Heated Gilets
Heated gilets keep your core warm without restricting your arms for work, so you can stay moving on cold starts, windy scaffolds, and draughty refurbs.
When you are outside all day or in half-finished buildings, a normal bodywarmer only goes so far once the wind cuts in. These heated work gilets use a rechargeable battery to push warmth through the chest and back, so you stay productive without piling on bulky layers. Pick lightweight heated gilets for active jobs, or insulated heated gilets when you are standing about on snagging, lifts, or traffic management, then get your heated gilets UK delivered and crack on.
What Are Heated Gilets Used For?
- Working on exposed scaffolds and roof edges where the wind strips heat fast, keeping your core warm while your arms stay free for lifting, drilling, and fixing.
- Early starts on site, yard, and plant checks where you are in and out of the van, giving you quick warmth without the bulk of a full winter coat.
- Refurbs and first-fix in cold, unheated buildings where the temperature drops as soon as the sun goes, helping you stay comfortable without over-layering and sweating.
- Outdoor maintenance and service calls where you are kneeling, reaching, and working overhead, so a heated bodywarmer for work keeps heat in without snagging like a big jacket.
- Handover, snagging, and supervision jobs where you are stood around more than you are grafting, making battery heated gilets a simple way to stay warm and focused.
Choosing the Right Heated Gilets
Sorting the right one is simple: buy for how you actually work on site, then match the battery heated gilet to your layering and shift length.
1. Lightweight vs Insulated
If you are constantly moving and working up a sweat, go lightweight heated gilets and let the heat do the job without turning you into a sauna. If you are stood about, driving between jobs, or working in open wind, insulated heated gilets hold the warmth better and feel less "on and off" all day.
2. Battery and Run Time Reality
If you need heat from first light to last fix, plan on a spare power bank or a higher-capacity battery, because full power all day is optimistic in proper cold weather. If it is just for cold starts and breaks, a smaller rechargeable heated gilet setup is usually plenty and keeps weight down.
3. Fit for Layering and Tool Use
If you want it under a shell jacket, size it so it sits close to the body and does not bunch up at the waist when you belt up tools. If you will wear it as your outer layer, make sure you have room for a hoodie underneath without the hem riding up when you reach overhead.
Heated Gilets FAQs
What are heated gilets used for?
They are used to keep your core warm on cold sites without restricting your arms, which is ideal for fixing, lifting, driving between jobs, and working in draughty buildings. Think of them as a heated bodywarmer for work that takes the edge off wind chill and cold starts.
Are heated gilets good for layering?
Yes, that is where they work best. Wear a heated gilet over a base layer or hoodie, then put a shell jacket over the top if it is windy or wet, and you will feel the heat more and keep it in for longer.
Do heated gilets keep you warm without sleeves?
They do, because warming your chest and back helps your whole body stay comfortable, especially when you are moving. They will not replace a full winter coat in driving rain or strong wind, but as a mid-layer or dry-day outer, they make a noticeable difference.
Are heated gilets lightweight?
Most are, but the feel depends on insulation and the battery pack you run. Lightweight heated gilets are easy to work in all day, while insulated heated gilets feel bulkier but hold heat better when you are stood still.
Who should use heated gilets?
They suit anyone working outdoors or in unheated buildings, especially sparks, chippies, fitters, groundworkers, and site managers. Heated gilets for tradesmen are also handy for van-based maintenance because you can warm up quickly between call-outs without changing your whole kit.
Do battery heated gilets last a full shift?
Not always if you run them flat out, especially in proper cold weather. For an all-day shift, plan on using lower settings once you are moving, or carry a spare power bank so you are not sat at 3pm with no heat left.
Who Are Heated Gilets for Tradesmen?
- Sparks, chippies, and fitters who need full arm movement for first-fix and second-fix but still get hit by cold slabs, draughts, and open elevations.
- Groundworkers, landscapers, and civils crews doing set-out and prep in cold weather, where a heated work gilet keeps your core warm without feeling boxed in.
- Site managers, surveyors, and supervisors who spend long spells outside or walking plots, and want steady warmth without carrying a heavy jacket all day.
The Basics: Understanding Electric Heated Gilets
Heated gilets are built to warm your core first, because that is what keeps you comfortable on site. They run off a rechargeable battery and use built-in heating panels to take the edge off cold weather fast.
1. Core Heat Does the Heavy Lifting
A heated bodywarmer focuses warmth through the chest and back, which helps your whole body feel warmer even without sleeves. It is exactly why heated gilets for cold weather work well under a jacket or over a mid-layer.
2. Battery Power and Heat Settings
Battery heated gilets usually give you a few heat levels, and the higher you run it, the quicker you drain the battery. On real jobs, most lads run it higher for the first hour, then drop it down once you are moving and the site warms up.
3. Layering Controls the Result
If you wear it under a windproof or waterproof shell, you keep the heat in and it feels stronger for longer. If you wear it as an outer layer in a stiff wind, you will still feel the warmth, but you will get better results with a top layer over it.
Heated Gilet Accessories That Make Them Work Properly
A heated gilet is only as good as the power and protection you pair it with on a long, cold shift.
1. Spare Power Bank or Battery Pack
This stops you getting caught out mid-afternoon when the temperature drops and your gilet dies, especially if you run higher heat on early starts or spend time stood still.
2. Windproof or Waterproof Shell Jacket
Throwing a shell over the top traps the heat and blocks wind chill, so you get more usable warmth out of the same battery and you are not relying on the gilet as your only outer layer.
3. Vehicle Charger for Power Banks
If you are van-based, a charger keeps your rechargeable heated gilets ready between calls, instead of turning up to the next job with a flat pack and no backup.
Shop Heated Gilets at ITS.co.uk
Whether you want lightweight heated gilets for active work or insulated heated gilets for standing around in the cold, we stock a proper range of heated bodywarmers for work in the sizes and styles trades actually wear. It is all held in our own warehouse, in stock and ready for next day delivery so you can get sorted before the weather turns.
