Heated glove recommendations?

[Scruffygit]

I've had a pair of these for the last six years - first two in the UK, second two here, although haven't used them for the last two as it's not really been cold enough:

http://www.biketek-heated-clothing.c...ed_gloves.html

I bought them having had heated grips on my old GSXF but was annoyed that I had to let them go with the bike. I tried a set of the Oxford Hot Hands - You wrap them around your existing grips and they work as normal heated grips - but they made everything too big and bulky, and didn't solve the basic problem I have with heated grips - hot palms but freezing backs of hands. So tried these gloves.

Picked them up at a show in the UK on sale special so they were chosen on price rather than performance.

Simple connection to the battery and a fused harness runs to wherever you want it. You can get fancy mounts but I just left it poking out from underneath the seat. A separate harness goes in your jacket, running down the sleeve to the gloves and a water proof connector joins the two. The right hand glove has a temperature controller with three heat settings plus an off.

Pros.

Really comfortable.
Warm, Very warm on max setting, for most of the hand.

Cons.

Not particularly waterproof.
The thumb is only heated to halfway and the thumb area is quite baggy so the thumb on both hands gets quite cold when the rest of the hand is nice and toasty. On long runs I used to take my thumbs out out of their bit and have them in the main body (palm/hand area) of the glove. Not ideal but better than being distracted by frostbite.
Because of the controller you can't disconnect the right hand glove so end up walking around looking like a child whose Mother has tied his mittens on a piece of string.
The connector to the gloves are quite bulky so you end up with big loops of cable at your wrists.

They worked well (apart from the Thumbs) through two UK winters and two here. One of the glove cables broke midway through the second year here but an easy fix although all the tape around the repair has added to the bulk in that area.

Were they worth the money - yes. Would I buy another pair of heated gloves - Oh Yes, most definitely. Would I buy another pair of these - No.

[CookMySock]

[...] So when it actually gets cold, I need even more heating. [...] and this is not a decision I have come to lightly, but nothing else is keeping me warm enough in winter. My hands need MOAR POWER

Your core will cut circulation to your extremities when its' latent heat is threatened (when you get cold) - my point being, warming your extremities will help somewhat but what you really need is heat added to your core, especially if you are already cold.

Which is why I'd suggest you looked at spending real coin on a heated vest with some grunt behind it - the highest watts rating you can find. It is going to cost you, but it's something you will keep forever, and it's something that will enable you to simply do as you choose - a thing I understand chix value greatly hehe.

[FJRider]

Your core will cut circulation to your extremities when its' latent heat is threatened (when you get cold) - my point being, warming your extremities will help somewhat but what you really need is heat added to your core, especially if you are already cold.

Which is why I'd suggest you looked at spending real coin on a heated vest with some grunt behind it - the highest watts rating you can find. It is going to cost you, but it's something you will keep forever, and it's something that will enable you to simply do as you choose - a thing I understand chix value greatly hehe.

Proper warm gear ... and plenty of layers underneath the jacket/pants. And decent winter-weight gloves. Acknkowledge that in winter it will be cold and dress accordingly.
Some chick's do dress more in the interest of fashion, looks and comfort, while wearing the gear. Then moan because they're cold. Bulky gear does keep you warm. Granted ... when you stop, you need to take a few layers off ... such is winter riding.

I do plenty of winter rides down here with the temperature hovering around zero. I dont have heated grips (nor intending to get any) nor do I wear a heated vest. I dont however go for as long as I do in summer without stops ... and ten minutes in a warm room does wonders for your morale.
Dont rush the dressing ... even a bit slower speed on the road if it is really cold.

Reliance on electrical gear to keep warm is not good, if problems with the bike (it, or it's electrics) occur. Waiting for a lift home in the cold is not fun. Nor is a walk in the cold either.

[Rosie]

Proper warm gear ... and plenty of layers underneath the jacket/pants. And decent winter-weight gloves. Acknkowledge that in winter it will be cold and dress accordingly.
Some chick's do dress more in the interest of fashion, looks and comfort, while wearing the gear. Then moan because they're cold. Bulky gear does keep you warm. Granted ... when you stop, you need to take a few layers off ... such is winter riding.

I do plenty of winter rides down here with the temperature hovering around zero. I dont have heated grips (nor intending to get any) nor do I wear a heated vest. I dont however go for as long as I do in summer without stops ... and ten minutes in a warm room does wonders for your morale.
Dont rush the dressing ... even a bit slower speed on the road if it is really cold.

Reliance on electrical gear to keep warm is not good, if problems with the bike (it, or it's electrics) occur. Waiting for a lift home in the cold is not fun. Nor is a walk in the cold either.

I know that heated gear isn't ideal, and I did dismiss the idea of heated gloves for several years, but I really am at my wits end keeping my hands warm enough in the middle of winter - especially on adventure rides where you don't always have the option of taking breaks inside to warm back up.

I generally don't have a problem keeping my core warm; I have good gear (including winter weight gloves, which I replace regularly), I wear a lot of layers (wool and thermal fabrics, no cotton), I have handguards, I wear fleecy wrist warmers, I'm not above wearing my rain gear (1 piece + overgloves) in fine weather to keep a bit more heat in, but sometimes it isn't quite enough, and I get painful, immobile fingers.

I'm going to make myself a set of larger elephant-ear style handguards, to see if that makes a difference. If not, it will be heated glove-liner time.

[oneofsix]

I'm not 100% convinced on the idea that keeping the core warm is enough. If like me you have a warm heart but suffer cold fingers then it doesn't seem to matter how warm the core is if there is cold getting to the fingers, they will hurt. The theory works to a point and has help a bit this winter but there have still been days when the core has been quite cosy thank you but the finger tips were starting to feel pain..

Good luck with the elephant ears. I saw in another thread Ratti was making herself some as well. I will be interested in how they work out.

[Rosie]

Good luck with the elephant ears. I saw in another thread Ratti was making herself some as well. I will be interested in how they work out.

I'll let you know how I get on. I think I'll stick some yamaha racing stripe decals on them, so they look factory

[pete376403]

I've got an old air force flying suit (Windak brand, it's either WWII or very soon after) hanging up in the shed - fully wired up for heating, including heated glove liners and heated boot liners. The boots and gloves get theri power from two dome fasteners on the cuffs, so there's a single power lead for the whole thing. Heated helmet liner as well. Typical flying suit with zip pockets everywhere, It's pretty heavy and the biggest problem - it needs 24volts (it does bugger all on 12 volts.)

When I get the sidecar hung off the 1100 there will be a couple of good size batteries for ballast so the suit might get pressed back into service.

(or I could stick it on Ebay - I saw just the glove liners listed for GBP160)

[CookMySock]

I'm not 100% convinced on the idea that keeping the core warm is enough. If like me you have a warm heart but suffer cold fingers then it doesn't seem to matter how warm the core is if there is cold getting to the fingers, they will hurt.

I will go along with this theory. Even with my heated grips so hot they hurt my hands - my fingers will still burn from the cold on long rides on frosty mornings. These rides, however, are few and far between.

[....] The boots and gloves get theri power from two dome fasteners on the cuffs, so there's a single power lead for the whole thing.

This is a damn good idea!

If only I could find some conductive plastic, I'd be back into building heated gear again - especially for girlies who are not coping at all - I'd do anything for them!

[sootie]

Heating tends to draw a lot of power.
If your bike is using some kind of field controlled alternator (like the normal car arrangement) all should be well up to a point.
A lot of earlier bikes, and particularly non road bikes tend to use charging systems with a limited power output. You can get in to trouble here, particulalry if you ride in traffic a bit.
One of my mates just removed the heated grips form his bike because of this, but other bikes would not even notice. FYI