Warm wearables: how to stay toasty without putting the heating on

Just a few years ago hardly any of us had heard of heated jackets, gilets, gloves and insoles.

But the ‘warm wearables’ market really has heated up over the past few years. 

And it’s not just clothing.

As I write this I’ve got a Lakeland electric heated throw wrapped around me, keeping me warm and saving me money while my home thermostat is turned down.

How warm wearables can save us money

The rising cost of heating our homes and the axing of the winter fuel allowance has left us looking for different ways to stay warm without turning up the heating.

In the autumn John Lewis reported a 173% increase in sales of electric blankets and sales and heated clothing brands are also seeing a surge in sales. Leading brand Ororo said it had "been truly humbled by the overwhelming response from our customers."

Recently Money-saving expert Martin Lewis highlighted heating gilets, insoles and gloves as good ways of saving money by ‘heating the human and not the home’.

Lewis said: "This is a guide I really wish we needn't be publishing... we're trying to help provide some options and information for those that may need to drastically cut down on energy usage due to financial desperation and some help for others who may want to do it out of a commitment to green issues."

Top of the his choices were USB gloves costing £10, which cost less than 1p per hour to warm you, heated insoles at the same cost have the same running cost, while £15 USB hand warmers are also the same to heat.

Electric heated throws have also seen a surge in sales and you can find them for sale in all our high street shops. Last year John Lewis saw a 500% increase in demand for them.

Homeware chain Lakeland has also expanded its range of heated throws, blankets and ponchos to meet the increasing demand.

The retailer told us: “Electric blankets and throws are actually very economical – costing from as little as 5p per hour to run, especially when you compare them with the cost of keeping your central heating on for hours or heating rooms you’re not actually using.

“According to the Energy Saving Trust, turning the thermostat down by one degree could save up to 10% on an annual energy bill.”

One of the brand's most popular throws is its velvety navy heated throw (RRP: £69.99).

With all warm wearables you will need to factor in the cost of buying your throw, gilet or gloves against your energy savings. They can range from £10 for a pair of rechargeable heated gloves, to more than £300 for a top of the range jacket.

Electric heating clothing for warmth on-the-go

The beauty of heated clothing is that, just like the Ready Brek children from the old TV adverts, you can take the heat wherever you go, ensuring you stay toasty on even the coldest winter day.

Heated insoles

Television reporter and sports fans friends of mine swear by heated insoles on long winter days standing outside.

Many of them have invested in insoles with rechargeable batteries. Bertschat (USB pro insoles start at £149) are popular and although at the higher end of the market, they have great reviews.

I'm an occasional user and really rate the single-use heated insoles by The Heat Company. The brand is the official supplier of Swiss Ski, the Austria Ski Team and Snowboard Germany, so it know its stuff. A pack of five foot warmers is £12.99.

Heated gilets and jackets

If you really feel the cold it may be worth investing in a jacket or gilet for indoor or outdoor use.

Saga Magazine’s own technology expert Jonathan Margolis has recently discovered the joy of these clothes that warm your core.

He said: “In the depths of this winter – remember that Arctic snap in January? – I needed to build some shelving in an icy storage unit. 

“Running a gas heater is not allowed, so with some scepticism, I bought a battery-heated gilet from Amazon called WeKit (Currently unavailable, but try Amazon’s Choice Rrtizan Heated Vest (RRP £59.99) instead). 

“It was a revelation. Quite brilliant. Even turned up to the max, it gives two hours of heat on one charge; longer if you turn it down.”

At the top end of the market Ororo consistently wins best in test for its gilets (from £139) and jackets (from £169).

Heated gloves

These have been a game changer for me.

I suffer from poor circulation and the resulting painful chilblains in winter. I love being outdoors and as a trainee mountain leader I used to stuff disposable hand warmers into my gloves, but it wasn't ideal and my finger tips were still frozen, so now I’ve invested in a pair of Sealskinz Filby Waterproof heated gauntlets.

On summits with temperatures below -20 they really have kept a smile on my face.

You don’t need to spend this much. If you are looking for something for when you are walking the dog, outdoors with your grandchildren or supporting your favourite team, then Amazon has pairs for as little as £10.