This is one thing you need to know – cold hands can ruin a great trip. I’ve been there, wrestling with tent poles in a frosty breeze, fingers too stiff to work a zip. I must tell you; it’s no fun at all. So when heated gloves started popping up, I had to find out if they were just overpriced gadgets or real lifesavers.
So, about the Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves. Designed for British winters and wild weather, these gloves claim to keep your hands warm when everything else says “nope.” But do they actually work? Here’s what you need to know, camper to camper.
Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves – What Are They?
The Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves aren’t your average thermal gloves. They look like something you’d expect a ski instructor to wear: thick, sturdy, and with a bit of a space-age vibe. Unlike the cheap heated gloves that surface every winter, Ororo’s offering combines top-notch insulation with electric heat delivered right where you want it – around your palms and fingers.
Ororo’s not a fly-by-night brand either. They design heated gear for real weather. If you’re wondering why these stand out in the busy heated gloves UK market, it’s the mix of genuine heat, thoughtful design, and enough resilience to cope with lashing rain and gritty campfire smoke.
What’s in the Box?
You get everything you need to get going out of the box. Here’s what’s included with every pair:
- A pair of Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves
- Two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (B22A, one for each glove)
- Dual battery charger (note, it’s a US plug—more on that in a second)
- Carry/storage bag
- Quick start user guide
If you’re charging off the mains in the UK, you’ll need a US-UK plug adapter, or just use a regular USB charger. This is a bit of an oversight – Ororo, sort this out! That said, it’s an easy fix if you’ve already got a pile of travel adapters gathering dust.
Glove Design and Comfort
First impressions? These feel luxurious for camp gloves. The outer layer is tough, water-resistant, and shrugs off light rain or a brush with wet brambles. They’re insulated with a ‘thinsulate’ style lining, making them snug even before the power goes on.
The inside is soft and warm right away. You’ll also notice the beefy, high-grip palm. That’s really handy if you’re grabbing a metal mug, sorting tent poles, or clinging to a gate while the wind tries to take your hat off. The gauntlet-style wrist keeps wind and rain out and sits nicely over or under a coat (although thick sleeves can make things fiddly).
Both glove thumbs and forefingers are touchscreen compatible. You won’t be firing off a full text message, but you might manage to swipe open your phone, press play on your playlist, or snap a half-aimed photo.
Fit is pretty forgiving. Sizes run from S to L. As a bloke with average hands, the Large was just right, though if you’ve got really big mitts you might find their sizing limited.
There’s an adjustable strap and a reflective strip for a bit of night visibility—always handy after last orders at the campsite.
Battery Power and Heat Settings
Each glove uses a rechargeable 7.4V lithium battery. It’s not heavy – you won’t even notice it in use – and slips into a small zipped compartment inside the cuff. Plug in the battery, zip it up, and you’re set.
- Charging is via USB and takes a few hours from empty. A full battery gives:
- 3 hours on max heat (red setting)
- 5-6 hours on medium (white)
- 8 hours on low (blue)
You can check the battery level using a little button on each pack – up to three LEDs show roughly how much charge you’ve got left. Super useful after a few days on a muddy campsite, as nothing kills your mood like cold hands and a dead battery.
How Do You Power Up the Gloves?
Switching them on is as easy as holding down the button on the wrist until it lights up. When they boot, you’ll see the LED cycle through colours:
- Red for High (hottest)
- White for Medium
- Blue for Low (longest battery life)
The gloves preheat quickly – within a minute, you’ll feel actual warmth spreading over your palm and, crucially, along your fingertips. If you suffer from cold digits like I do, you’ll appreciate that they don’t just cook your palm and leave the rest to freeze. Switching modes is simple, even with the gloves on—just press the button to cycle through.
Their highest setting blasts out proper heat, but drains the battery fastest. For most UK camping, the medium or low is plenty, and will get you through an afternoon walk, a frosty breakfast, or a night under the tarp.
Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves: Real-World Use
So, how do they actually do when it’s sleeting sideways or you’re squinting through blowing snow? I tested them in conditions from wet February mornings to icy night walks in the Dales. The verdict: they work. No more stuffed hand-warmers, no more desperate flapping to bring life back to your fingers.
Preheating makes a difference. Start the gloves before you get properly chilled. On low or medium, heat is genuinely hand-saving. Your fingers glow rather than ache. Picking things up (tent poles, mugs, even slipping a match from its box) is possible, although don’t expect surgeon-level dexterity. You’ll struggle with fiddly repairs or opening those annoying snack bar wrappers.
If you’re wild camping with no way to recharge, consider taking power banks. For most basecamp or day trips, one charge lasted me well past sunset.
I did find that the bulky gauntlet can be awkward to fit under snug coat cuffs. It’s not a deal-breaker, but if you wear tight-sleeved jackets you’ll want to test the fit before heading out.
Pros and Cons – The Truth After a Month of UK Use
Let’s be honest – no glove is perfect. Here’s where the Ororo Buffalo shines, and where it stumbles.
Who Should Consider the Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves?
These gloves aren’t a luxury – they’re a sanity-saver if you’re regularly out in the cold. Perfect for:
- Campers and wild campers, especially if your hands freeze easily by the fire.
- Dog-walkers. The gloves makes the morning circuit less of a battle.
- Outdoor workers or builders
- Skiers or bikers: These’ll handle the speed and wind chill.
If you mainly do summer camping or hardly ever get cold hands, they’re probably overkill. But I’ve tried all sorts, from cheap marketplace heated gloves to cramming my mitts in hat pockets, and nothing does the job like these for winter warmth.
A couple of hard-earned lessons: always charge before you go, carry a power bank if you’re wild camping, and remember, nothing kills camp morale like cold fingers.
Final Thoughts – Are They Worth the Money?
In my view? Yes. Ororo Buffalo Heated Gloves aren’t the cheapest, but they’re a solid investment if regular UK weather is on your camping agenda. You’re picking comfort and dependability over bite-your-lip misery. The bulletproof design, long battery, and real warmth make them a favourite for British winters.
Could they be slimmer or cheaper? Maybe. But I’d rather have to wrestle the sleeves than shiver all night, and after a month of cold, wet field tests, I can say these are as good as it gets for heated gloves UK-wide.
If you want to keep camping when everyone else retreats to the pub, these gloves give you one less excuse, and one more reason to stay out, even when the frost bites.
For more kit reviews that actually work in the UK, have a look at our full Best Heated Jacket guide. Any questions or horror stories from the field? Drop them below – I’ve probably frozen there too.
