GOBI Heat – Heated Jacket and Baselayer Pants Review

Imagine having the ability to control the heat level of your jacket or baselayer? Seems crazy but the team at Gobi Heat have done precisely that. With jackets, socks, vests, etc. for men (and women too), they have your covered and heated. Gobi Heat, known initially as Dragon Heatwear, was started by a woman with a chilling drive to stay warm.

Turning down opportunities to experience life with people she loved, alternatives began to be explored. Understanding that the clothes of the time needed a little improvement, a niche was discovered.

The name Gobi Heat is a homage to the vast Gobi Desert and its unforgiving annual temperature range. Don’t be fooled by the exotic name. Gobi Heat is for everyone and anyone who could use more warmth. By continually developing and researching the latest in heated apparel technology, Gobi is perpetually advancing.

If you look, you can find Gobi Heat products on sports field sidelines, the backcountry on backpackers or even people working in chilly conditions. Gobi Heat has something for anyone feeling cold. Hunters find that Gobi Heat Camo jackets prove to be invaluable when staying concealed while tracking miles out in the cold.

Gobi Heat jackets are washable with the removal of the battery. Jackets also have three temperature settings which may stay warm up to 10 full hours on a charge. If you need to replace a battery or require more heated hours, Gobi will make available additional battery packs.

We were afforded the opportunity to test and try out various Gobi Heat products and were very impressed. The quality, performance, and experience with their heated clothing is below with many high-quality shots from our days out on the slopes.

Quick Highlights:

Shift 5-Zone Heated Snowboard Jacket

• Available in onyx and shale color variations
• Designed for snowboarding, skiing, and other snow sports
• 5-zone heating
• Four heating elements (chest and behind the lower pockets)
• One sizeable back zone heating element
• Single-touch LED controller
• Three different heat settings including low, medium and high with LED bar display
• Carbon-fiber heating elements
• Ultra-slim 4400 mAh/7.4 volt battery lasts 9 hours
• Includes compact DC charger
• Wind, abrasion, and water resistant PU coated polyester fabric
• Silky interior lining for easy on/off
• YKK zippers
• Helmet compatible with cinch bungee on the hood
• Adjustable Velcro cuffs
• Interior media pocket with headphones gasket
• Water-repellent waist gaiter
• Armpit zippers for ventilation
• Machine washable
• Five exterior zippered pockets plus battery storage compartment

Basecamp Heated Baselayer Pants

• Four zone heating (2 on glutes and two on thighs)
• Single-touch LED controller with three heat settings: Low, medium and high
• Carbon-fiber heating elements
• Slim 4400 mAh/7.4 volt included battery runs for up to 10 hours per charge
• Includes compact DC charger
• Flexible and lightweight polyester/Spandex blend construction
• Machine washable

GOBI Heat Men’s Shift 5-Zone Heated Snowboard Jacket Review

The Shift Men’s Five-Zone Heated Snowboard Jacket wasn’t something I was expecting to find, probably because I wasn’t expecting to go skiing in a heated, let alone, snowboard jacket. But, as often happens, one thing leads to another and before you know it, there you are, testing the wonders wonders of futuristic technology out on the slopes. So, did it measure up? Well, here’s what I discovered.

The first thing (and most obviously, the best thing) about this jacket is that it’s purpose-built for winter sports. Five-zone heating concentrates warmth in your core, with large zones in the front chest, rear upper back, and lower abdomen, as well as smaller ancillary zones elsewhere. Heat is controlled using a one-touch variable temperature device.

The battery is efficient / powerful enough to heat the whole jacket up toasty-warm all day (9 hours) without being bulky or clumsy, which is a real bonus. Think of it like a slim and compact power pack that you totally forget is even there after a few moments of cruising down the slopes.

Approximate power equals 7.4v / 4400 mAh, but if you really get into the powder and need a boost to recharge, there’s a DC charger included. For my own runs down the mountain, I found the battery life to be exceptional; lasting from morning to sundown with plenty of juice to spare.

As for construction, it’s the standard routine: Wind / water resistant, outdoor-spec YKK zippers, and a machine-washable poly shell that comes in sizes ranging from small to 2XL. What really stuck out to me, though, is that this Shift men’s snowboarding jacket is helmet-compatible in the hood!

So many aren’t, and coupled with this no-brainer safety feature, the tons of pocket space makes this jacket a real winner in my book. And hey, after a hard day’s play, knowing I don’t have to hand-wash anything or send out for dry-cleaning is just a bonus. Oh, yeah: You can have any color you want as long as it’s black; Shift offers this jacket in shades of “Onyx” or “Shale”, aka “Really Dark Black” or “Slightly Lighter Black”.

Personally, I’m surprised at just how well this piece of technology performs out in powdery conditions. There’s been a lot of heated outerwear rolling out of the years, but I’ve really been trying to find something that can deliver in terms of function and performance. Luckily, I’ve found it. GOBI Heat has managed to set themselves far apart from the rest of the pack and near perfect the art of heated technical clothing.

GOBI Heat Men’s Basecamp Heated Baselayer Pants Review

A great compliment to the GOBI HEAT jacket, the Basecamp Men’s Heated Base Layer Pants offer much of the same functionality and utility for the cold-weather sportsman, just concentrating on the lower half, as you’d expect. First things first: These really are a base layer. They’re meant to compliment your existing wardrobe, not thin it out.

Can you wear this base layer by itself? Sure, in a pinch. Should you? Probably not. After all, when you wear it correctly, it does an excellent job of heating you up in frigid cold weather. Deviating from the plan, though, diminishes its ability to provide cold-weather protection. In other words, think of these as hi-tech long-johns and you’ll be set to go.

Speaking of which, the flexible, lightweight poly/spandex blend in these pants (available in “Onyx”, which turns out to be quite a dark black that goes with almost everything, their status as a secondary layer notwithstanding), will accommodate the use of ski bibs, casual sweatpants, utility/construction wear, and more. Even if you need an extra layer under a pair of pair of your favorite denim jeans for working in the yard during the fall or winter season, these are golden.

This, of course, means you can do all sorts of fun things while wearing them, from skiing and snowboarding to fishing and hunting to just working outdoors on a cold day. Sizes range from Medium to 2XL; the battery, which is a 7.4 amp / 4400mAh unit, will last you up to ten hours, and if you need some extra juice, there’s an included DC charger. Plus, there’s a little gauge that shows what setting you’re on (low, medium, or high).

You can control the flow of heat (which runs to special zones concentrated in four individual areas around your buns and thighs) by use of a one-touch variable temperature controller; when you’re done for the day, just toss them in the wash on a gentle cycle. I think these pants are definitely worth adding to your active winter wardrobe.