Forget handheld fans. Forget neck fans. If there's one Japanese invention I've desperately needed in my life, it's a fan jacket. Given we’re all sweating through the ugliest summer in years, I took the plunge and bought one for myself.
First developed in the early 2000s by a former Sony engineer, fan jackets were built to help Japanese construction workers and people working outdoors stay cool. But fan jackets are now a common sight right across the country. Fitted with four battery-powered fans, they continuously circulate air around your body to help you survive hot and humid summers.
With fans and portable air conditioners selling out across the UK, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and bought the Japanese gadget I’ve coveted for years. But could it keep me cool, or did it just make me look like an inflatable Michelin Man, without actually doing anything?
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Fernida fan jacket
Why we love it
- Made my whole body feel cool
- Not too bulky to wear
- Lightweight material
- Machine-washable
Take note
- Poor battery life
- A little noisy
While there are tonnes of brands selling fan jackets in Japan – from Kuchofuku, Makita and BurTle – none of them have yet made it to UK shores. Rather than spending hundreds of pounds importing one across the world, I spotted a replica fan jacket on Amazon and snapped it up. It might be the best decision I’ve ever made.
Made from nylon, Fernida’s fan jacket is a bit like wearing a zip-up windbreaker. There are even two pockets on the side. Nylon’s a great material for a fan jacket because it’s better at trapping the airflow inside your clothing before escaping through the collar and cuffs. It’s also super lightweight to wear (very important given you’ve got four fans stitched into the inside weighing you down).
Two fans sit on either side of your back – one pair of fans at the bottom and one closer to the top. It actually looks pretty cyberpunk from the rear and you can actually see the four fans spinning. But how does it work?
Fernida’s fan jacket comes with a 10,000mAh power bank in the box, which doubles up as the power unit. There’s a cord on the left side that connects the four fans together. Plug that cord into the power bank, turn on the power bank by holding down the power button and watch as the fans kick into gear.
There are four fan speeds that can be cycled through using the power button. Once you’re happy, you can just pop the power bank into the little internal pocket and off you go gallivanting in the sun. You can even ue the power bank to charge your phone or other devices.
But was it worth the purchase? I’m pleased to say that Fernida’s fan jacket is everything I’ve ever wanted. The fans are extremely powerful, blowing around and up your entire body. Because the fans get trapped inside your jacket, it almost creates a funnelling effect. The air escapes through your collar, so it even lifts air upwards, cooling your neck and your face from below.
I’ve been wearing it in 28C weather, and it has been absolutely glorious – both indoors and out. I’d liken the cooling effect to having fans directed at you from all directions. It’s fantastic, and reduces my body temperature by several degrees. I honestly don’t want to take it off.
I’d recommend wearing a sweat-wicking T-shirt or a vest underneath – aka something loose so the airflow can better circulate. The air gets stuck in the jacket that makes it inflate a little bit like a balloon, so you do kind of look like a bulbous Michelin Man. But when it’s this hot outside, who cares?
You can definitely hear the fans running, but surprisingly, it’s not as loud as putting a handheld fan to your face. I’ve got a high tolerance for noisy things though, so your mileage may vary with regards to volume.
It comes in sizes S-XXL, and while you can wash the jacket in the washing machine by taking out the fans, I’d recommend hand-washing it – it’s very fiddly to put it all back in.
There is one major downside to the jacket, and that’s battery life. On the highest setting, the fans only ran for about an hour before running out of battery. On the second fan setting, I was able to eke out roughly 3 hours before it died. That’s pretty useless. And annoyingly, you can’t charge the power bank while plugged into the fans – so you can’t extend the battery life by plugging the power bank into another portable charger.
The power bank itself takes about 2 hours to charge back up. If you’re working outdoors or at a festival, you’re probably going to want it to last a little longer than three hours on a single charge.
Key specifications:
Buy now £71.99, Amazon.co.uk
Should you buy the Fernida fan jacket?
If it weren't for the poor battery life, the Fernida fan jacket would be a five-star product. Airflow running over your entire body, up your neck and across your face is so utterly glorious in the summer heat. It kept me so comfortable and it’s undeniably more effective than a handheld fan or a neck fan. It keeps your entire body cool, and it’s just what I’ve needed.
Whether you’re feeling hot indoors or out, I found it to be a fabulous heatwave companion, and I expect many will love it while they’re outdoors gardening, working outdoors or at summer festivals. It’s the most effective portable cooling gadget I've tried so far. But at £72, it’s not cheap and I just wish the battery lasted longer.
How I tested the Fernida fan jacket
I tested the Fernida fan jacket during the UK's summer heatwave in temperatures of around 30C. I wore it both indoors and outdoors while walking and carrying out everyday tasks to assess how effectively it kept me cool, as well as its comfort, noise levels, ease of use and battery life. I also compared the experience with using handheld and neck fans, paying close attention to how well the airflow coped when I was in direct sunlight.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alex Lee is The Independent’s IndyBest tech editor. Alongside reviewing the latest launches from the likes of Apple and Nintendo, he’s also been reviewing everything to do with cooling your home down and air treatment since 2021. He’s got particular expertise when it comes to cooling devices, having tried and tested everything from Sony’s wearable fan to the best handheld fans. Beyond his experience in real-world testing, Alex is the perfect candidate for this test since he runs warm, making him a harsh critic.
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