About 10 years ago a friend and I each outfitted our gear with new Gerbing wired electric gloves, and both of us concluded that the thumbs received almost no heat, hence providing little value. And the rest of the glove provided marginal heat at best.
And I never liked routing the wiring through my jacket to the gloves, it was always clumsy at best. After just a season, maybe 2, we abandoned them. Now I just use better insulated general purpose winter gloves, the last few years being a nylon/leather/Thinsulate Wells Lamont gauntlet glove, something that looks like a downhill skier would use. These, and shorter length cold weather trips.
I've not thought about heated gloves since. But I wonder if some smart inventor is working on a solar powered heated glove. PV, or maybe materials that do better at capturing the radiation of sunlight and converting it to heat without the production of electricity. Hmmm... solar energy used to heat water... solar energy used to heat a gel substance within the glove that heats the hands, no electricity needed. Hmmm.
Steve.
ps- a bunch of years ago I dropped big bucks on really good, really warm ski mittens. Man, they were great! 27 degree air temp and a couple hours in the saddle, my hands thought it was a 70 degree day. Then I stopped and removed them for a couple minutes. Cold air went in, the humidity inside the gloves condensed within seconds, and I rode the couple hours home with very cold, very damp hands. What a mistake that was, numb hands by the time I got home.
I know they are wired but I have no issue with running the included "Y" cable between the jacket and liner plus they have a controller built into each glove. I see from the picture the power switch has changed but hopefully they still work as well as mine do. I rarely ever need more than the low power setting unless my hands are already cold and I start at Medium until I warm up. They sell liners also but now can't recall why I passed on them since they are cheaper and I rarely pass up anything less expensive. :wink2:
I rarely ride my DL650 since purchasing my Triumph Trophy almost two years ago and it has better wind protection so rarely need heated anything but they still work as well as they day I first tried them. If I had any complaints is the tri color LED showing heat level is a bit difficult to see in full sun but then again you can feel them fine.
To be blunt, the only reason to run battery powered gloves is that you have NO access to 12v power. I tried battery socks once. Miserable failure.
If you need heated gloves, you need a heated jacket. You might not realize that, or believe that. But I will stand by that statement. A heated jacket makes plugging in heated gloves as simple as turning on your battery powered gloves.
I have had my Gerbings heated gloves for over 10 years. They still work fine. I will also add that heated gloves are good, but may not fully keep your hands toasty without heated grips. Short trips yes, but after several hours heated grips ( and heated seat ) really add to comfort.
To be blunt, the only reason to run battery powered gloves is that you have NO access to 12v power. I tried battery socks once. Miserable failure.
If you need heated gloves, you need a heated jacket. You might not realize that, or believe that. But I will stand by that statement. A heated jacket makes plugging in heated gloves as simple as turning on your battery powered gloves.
I have had my Gerbings heated gloves for over 10 years. They still work fine. I will also add that heated gloves are good, but may not fully keep your hands toasty without heated grips. Short trips yes, but after several hours heated grips ( and heated seat ) really add to comfort.
Agreed and agreed. There is no more convenient way to use heated gloves, than plugging them into wires built into a heated jacket liner.
I got the heated jacket liner after the gloves, because I could just bundle up more to keep my core warm, where there's not that option for one's hands.
However my heated jacket liner is a Warm'n'Safe, and I haven't had good luck with their stuff lasting more than one winter. Guess we'll see how it goes.
I have never been interested in battery-powered heated gear. Too inconvenient, batteries can and will die at the worst possible time, still more crap I have to recharge or replace batteries in. There may be use cases for such gear, but being on a vehicle with a perfectly good 12V power supply is not one of them.
I have the dual control for my Gerbing stuff. I can make it comfortable for the gloves or the jacket.
There is some inconvenience to getting wired up but nothing that compares to the guys that take space walks. Some people want everything to be effortless.
My gloves are actually old Widder stuff that I changed the ends for Gerbing connectors.
I've experienced wiring failures over the years from wire flex. Kinda bothersome to buy and modify the ends to keep warm But it beats freezing when riding in the cold stuff.
I have a mix n match heated gear setup that I have owned for about five years that works great for me. They all connect to each other so there's no need to run specific wires. I can ride a whole day in dreary drizzling conditions at 5C (40F) in pretty good comfort. That's a big feat for me as I'm not a cold weather person at all.
- Warm & Safe wireless two circuit troller. I love this thing, one wire from the jacket to the bike and I'm good to go. One circuit for jacket and gloves, second circuit for pants and socks.
- Gerbing T5 gloves. They're ok, could get hotter, but my hands don't get cold in them either. Biggest knocks are that they're not waterproof and feel like oven mitts.
- Warm & Safe jacket. Works a treat. Long sleeve t-shirt, heated jacket, and riding jacket and I'm set.
- FirstGear leggings. Work great, but stopped working a few times in the spring. Guessing there's a break in the heater wiring somewhere, time for a new pair.
- Firstgear socks. Work great, a bit too well. Need a pair of thick socks underneath to keep them from literally burning my feet.
My commute is about 40 miles each way, and the only time I don't ride is if there is risk of ice or snow on the roads. (and I wear a suit and tie at work.)
You should update your details to show what your location is (and what bike you are riding.) It would make it easier to give meaningful advice.
I've seen a few construction workers in Minnesota using this heated gear from Milwaukee. A vest might be a good option for under your riding gear. They have gloves, too. Unknown who builds it for them, but it is powered by Milwaukee power tool batteries.
Maybe a way to lengthen battery time would be to run it in cycles- run until comfy, turn it off for a bit, repeat. Or carry an extra battery and charge the other one off the bike battery with an automobile charger, they must have one. Just another option to keep yourself unwired from the bike.
I have 2 pair of Warm-n-Safe size medium to get rid of. Waterproof and perfect condition... work fantastic. I also have 2 Warm-n-Safe medium jacket liners, but they run small. I have the wireless controller too. PM me if interested. They will be listed soon in my upcoming closet sale.
Before getting my DL650 I rode a Kawasaki Concours. With so much wind protection, all I ever needed was a pair of solid winter ski gloves, even in temps down into the low 20s (F).
Even with the Wee's handguards, I found in my first autumn of ownership I needed some electrical assistance. My wife, bless her heart, tried to help by purchasing me a pair of no-name gloves with rechargeable batteries. They weren't really what I was looking for but, since they were from her, I gave them a go. In reality, they worked fine. The heating was a bit uneven, but they worked fine for my 35-minute daily commute. Especially when I added a set of Hippo Hands.
After 2 seasons, I decided to up my game and added a set of Koso Apollo heated grips. They're the bees knees, and the heated gloves got relegated to snowblowing duty. I don't even pull out he Hippo Hands anymore.
If my cheapo battery gloves can perform well enough at those temps for 2 seasons, I don't see a need to invest in or deal with the hassles of wired gloves.
...
If my cheapo battery gloves can perform well enough at those temps for 2 seasons, I don't see a need to invest in or deal with the hassles of wired gloves.
Problem with battery powered heated gear is they can run out of power when you need them the most.
As far as hassle of wires goes if youbgive a heated jacked and "Warm N Safe's" remote control you normally just have three wires to plug in. The jacket and each glove. Isn't really a hassle and no worry of batteries going dead.
I have a pair of Firstgear AKA Warm&Safe Carbon Heated Gloves. They are pretty warm on their own, even without the heat. They are a little more bulky though.
For my ~20 minute commute, I tend to find it a hassle to connect all the wiring. I prefer using heated grips along with ATV Mitts (cheap versions of the hippo hands). With this combo I can usually get away with my regular gloves.
I ride year round in Chicago with my all-season Motoport gloves. Oxford heated grips + modified Kolpin Geartector mitts work fine for my shorter, winter rides, typically an hour-ish or less. They don't make my whole hand feel uniformly warm & toasty, but the palms are always warm, the backs of the hands comfortable, and only when it gets very cold (<20ºF) do the tips of my pinkies and thumbs occasionally get a bit cold after a while (but not uncomfortable) due to the way I grab the grips.
For me, the key is blocking the wind, even when I had heated gloves ages ago and especially now with the heated grips. If I wasn't cheap, I'd get Hippo Hands. As it is, I picked up the Kolpin's -- my 2nd set, with a different mod this time around -- off-season for $8.
Well, ain't you just the one? Ditto for me, with the tie, when I supervised. Always fun to enter the building wearing the Aerostich and do the Bond thing of peeling off the road worn suit to display the elegant butterfly, you, inside all dressed up. :wink2:
Sorry to take an off-topic tangent, but this reminded me of my early days of riding. My job required me to wear casual dress pants, like Dockers. After commuting one morning, I was sitting in a meeting and noticed the front of my tan pants were completely peppered with dead bugs and oil spots. That's when I started wearing overpants religiously.
Their gear really is a game changer. It’s a night and day difference for winter riding. That and their wireless controller is convenient and cool as hell (my two cents).
Many thanks for reminding me to charge up my batteries in the off season. My RST's will be on their third winter this year and have never failed me. I have also just ordered a spare set of batteries for the occasional long day. I also plug in at restaurants where possible on my route at mealtimes.
I have the Powerlet jacket and gloves. They came on sale a couple of years ago for a great price ($100 for the set). Work well although I haven't used them a lot. I have the wireless controller system that independently controls the jacket and gloves.
That is to bad. I run Gerbing Gloves, Vest and insoles. I have had nothing but luck with them. I have even been stuck in a snow storm and was warm. It would be sad if they sold out and the quality drops. Very sad
If you run 12v heated gear, install a volt meter on your bike.
Add up pants, jacket, gloves, maybe heated grips and that's a pretty large draw.
I run a full Gerbing setup with dual controllers on both my bikes. It's effective even on my DRZ but I have to manage the overall draw. A meter lets me do this and monitor the charging system.
Another idea is to swap out stock headlights for LED which draw far less than halogen/incandescent.
I haven't done cold weather riding yet. In anticipation I ordered some olympia weatherking 2xl gloves last week blind. Thankfully they run a bit on the large side as most manuf 3xl's don't fit me and olympia's 2xl's are 50/50 on their fit (if I can open my hand up they pass). I have yet to test them on the road as it warmed back up here this week and those gloves get hot quickly. I only need to make it for a 25 mile each way highway commute.
Hello world! I've been rocking the "Hotwired" heated gear for a couple years now. So far so good. I haven't added the foot insoles as of yet. I wrap plastic bags around my little piggies and slip them into the best (Gaerne SG12s) motocross boot ever made.
I ride year round as well and wanted to add to something SteveT said pertaining to the construction worker and the Milwaukee topic.
I've kinda thought about picking up some of that gear only because on some job sites, Milwaukee battery tools are a common item and that only means there's the on demand availability of battery charging at your disposal.
Usually I'm the only bike in the parking lot during those couple months out of the year so I could take my pick of chargers. Ha!
Am I the only one trusting the hotwired gear? If so, maybe they should sponsor me with a pair if little piggy warmers! ???
Safe travels in your journey gentleman. Oh and I looked at a 2012 goldwing today and she gave me those little butterflies. It also comes with heated seats like those in my moms Cadillac ?
I have California heat gloves and jacket with gerging pants and dual controller.I wear everything together or none at all and I don’t experience any cold spots.The gloves are on one knob and pants and jacket on the other.50 degrees and less is when I wear it.I also have a Harley Battery vest is perfect for not so cold weather.I have this from my Harley days.I don’t know the output of the alternator of the v strom But sounds like it will handle it fine.
NVdacati being his normal sharp self alerted me to a second Gerbing restart. The one I mention above was started by his ex-employees after being dumped by the new owner for Chinese manufacturing. When I dealt with them they were making products nearly identical to the old Gerbing, but with a different name tag. There stuff is not made in China, or the USA, but it sure seems like good stuff.
I don't know diddly squat about them, but I would bet it is better than the Chinese stuff that disappointed so many.
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