Keis J501RP Premium Heated Jacket - Black / Red

The J501RP has become one of those bits of clothing that just makes every cold ride easier, especially when you’re out for long stretches in single-digit temperatures. As a blood biker, I’m often on the road for hours in 4-5 degree conditions, and this jacket keeps my core warm in a way no amount of layering ever managed. It heats quickly, the coverage is excellent across the chest, back, arms (and amazingly, collar!), and it fits under my normal jacket (Klim Latitude) without feeling bulky or restrictive. Once you’re up to temperature I've found the ride just settles down - I stop thinking about the cold and just get on with riding.

There are a couple of quirks worth noting. The heat is strong even on the lower settings, so you do need the included controller to keep things, well, controlled. The jacket is clearly designed around active heating rather than insulation, so if you switch it off (or the cable becomes disconnected...) mid-ride you’ll feel the temperature drop quite quickly. And while the wiring is neat enough, the little controller pocket is hard to access with gloves. None of this is enough to put me off though. For proper winter riding, especially when you don’t get to pick your weather, the J501RP is one of the most effective ways to keep your upper body warm without stuffing yourself with extra layers. It just works, and it makes cold-weather riding far more sustainable.

Finally, I found the fit on this jacket to be 'tight' across the shoulders and chest, especially compared to the 601 UltraFlex (clues in the name I guess), but this jacket could also pass as a 'regular' jacket off the bike, which was important to me. It looks like a normal jacket when you tuck the wires in - something you can't say about the 601. I've dinged it a star as it could be more flexible under the arms/across the shoulders.

Simple and easy to fit the connections to the bike, super comfortable just as a jacket, quality is very good and then remarkably warm when you turn it on. Medium is very very warm, I have not yet got it to on full, just too hot. Makes riding during the cold rather lovely. Strongly recomended

Good quality, keeps the rain and wind out. Turned the heat on low when it was 14 degrees out, started sweating. Turned it on when it was 5 degrees out and it was perfect, kept me very cosy.

Nice quality jacket which gives the ability to connect Keis trousers, gloves and socks. I only have the jacket so far but for winter riding, I imagine the other items are going to be essential to keep toasty. Excellent service from Sportsbikeshop as well.