
These UT4 Extreme Rechargeable Hand Warmers from Ocoopa not only keep your hands warm but also keep your devices powered, writes Mike Gormley.
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These Ocoopa UT4 Extreme Rechargeable Hand Warmers have a lot more going for them than just keeping your hands warm in cold times. There are also very effective Power Banks plus have a useful torch with both a general purpose beam and a signal flash mode. All this and they come as a set of two, so you can share if necessary or appropriate.

The UT4 Extreme version are the top end of a range of similar Ocoopa devices and only launched at the latter end of last year, so you have some choices. Each UT4 has a significant battery capacity of 10,000mAh so, apart for the heater side, these make for very good power banks to help keep your devices operating when off grid. In fact, I find them very handy around the home and are generally what we use to repower our phones and other small devices as we can take a power bank with us as we move about. We can then leave them to recharge when doing what we need to; and, before I get criticised, I don’t leave them plugged in when not around, just in case, but these show no signs of getting even warm when charging.
For our sort of use, these immediately give a feel and look of being robust. They are stated as being shockproof and heavy duty and I have every confidence they are. You can break anything, but I think you would need to be unlucky to smash one of these. The corners are rubberised so more shock-resistant and double up as non-slip and help the device to sit well and safely in the hand. Especially useful if hands are cold and wet which they are possibly likely to be when using these. Alongside all this, these are IP56 waterproof and dustproof.
The UT4 Extreme is simple enough to operate – handy when one’s extremities are cold and wet. You hold it naturally like a torch and the small rubberised button falls to the thumb or forefinger. To activate the heat element, you have to press and hold the crescent button to prevent inadvertent operation. You can then press again and again to select the level of heat you require, which is indicated by small red LEDs. It is almost instant to get the heat pads warm. There are two; the larger one on the top and a smaller one on the other side. This works quite naturally as the larger one heats the main part of the hand while the smaller one heats the fingertips ~ or vice versa if you prefer.


¤ The hand warmer is robustly built with rubberised corners and a moulded-in lanyard attachment loop [©MG]
The High setting is really pretty hot! If you really need to get things hot you can long press the light switch to activate the Extra Heat Mode, which is indicated by the main heat button lighting up and you then really feel the heat. Clearly the power consumption is affected by the various settings; these are quoted (from a full battery) as being 16 hours, 12 hours, 9 hours down to 6 hours on maximum, which I think is pretty good. The torch will also operate alongside these and of course this also uses power. Two quick presses of the half-moon button will give you the power level of the battery, this time in blue lights.
The UT4 Extreme is able to accept replenishing power with PD Quick Charge technology so to reduce repower time when you have that opportunity. The units are supplied with a power transfer cable which has USB C on each end, which in my view is a bit limiting on normal options; however, this is an easy fix to USB C to A. The power connections, USB C and USB A, have their own slot protected by a water-resistant rubber cover. Each of the UT4s comes with a protective soft bag and power cable as well as a robust lanyard so can remain totally independent. They are also available in four colours, the test ones are Blue/Black, but a camouflage option is available for those who need to go tactical.

In use I have found that the low power setting is mostly sufficient, but then I have not recently been in Arctic Norway at minus lots °C. I have found that they work very well just left in side pockets at a low or mid heat and then I can put my hands in for a warm-up when able. In this way heat is not lost and provides a bit to the body, helps to keep pockets dry and provides a very welcome boost to cold hands. When out on snowy Dartmoor this was perfect as my hands were busy taking photos and generally gloves were not practical, so a quick warm-up every now and again was most welcome and kept my digits operational.

The UT4 Extreme Rechargeable Handwarmers from Ocoopa, available through UK distributors Whitby & Co in Kendal, work very well as glove warmers and boot pre-heaters when out in the cold. All-in-all a worthy item of kit to have year round.

[images © Mike Gormley]
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