Heated gear

[Joe A.]

Finally, after all of these years I broke down and ordered a heated jacket liner. Looking forward to it and hope I like it as much as everyone says I will!. Funny, looking back on 40+ years of riding how much my attitude towards riding gear has changed. From a denim or army surplus jacket > leather > latest textile, it is apparent to me that as I age that comfort and safety (nee risk management) are important considerations. I am pretty much ATGATT, and have a roomful of gear to choose from.
Have any of you folks taken the same journey?

 

[Chris]

Pretty much the same over 40 years too - denims & short sleeved shirts in summer, heavier bike gear in winter. A few crashes (whilst wearing bike gear) and a few near misses at speed (in denims and short sleeves) convinced me to move to leathers and nowadays either a textile suit with full armour or jacket & armoured bike jeans.

I also bought a heated vest and really appreciate it on long runs in cold weather. That plus winter gloves & heated grips keeps me pretty comfortable in all weathers. I am tempted to add on heated boot liners - after a long day in bad weather my feet start to get a bit cooler than comfortable.

 

[L.B.S.]

Haha same, same...

They'd have to pry my heated gloves/jacket/grips from my col...er...warm and comfy dead hands

 

[Harald]

I don't know if it's getting older or maybe having more money available, but that's a common story. I've been a serious street rider for about 35 years and made do with what I had for riding gear for most of those years. I used to scoff at "wimps" that needed heated gear until I got my first heated liner 7 years ago. Now I'm spoiled and won't give up the heated gear.

Of course I still have to prove that I'm not a wimp, so now the heated gear allows me to regularly ride in temps below freezing. I can't imagine doing that for any distance without the gear!

 

[Joe A.]

I don't know if it's getting older or maybe having more money available, but that's a common story. I've been a serious street rider for about 35 years and made do with what I had for riding gear for most of those years. I used to scoff at "wimps" that needed heated gear until I got my first heated liner 7 years ago. Now I'm spoiled and won't give up the heated gear.

Of course I still have to prove that I'm not a wimp, so now the heated gear allows me to regularly ride in temps below freezing. I can't imagine doing that for any distance without the gear!

you make a good point Harald. A combination of resources and the "wimp factor" definitley colored my decsion making process. I just turned 60 a couple of weeks ago and took "pride" in roughing it. But that does come at a cost and I finally realize I would rather ride, and ride safely, when others are not able to or willing to do so.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I rode all winter last year and I would not have been able to do that without heated gloves. For many years I tried to play tough because I was an army ranger. I'm retired now so I have nothing to prove. LOL. Now I wear heated gear. Or gloves anyway. No use in torturing yourself. Money wasn’t a factor in my decision to punish myself. More like stupidity. I don’t need a heated suit to make it through the winter in Arkansas but I won’t go without gloves.

 

[netizen]

Lol seems we have a common theme here. I remember riding in a ski jacket with the collar tucked under the helmet in 13 degree temps and thinking I didn't need heated gear. I'll probably buy my first heated vest this year (got a heated chest protector with my aerostitch in January).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Daboo]

I went the same route that many of you did. More income and more realization of how I really don't want to rough it any more than I have to led to better and better gear. Two winters ago, I sprung for some Gerbing heated gloves. I liked them so much, I sprung for the heated jacket liner last year. That was sweet! Your hands or body gets a little cool or hot, and you just turn the thermostat knob.

About a month ago, I purchased a Hit-Air air bag vest. It takes ATGATT to a new level. One of the members of the NT-Owners.com forum went off the road. His riding gear did a good job of protecting him from road rash and head injuries. But he ended up with 22 broken bones in his chest, 17 of which were ribs. Also he had one vertebrae broken and another crushed. He figures that if he had something like the air bag vest, he could've walked away. Instead, it was a couple weeks before they knew if he'd make it or not.

As Joe wrote, you get into risk management. How much does that air bag vest cost!?!?! Then, how much will my medical bills be? And how much will I lose from lost work? The cost for the air bag vest becomes a drop in the bucket. I figure I'm fairly experienced and I've done a lot of miles without an accident. But that other rider has far more experience than I do, and he still had the accident.


Chris

 

[Wild ill]

Very hard to have good control whe your teeth are chattering so hard your eye balls are rattling......I've used heated clothes since the 80's......?I have tried many brands and have come to like Gerbings the best. Always use a thermostat and wouldn't be without it. Long rides in cold weather with friends.......they are all jealous.....and cold!

 

[Old Can Ride]

Sooner or later everyone comes around to heated gear. Even Harley folks now wear heated gear.

 

[oakvilleadvisor]

I have yet to go down that road but I love my honda heated grips !

 

[Naked_Duc]

After a brutally cold winter, I, too, picked up some heated gear - Oxford heated grip.