Heated Gloves - What are your experiences?

[Gimpymoo]

Am going to get heated grips and some heated gloves, but the question is, what heated gloves to buy?

Yes, I know hand muffs are great but call me vein, am never having them on my bike

What are peoples experiences of wired ones? Is it a pain running through your jacket or just a minute to patch through?

Looking at the Keis G601.

 

[tom_e]

I used some Gerbing wired ones for my winter commutes, once you get used to plugging yourself in it's not a great hassle. If you've got a jacket with a removeable thermal liner you can run the cables between the liner and the outer coat which keeps it in place and neat so you can just throw it on when you want to go.

They were a game changer when it comes to winter riding though, being able to feel your fingers is a wonderful thing

 

[Gimpymoo]

I used some Gerbing wired ones for my winter commutes, once you get used to plugging yourself in it's not a great hassle. If you've got a jacket with a removeable thermal liner you can run the cables between the liner and the outer coat which keeps it in place and neat so you can just throw it on when you want to go.

They were a game changer when it comes to winter riding though, being able to feel your fingers is a wonderful thing

My Jacket does have a liner so as you say, just keep the cable permanently in the jacket?

 

[ttaskmaster]

In my experience:

- Don't buy cheap. Expensive ones are generally worth it. Check reviews and do your research.

- Heated grips are **** because they burn your palms, while it's the backs of your hands facing into the wind and thermal-bridging, so you still end up with freezing hands. For this same reason, ignore palm-heated gloves and get those with the heating coils on the back.

- Avoid battery-powered ones, unless they also charge/run off the bike. Either way, make sure you connect to a switched live.

 

[Gimpymoo]

I am getting grips and gloves. My instructor said get both and they are out all day everyday.

The Keis 601 are battery and 12v which I thought covered all bases.

 

[ttaskmaster]

I am getting grips and gloves. My instructor said get both and they are out all day everyday.

The Keis 601 are battery and 12v which I thought covered all bases.

I often rode all day in temperatures down to -10ºC, which at (legal) motorway speeds gives a wind chill around -25ºC... Not fun on an unfaired Cruiser, lemme tell you!

Keis are a decent brand, from what I've read in general, but can be rather expensive.
Gerbing used to be one of the top brands. Ixon are another to consider, too.

The first problem with heated grips is that, being the bit you hold for control of the bike, when you decide they've gotten too hot you're then stuck holding what can often be VERY hot grips until the wind can cool them down. Since your hand insulates them, that can take a dangerously long time. By contrast, once you turn them down/off, the wind tends to cool the gloves much faster.

The second problem with what your instructor has said is the high current draw of two things can be a problem for some bikes.

The third problem is that heated grips are usually thicker than standard grips. Some people really don't get on with this, especially when wearing thick winter gloves. Remember this is your primary point of control on the bike, and in wintery conditions that can matter a lot.

 

[Scuzi]

You need both heated grips and gloves. The gloves will heat the tops of your hands and the grips will heat the palm side.

I have a set of Keis heated gloves and a vest. Game changer for winter riding, especially on long runs. Not just from a comfort POV but particularly a safety perspective. When the cold gets to you it slows down your reactions significantly without you realising.

 

[ttaskmaster]

If you have decent gloves, the palms shouldn't need to be heated.
Arguably, if your vest is heated well, it keeps your core warm enough to not need heated gloves either, but everyone is different.

 

[Gimpymoo]

I see no problem with gloves and grips.

Best to have them and turn them off if too hot than not have them.

When learning, I loved the grips on my learner bike.

 

[Gimpymoo]

You need both heated grips and gloves. The gloves will heat the tops of your hands and the grips will heat the palm side.

I have a set of Keis heated gloves and a vest. Game changer for winter riding, especially on long runs. Not just from a comfort POV but particularly a safety perspective. When the cold gets to you it slows down your reactions significantly without you realising.

Do you find the gloves to be bulky at all to the point they affect bike control?

 

[Scythe]

My partner has Keis too and they’re a game changer as others have said. I bought them for her last Christmas and it has transformed her accessibility to riding, as she always struggled with the cold.

They’re slightly bulky but not to the point of affecting bike control like some cheaper textile gloves.

Do it!

 

[swampy]

I love the keis inner jackets .... once you used one you'll never go back its a massive difference . I love the heat feeling on the arms Only thing I hate is if I park up and turn the bike off you feel the cold quickly when its off!
I had some rst battery powered gloves 1st gen , these were ok but fingers still got cold
gerbings are excellent lovely soft leather very well made

 

[DXP55]

My word - Things have gone cushy these days - We used to put newspapers inside front of our jackets and down front of jeans.

I was out every day in winter of 62/63 and went out one morning and found 6" of snow on road - Good bit was a mate had been up before me and I followed has wide scrambler tyre tracks.
I never came off during all that ice and snow but came a real cropper on gravel when snow had gone and that day was day I decided to put the helmet on - Big gashes all down back of it.

Just ride carefully and keep your eyes open - only advantage we had there wasn't anywhere near the number of crazy car driver about then.

 

[Diddums]

My word - Things have gone cushy these days - We used to put newspapers inside front of our jackets and down front of jeans.

I was out every day in winter of 62/63 and went out one morning and found 6" of snow on road - Good bit was a mate had been up before me and I followed has wide scrambler tyre tracks.
I never came off during all that ice and snow but came a real cropper on gravel when snow had gone and that day was day I decided to put the helmet on - Big gashes all down back of it.

Just ride carefully and keep your eyes open - only advantage we had there wasn't anywhere near the number of crazy car driver about then.

Wait till you find out about colour television sets and cordless telephones

 

[ttaskmaster]

My word - Things have gone cushy these days - We used to put newspapers inside front of our jackets and down front of jeans.

Yeah, can't really do that these days - The closest I've seen to a newspaper in years is an iPad with the Daily Mail app loaded on it. We don't even get much paper junk mail any more either, so lighting the log fire at home takes a bit more effort!!
Then again, back in the '60s, kids used to lick the lead-based paint off their cots, so....

 

[Griffo]

My word - Things have gone cushy these days - We used to put newspapers inside front of our jackets and down front of jeans.

I was out every day in winter of 62/63 and went out one morning and found 6" of snow on road - Good bit was a mate had been up before me and I followed has wide scrambler tyre tracks.
I never came off during all that ice and snow but came a real cropper on gravel when snow had gone and that day was day I decided to put the helmet on - Big gashes all down back of it.

Just ride carefully and keep your eyes open - only advantage we had there wasn't anywhere near the number of crazy car driver about then.

Partly helped by all the road deaths of both car drivers and motorcyclists I imagine .

@Gimpymoo do all you can to be comfortable. We each have more or less efficient blood supply to our extremities, from Old Mr Hot Hands to my mate with Raynaud's. His sister doesn't have it but JESUS her hands are cold.

As we've seen elsewhere, people put a lot of import into being comfortable - to the extent of sacrificing safety. To do the opposite, be uncomfortable ... and still sacrifice safety, would I suppose be some kind of irony. Or trirony.

Oh yeah: a friend has Keis and recommends them!

 

[Tykey]

i've found cheap heated gloves aren't effective at all, i bought some gerbing @ twice the price and they were excellent.

 

[DXP55]

We have a colour TV now - wife has painted it same colour as walls.
I on the other hand did have a work cordless phone but I had to stop using it as battery was so heavy I had a job lifting it.

I look back at all my biking years and think how did I survive.
Mate got killed at 30mph - Car did a u turn on Brum ringway and he went over the top and landed on a bollard.

I did have some close ones - cracked ankle and shoulder.

Ride carefully. Unless you are on a Duke on Prees bypass and give it full throttle - We sit there in garden in summer evening and hear them up and over the bypass. Can't beat a V twin

 

[IC3]

Heated handlebars+muffs are the best combo imho, more comfortable, thick gloves aren't fun to ride in.

 

[Tefal]

I have a pair of gerbing heated gloves they're decent lasted a fair few winters bur eventually lining wears and the wire breaks. I am thinking ones with the carbon fibre elements may be better than steel wire but they were value for money.
I only used them wired you can buy batteries though but they're 70+ quid

A pair of sealskins work gloves (the yellow goats leather ones) have been my go to commuting gloves this year perfectly water proof and wind proof but not 100% sure how they'd do in a crash. Decent leather and doubble stitching, knuckle padding but no scaphoid pad and absolutely not certified for motorcycling