UKC

Anyone have any experience or recommendations for a heated jacket? They seem to range from cheap unlikely to work/potential fire hazard types to boutique coat versions running into hundreds of pounds.

Doesn't need to be anything too fancy. It's for my Mum where activities will mostly be short walks on a beach and sitting in a shed smoking a fag. I'm sure there are plenty of other ways she could keep warm but the novelty value of a heated jacket is part of the consideration as it's for a gift.

Maybe try looking for motorcycling brands.

A friend has one of the cheap (£20) ones for after swimming and says it's really good - only lasts about 20m minutes, but I think it runs off a usb power bank so you could take a spare.

I had a Keiss heated vest and inner gloves when I was regularly commuting on a motorbike in winter.

They were very good and kept me warm in zero and subzero temperatures, provided they were plugged in to the power supply of the bike. Without a power connection the battery only lasted on full power for 30 minutes. I forgot to plug them in once leaving work, thought I'd be OK, but had to stop after the battery ran out to plug them in and warm up.

That was 10 years ago and I'm sure battery life has improved since then.

For a smoke in a shed, I'm sure they would be fine. There is now also a much wider choice of makes and types of clothing.

SD.

Thanks so far. I notice Regatta do a line in these which fit the bill style wise (Thanks for the motorbike clothing suggestion but not sure she'd go for that looks wise).

Anyone tried the Regatta jackets?

I use one of the waistcoat type cheapies on my motorbike and have been really impressed. 

I use it with a 10000 something or other power-pack and it lasts for a good few hours even on full chat.

I feel like some sort of wearable hot water bottle would be a low tech but actually better solution. Though you couldn't turn it on at will, but it could be refillable at cafes!