Jackets with a heating function - kitsch or still worth paying attention to? NiuxTech tested and compared even 3 different models: PMA KULAX, COTTNSMITH and 90GO. Interesting? Then read on!

Unboxing

The first received jacket is 90GO brand from DHgate. Travel time ~2 weeks from EU warehouse. In the beginning, DHL took care of the trip, then handed it over to the "partner" Lithuanian Post. It took LP 3 working days to "find" the address and hand it over. No duties or additional taxes were applied.

A big plus for the sender because the package of the jacket was placed in a cardboard box. The packaging itself is a plastic bag type with a snap fastener, so there is no need to rip anything.

The second PMA (KULAX) and the third Cotton Smith jackets arrived from Banggood - in one plastic transport package. Itella took care of the trip, also from the EU warehouse. There was a problem with an unspecified phone number. number, but knowing Tracking No. managed to solve it.

The duration of the trip is the same as the first ~2 weeks. I collected it from the Itella post machine. There was no need to pay anything extra. After tearing open the transport package, I found the jackets packed in individual transport packages. The product packaging, like the 90GO, also comes with a snap-on zipper - convenient.

PMA KULAX

The jacket is made of 100% polyester fiber. It looks the thinnest and lightest of the three. I would classify the design as more sporty, the color is black. At temperatures lower than -5'C, the material starts to crack like a plastic bag. Not for winter, more suitable for fall/spring.

A little rain is not terrible, I did not try to stand in the storm. Raindrops "roll" off the material and are not absorbed. The material is not sufficiently resistant to strong winds. There is a small reflective logo on the back in the lower right corner. My height is 179 cm, weight ~82 kg, so XL was ordered. This is the only one of the 3 jackets I received that fit my size the best.

The sleeves near the wrists have adhesive fasteners for narrowing. The sleeves are unbuttoned so it can easily be turned into a vest. I did not like that the fastening of the sleeves is not complete, there is a hole of about 1 cm in size. In case of high wind or cold, a "draught" is felt through it.

The hood is not narrow, so it was not a problem to wear headphones that cover the ears. The "contractors" of the hood on the sides will not let the wind blow it away. It also has a zip closure. There is a sticker print on the outside at the highest point, it cannot be removed. The collar is not high, the blowing wind can tickle the throat. The zippers are small, especially the hidden pockets. How long it will last is hard to say. I had a jacket with such a zipper, unfortunately it lasted only one season. The main zipper lock moves easily when sewing.

Pockets - two large outside and one smaller hidden. Internal - two. The left inner pocket has a heating element and a metal round buckle. Its right side has a zipper, after unzipping and folding it to the other side, it can be fastened on the right side of the jacket. It's a strange solution, because it looks like a gate/barrier at the belly. When undressing, do not forget to unfasten extra.

Inner pocket on the right with adhesive fastener, wide enough to hold a phone in a horizontal position. This pocket does not have any heating element. I would like both pockets to have a heating element, so that you could warm up your fingers.

The outer pockets are wide, one of them can easily fit a phone, keys or a hat with gloves. Long zippers with two locks, fastening at both ends, will ensure that things do not fall out. Behind the left pocket is a hidden pocket for carrying a Power Bank. When wearing a jacket, you almost have to "hug" yourself to unbutton it.

Inside it is an elastic USB cable for connection. Designed so that either side fits into a USB socket. The Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 can easily fit inside the pocket. The heating function button with a small screen is hidden between the left pocket and the pocket. The place is also not comfortable, because you can't see when you just put your head down.

The heating function is activated by pressing and holding the button for 2s. Power consumption ~ 5V 1.6A, no power consumption when turned off. There are 3 heating elements: the mentioned inner pocket, on the back at the waist and below the shoulder strap. You can choose from 3 temperature modes: 63°, 55°, 46° C.

During heating, the display shows the current temperature of the heating element. When standing in place at zero outside temperature, wearing a t-shirt and a jumper, the heat starts to feel after ~8-10 minutes, looking at the screen at that time it shows ~45° - 50° C. It was not possible to raise it to 63° C either outside or indoors. max 55°C. Also, when walking at a faster pace or when there is a strong wind, the heat starts to drop.

COTTON SMITH JACKET

COTTON SMITH jacket is also made of 100% polyester fiber, it shrinks much less than KULAX at sub-zero temperatures. I would classify the design as classic, the color is also black. Although the size was ordered the same as the KULAX, the sleeves are slightly shorter and the waist is wider.

Also, the jacket itself is slightly thicker than the KULAX. Raindrops also easily fall off the jacket, it looks like the NANO coating has been smeared. COTTON SMITH jacket is more wind resistant. 

The sleeves near the wrists, like the KULAX, have adhesive fasteners for narrowing. The sleeves themselves do not unbutton. The inner material that fits at the wrist is thin and similar to women's elastics. I have never seen such a design.

A rubber badge is stuck on the left arm. The hood is narrower at the neck, so it couldn't be worn with the Soundcore Q45 headphones. To do this, you will need to put on the headphones and hood first, and then close the main zipper. The hood pullers do their job well.

According to the manufacturer's photos, the collar has a heating element, but I somehow did not feel its operation. And anyway, why heat that place if you're still wearing a scarf? I didn't like the lock of the main zipper, it looks like it needs to be "greased", it is difficult to fasten, it has similarities to KULAX. You have to watch when sewing to make sure you don't get caught in the material. Pocket zippers move more easily.

Pockets - two large outside and one smaller hidden. On the inside - two. The inner left has a zipper, easily fits a phone or wallet. On the right, without any fastening, smaller. The ones on the outside have one zipper each, the fastener is not long, but the pocket itself is roomy. Gloves, hat, phone and similar items can be easily accommodated. At the chest, according to the design, it looks like there are two more vertical pockets, but no, it's just FAKE.

The hidden pocket easily fits the Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3. A cable with two tips, one of them USB-C, the other USB-A, with the same connection as KULAX - two-way. The cord itself is not elastic. The heating button is located next to the right outer pocket. Tilting your head makes it easier to see what color is shining. The heating function itself starts as soon as the Power Bank is connected. Power consumption 9V, 1.46A. 

Heat intensity changes according to colors: 53°C red, 48°C purple, 43°C green, 38°C white. According to the manufacturer, there are two heating elements, one mentioned in the collar, the effectiveness of which I highly doubt, and the other in the back at the waist.

When set to red, heat is felt half as fast as KULAX jackets. I was very surprised that after connecting the Power Bank in the evening, the heating button was a little warm in the morning. When measuring the power consumption with the heating off, it jumps between 0-240 mA. In other words, I'm planting a battery while I'm at rest! 

90GO JACKET

The 90GO jacket is made of 100% polyester fiber, just like the ones tested before. I ordered a size L, but I sink a little when I put it on. Color black. I noticed that the structure of the material in the manufacturer's photos is different from reality. Presented more matte, but it is not. Jacket type "parka". This jacket is the thickest of the KULAX / COTTON SMITH ones I tried, but I still wouldn't classify it as winter season. The manufacturer declares IPX4 moisture resistance.

The sleeves near the wrists also have adhesive fasteners if you want to narrow them down. There are also no zippers for unzipping. 90GO rubber badge on left sleeve. Has the same "elastic" material at the wrists. When walking at -13°C, the biceps feel cold. It doesn't seem that the warming has coincided, I think the manufacturer simply "saved". 

The hood is large, I would say the largest of the tester jackets. There are no constrictors, I put a minus here. Since the hood is roomy, wearing headphones is not a problem. The collar is wide, you can perfectly hide your chin from the wind. The main zipper is large with two wide locks, so I give it a plus. When it is fully fastened, it can be unbuttoned at the bottom, which is very convenient when you need to get into the car.

Pockets - 8 in total! There are 7 on the outside, only one on the inside - on the left side - for the wallet. The two pockets on the outside at the chest are wide enough to fit frozen palms. The vertical ones below only have Velcro fasteners and are also roomy, the side pockets have no fasteners at all. 

Hidden zippered Power Bank pocket, same solution as KULAX / COTTON SMITH. The connecting cable is not flexible, like COTTON SMITH, but only with one, double-sided USB plug. The pocket is made in such a way that the Power Bank is inserted into the back side horizontally. It also fits the Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 perfectly.

The operation of the heating function is the same as COTTON SMITH. Large button next to the right pocket that changes color. Temperature modes: 53°C red, 48°C purple, 43°C green, 38°C white. This jacket warms up at a similar rate to the KULAX model. The 90GO has a total of 3 heating elements: on the back above the waist and two on both shoulders. Well, the biggest minus is the same situation with the battery installation, consumption at rest between 0-120mA, a little less than COTTON SMITH. When the heating is turned on, it consumes ~5V 1.6A of power.

Which jacket did you like best?

When collecting personal opinion thoughts about the vision of heated jackets, I thought for a long time. Everyone knows that jackets are divided into seasons. Would I give these jackets a stamp - winter? Hardly. Well, unless you live somewhere warm, and during the winter the temperature drops to +10 C. Or maybe you spend more time traveling by different means of transport, then the heating function will come in handy when walking to or waiting for the vehicle.

As for the heating itself, I will say the word "BUT". Since I don't like to put things in my pockets, I carry a backpack more. The main heating point of these jackets is the back. When I myself walk a longer distance with a backpack, my back warms up by itself, so why warm it up separately? A hot back in the wind is not good, an easy way to catch a cold or other back problems. 

The question arises, what if without a backpack? My observation is that separate heating is most evident when the jacket fits well to the body. Since the jacket is not a tank top, it is understood that it will not fit like that. If a sweater is still worn under the jacket, the heat from the heating element makes its way to the body for a long time. Movement has a greater effect on heat generation than a heating element.

Which one would I choose? As I walk outside, I reach for KULAX's jacket. Even at low temperatures it becomes like a plastic bag, but for me it "sticks" the most. I like the factor that the heating elements are arranged really more efficiently.

Well, the one in front could be on both sides, but if you go to the middle and put your palms in your pockets, you can warm your fingers. The heating screen is less noticeable to others. The luminous "pancake" buttons of other jackets catch the eye more brightly. Well, the unbuttoned sleeves will definitely come in handy when the warmer weather arrives. 

Is it worth buying?

I wouldn't be afraid to call jackets with heating elements the best product on the market. A regular jacket costs about the same, so why not get one that has extra features? Without turning on the heating, it will perfectly fulfill its original purpose.

I was even surprised that the quality of the jackets I tried is really excellent. "Market" similar prices are often of even lower quality, due to protruding threads or disintegrating zippers. I don't think they are very suitable for the Lithuanian winter season, but they will be just right for autumn/spring!

If you choose from the reviewed options and want to have heating in the front, you should choose the KULAX jacket. 90GO due to its elongated design, will cover more of the body from autumn/spring winds. COTTON SMITH's classic design is perfect for both work and a party.