Heated Gilet for Back and Joint Pains this Winter
By Jessica Kenney DC Mchiro (Doctor of Chiropractic) - November 2025 (Essex, UK)
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HEATED GILETS ARE A MUST HAVE FOR JOINT PAIN IN WINTER
These heated gilets can be worn just like a regular bodywarmer — but with the press of a button, they gently warm up to keep you cosy.
The warmth helps boost blood flow to your muscles, keeping them relaxed and better supplied with nutrients. By staying warm through your core, circulation to your arms and legs also improves — which can mean less stiffness and discomfort in your back, neck, shoulders, wrists, and even knees.
These are especially useful for those who spend time outdoors in British Winters, and those dealing with symptoms that are aggravated by damp cold such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, hypermobility, Raynaud’s and more.
There are different brands at different price points. We recommend Ororo heated gilet as they are great quality, reliable rechargeable battery packs and good customer service however their 3 year warranty is only valid when you buy direct through them, which is the most expensive option.
Scroll down for our recommendations for every budget, and what to look out for when deciding.
What are Heated Gilets?
Heated gilets are all the rage at the moment, what actually are they? They’re bodywarmers with built in, flexible heating elements, that are powered by a small, lightweight, rechargeable battery pack (similar to a portable power bank) that is connected via USB. You can wear it as a normal gilet, and then press a built in button and the element will start heating up. This means you stay nice and cosy even in harsh Winter weather, and can choose the heat setting depending on how cold you are feeling.
They’re also a cost-effective alternative to turning up the central heating which makes them perfect for wearing indoors too. As our favourite money-saving expert Martin Lewis says: “heat the person, not the room.”. Plus, avoiding dry indoor air from central heating can help reduce symptoms like asthma, coughs, fatigue, and headaches.
How do Heated Gilet/Bodywarmers Reduce Joint and Muscle Pain?
When we're exposed to cold, the body responds by narrowing blood vessels near the skin and in the extremities — a process called vasoconstriction. This redirects blood flow away from the hands, feet, and surface tissues toward the core to protect vital organs and maintain internal temperature. While this is essential for survival, it can lead to cold, stiff muscles and joints, reduced dexterity, and increased discomfort in conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or Raynaud’s disease. The reduced circulation also limits oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles, making them more prone to tightness, fatigue, and injury.
Even if your extremities are exposed to the cold, maintaining core warmth can lessen the intensity of vasoconstriction throughout the body, supporting improved blood flow and comfort.
Are Heated Bodywarmer’s/Gilet Bulky to Wear?
No, heated gilet are not bulky or heavy to wear. The battery pack is usually around 200grams, and the gilet themselves are lightweight. Some brands, like Ororo, offer a thicker, Down filled gilet which will be bulkier but people often wear them under their Winter coats with no problem.
Which Heated Gilet Brand is the Best (UK 2025 Men + Women)?
As always, this will depend on what your needs and budget are. However, always look at the battery quality, how long a full charge lasts, washing instructions, whether the power bank is included, customer service, and warranty information when deciding which one to go for.
Heated Gilets for Entry Level Budget:
Entry level gilet’s DO NOT come with a battery pack so you will have to source your own but many people already have one (5V 2A 1000mah or higher). There are 15 small heating pads with dual control for back and/or belly, 3 heat settings, machine washable and has thermal insulation lining. No mention of warranty on their Amazon page.
Vapesoon unisex £45.99 on Amazon: Sizes XS to XXL
Heated Gilet for Mid Range Budget:
Hecusma gilet have 9 heating zones with battery pack included. Full charge up to 10hours heating, water resistant fabric and charges in 5-8 hours. No mention of warranty on their Amazon page.
Hecusma men’s £79.99 on Amazon: Sizes S to 3XL
Hecusma women’s £89.99 Shop on Amazon: Sizes XS to XXL
The Overrall Winner and Premium Budget Brand for Heated Gilets:
After trying a few brands, we recommend Ororo. Ororo has a 4.7/5 score on Trustpilot and comes with a warranty. It does make it a little pricier than some competitors but you know you’re getting quality. However, you have a choice: either buying direct from Ororo or buying through Amazon. Buying through Amazon is cheaper and you have a 1 year partial warranty on heating elements and batteries whereas buying direct through Ororo is more expensive but you have a 3 year heating element warranty. See the full warranty information here. It’s always a good idea to browse both sites since they sometimes have their own promotions running.
The following information is for their basic 4 heating area gilet, however you can get different versions and other products that I will link below.
Ororo Women’s: £118.99 Shop on Amazon now
Ororo Men’s: £139.99 Shop on Amazon now
Ororo Women’s £169.99 Shop direct from Ororo
Ororo Men’s: £169.99 Shop direct from Ororo
Ororo features:
3 versatile heat settings
Sixing XS to 3XL
Heats within seconds
Water and wind resistant
Ripstop shell
4 carbon fiber heating elements (left & right pocket, collar, middle back)
FELLEX® Insulated
Up to 10 working hours (3 hrs on high heating setting, 6 hrs on medium, 10 hrs on low)
Mini 5K Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (4800 mAh, 7.4V)
Fully charged in 4 hours (with a 5V/3A charger)
UL, CUL, CE, FCC, and RoHS certified for safety and quality assurance
Washing: Machine washable at least 50 times, but on a cold wash and recommend using a mesh laundry bag. Do not dry clean or iron.
Other Ororo products:
There’s lots of other products, including gloves and scarves but here’s their most popular:
Heated, Reflective Dog Coat (Amazon: £79.99)
Extra long women’s heated gilet (Amazon £149.99)
Men’s heated hoodie (Amazon £145.99)
Who’s Going to Benefit?
Both people that are outdoors a lot, or have pain or stiffness aggravated in Winter . If you have an outdoor hobby AND a condition that’s aggravated in the cold these gilet can be complete gamechanger.
Outdoor hobbies
Perfect for everything from early morning dog walks and pitch-side spectating, to mucking out the stables, evening motorbike rides, or a post-Christmas dinner stroll. Ideal when you just need a little warmth to get going — without the hassle of an extra coat you'll want to take off 20 minutes later.
Outdoor jobs
Mechanics, builders, roofers, electricians, warehouse workers, landscapers, animal care staff, and others working outdoors can all benefit from staying warm on the job. Keeping muscles warm helps reduce the risk of injuries like back pain flare-ups and muscle strains. These professions also see higher rates of conditions like Raynaud’s (white finger), which can be eased with the gentle heat of a heated gilet.
High blood pressure and Raynaud’s Disease
Vasoconstriction is where the body constricts blood vessels in the skin to preserve core temperature. This is a normal physiological response, but it can aggravate pre-existing circulatory issues like high blood pressure or Raynaud’s. By keeping your core temperature warmer with the gilet, this means less constriction of the blood vessels, and better management of blood pressure.
Spinal pain
Keeping warm helps reduce back pain by improving blood flow to joints, discs, muscles and tissues, which enhances oxygen and nutrient delivery while removing waste products that can affect injury healing time and frequency of flare ups. Heat also relaxes tight muscles, decreases muscle spasms, and soothes nerve endings, all of which help reduce pain and increase mobility.
Arthritis
Heat therapy benefits both osteoarthritis and inflammatory (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis) by promoting vasodilation, which increases blood flow to affected joints, enhancing oxygen and nutrient delivery while aiding in the removal of inflammatory byproducts. This helps reduce joint stiffness, relax muscles, and decrease nociceptive (pain) signaling, improving mobility and overall comfort—particularly in colder conditions where vasoconstriction can exacerbate symptoms.
Hypermobility
People with hypermobility—especially those with conditions like Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder (HSD) or Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)—often experience impaired temperature regulation. This means too cold in Winter but overheating in Summer. Maintaining a consistent external temperature helps the body to regulate better, and keep a healthy supply of blood flow through the joints and muscles, meaning less aches, pains and strains.
Tendon rehabilitation
Repairing injured tendons relies on blood flow. If you can keep a healthy supply of blood to the area, you’ll continue to promote new cell growth and removal of waste products delaying healing.
