our exclusive Colorado Hikes and Hops promo code “COHH” on your next purchase.
Staying warm on a snowshoe hike with my Venustas heated down vest 7.4v with heating pockets
For outdoor Colorado adventures, I’d give the Venustas winter adventure heated gear vest a solid A- rating. It kept me warm and dry. The only downside, in my opinion, was the weight and bulk of the battery pack.
If that’s the only deterrent to a wonderfully warm winter adventure, I’m all in!
The final word on a snowy cold snowshoe hike to Loch Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.