heated gloves vs. heated grips

[black hills]

gloves vs. grips for keeing my hands warm, opinions/experiences/advice?? thanks in advance

[Mr. Whippy]

IME, heated gloves are much warmer than grips.

Used alone, Grips are good to about 35F for me. (with heavy gloves)

Heated gloves are good to about 20F for me.  

When it's under 20, and I'm traveling at highway speeds, I like both gloves and grips together.

[Cablebandit]

Without heated grips the cold bars will still sap the heat from the palm of your hands.

[Yankee Dog]

I use grips. the missus uses gloves.

Grips
    Pros
        Convenient, Never forgotten
        Works with all gloves, good for warmup when the weather turns cold on a summer night
        Easy to use after installation
        Cheaper
        Less wattage
    Cons
         Not as warm
         Installation is a PIA

Gloves
     Pros
         Warmer
         Easy to install
     Cons
          A PIA to hook up every time you get on and off the bike
          More expensive
          Only one set of gloves
          Require more electrical power

[Carbonero]

gloves vs. grips for keeing my hands warm, opinions/experiences/advice?? thanks in advance

Both. When it's in the 20s, I don't care how good your gloves are, the backs of your hands will still get very, very cold, regardless of how good heated grips are.

[Carbonero]

When it's under 20, and I'm traveling at highway speeds, I like both gloves and grips together.

 

[Cablebandit]

Well the obvious answer is both.  I thought this was an either/or proposition.

[Carbonero]

Well the obvious answer is both.  I thought this was an either/or proposition.

IMO, when it comes to things like this, it's like trying to choose between water and air to sustain life.

Just plan on both grips and gloves; grips are super cheap, gloves are a well-known thing. Making the choice for only one, I'd go gloves, but at $40 complete from various MFGs, grip kits are a "duh! Just get it dumbass" kind of thing.

[wibornz]

I just buy really good gloves then you do not need heated grips or gloves.   With the good gloves, there is nothing to fail.  Note: I ride in temps well below zero.  

I found that when I had heated grips, I tend to wear gloves that were not as warm because I could use the heated grips.  Of course the heated grips decided to fail when I was 40 miles from home and the temp was -9.

[Mr. Whippy]

IMO, when it comes to things like this, it's like trying to choose between water and air to sustain life.

Just plan on both grips and gloves; grips are super cheap, gloves are a well-known thing. Making the choice for only one, I'd go gloves, but at $40 complete from various MFGs, grip kits are a "duh! Just get it dumbass" kind of thing.

^This.

Plus, I have my grips on a different circuit from the gloves and jacket liner.  The grips are on a keyed power source so I don't have to worry about leaving them on.  The gloves and liner plug into the port for the battery tender.  When I walk away from the bike, it's pretty hard to leave the gloves on...

[Carbonero]

I just buy really good gloves then you do not need heated grips or gloves.   With the good gloves, there is nothing to fail.  Note: I ride in temps well below zero.  

I found that when I had heated grips, I tend to wear gloves that were not as warm because I could use the heated grips.  Of course the heated grips decided to fail when I was 40 miles from home and the temp was -9.

Please explain what gloves these are? "Good" gloves as you described seem to be as ethereal and available as pink unicorns.

[Carbonero]

^This.

Plus, I have my grips on a different circuit from the gloves and jacket liner.  The grips are on a keyed power source so I don't have to worry about leaving them on.  The gloves and liner plug into the port for the battery tender.  When I walk away from the bike, it's pretty hard to leave the gloves on...

Agreed and ditto that.  

[Mr. Whippy]

Please explain what gloves these are? "Good" gloves as you described seem to be as ethereal and available as pink unicorns.

Gerbings.  They're the goodest.

(But I know it was the other post you were referring to).  BTW, I have a huge number of gloves I use for ice climbing and mountaineering.  I would consider none of them dextrous enough for safe use of the motorcycle (switchgear, lights etc).

[Carbonero]

Gerbings.  They're the goodest.

(But I know it was the other post you were referring to).  BTW, I have a huge number of gloves I use for ice climbing and mountaineering.  I would consider none of them dextrous enough for safe use of the motorcycle (switchgear, lights etc).

Yeah, that was meant for Wilborn's post. I quoted the wrong post. Sorry. It's been corrected now.

Agreed on Gerbing's; that's what I use.  

[Cablebandit]

Too bulky.  The point of a heated glove is to be able to wear a thinner glove in winter.  Warm and Safe are crazy hot with zero bulk.  They fit like a summer sport glove.

[Mr. Whippy]

Too bulky.  The point of a heated glove is to be able to wear a thinner glove in winter.  Warm and Safe are crazy hot with zero bulk.  They fit like a summer sport glove.

Interesting.  I went from Widders to Gerbings and was amazed how much better the Gerbings were (tactile wise).  I always felt like a Walrus riding a motorcycle in the Widder gloves.

[Carbonero]

Too bulky.  The point of a heated glove is to be able to wear a thinner glove in winter.  Warm and Safe are crazy hot with zero bulk.  They fit like a summer sport glove.

Agreed on older model Gerbing's.

Not so on newer Gerbing's.

[Cablebandit]

Perhaps they just copied their gloves as well as everything else?  

[Rincewind]

I had heated grips on my last two bikes, but with my current bike I went with Warm & Safe armored touring gloves instead.

The gloves are a semi-PITA to connect/stuff-the-wires whenever getting on the bike, but it's not a huge deal.  Plenty of heat on the backs of the hands and fingers are toasty, but they don't put heat to the palms.  Like Cablebandit said, this means that you are left with cold-ish palms gripping cold grips.  In comparison, the heated grips make the grips so nice and warm to hold - it makes a psychological difference, imo.

What I didn't like about the grips was that they wear out, but the same can be said for gloves.  I may end up installing the heated grips so I can have both, cause the grips are so convenient and nice to use throughout the year.  I can get by with only the heated grips, especially if hand guards are involved.

[tthompsr]

I have to go with heated grips, I'm a daily commuter and I currently have a set of Oxford Heated Grips and a set of Baker Hand wings to keep the wind off my hands. I have been wearing my light weight summer leather gloves all winter so far with nice and warm hands!

[Morgan]

I have had Warm/Safe gloves and their Heattroller for about 5 years.  In that time the gloves have failed 3x.  Suddenly the gloves go from being acceptably hot to nothing.  No warning, no nothing.  Just a dead glove. The company replaced two sets, but I'm not impressed at all.  How complicated is this product?  I did notice that on various different bikes, there were varying levels of heat.  My FZ1 and CBR seemed better able to deal with the gloves than the SV.  I wondered if the SV was killing gloves, but, IIRC, I was on the FZ1 when at least one pair died.  

Anyway, I still have the working gloves and temp controller but the OEM grips I installed on my Super Tenere have me totally spoiled.  In conjunction with the hand guards, I'm good at 45 degrees with fully vented Alpinestars GP gloves.  I'm comfortable enough for 20 minutes to work with heavier gloves at 27 degrees.  Much below that and I just take the car to work.  No need to mess with the wires.  But, I do agree, that if I were to ride in the low 30s for much beyond a couple hours, I'd be definitely hooking up the gloves with the grips.  

[M.Brane]

 Grips + gloves.

 The cheap Cycle Gear grips on the VFR are good down into the mid 40s with normal gloves. Still working fine after 3 years despite cutting through one of the wires trimming them down to fit. I just soldered it back together with a short piece of wire, and coated it with black silicone. I didn't think they'd last more than a season at best.

 The stock grips on the RT will bake your palms on high at temps above 40.

 The Gerbings gloves are on when it's low 40s or below. The grips add a nice warmth to the palms when it's near freezing or below, but not essential.

[Carbonero]

I have had Warm/Safe gloves and their Heattroller for about 5 years.  In that time the gloves have failed 3x.  Suddenly the gloves go from being acceptably hot to nothing.  No warning, no nothing.  Just a dead glove. The company replaced two sets, but I'm not impressed at all.  How complicated is this product?  I did notice that on various different bikes, there were varying levels of heat.  My FZ1 and CBR seemed better able to deal with the gloves than the SV.  I wondered if the SV was killing gloves, but, IIRC, I was on the FZ1 when at least one pair died.  

Anyway, I still have the working gloves and temp controller but the OEM grips I installed on my Super Tenere have me totally spoiled.  In conjunction with the hand guards, I'm good at 45 degrees with fully vented Alpinestars GP gloves.  I'm comfortable enough for 20 minutes to work with heavier gloves at 27 degrees.  Much below that and I just take the car to work.  No need to mess with the wires.  But, I do agree, that if I were to ride in the low 30s for much beyond a couple hours, I'd be definitely hooking up the gloves with the grips.  

We had a segment on the show this past week discussing how a Warm-n-Safe HeatTroller died just a couple of weeks into its life. I won't say that it's endemic of Warm-n-Safe, but I do seem to hear more complaints about that brand than some others.

http://thepacepodcast.com/archives/2229

[Geno]

I use both when it's 40s and below.  Got a set of Powerlet liners under thin leather gloves, so dexterity is good.  The grips keep my palms toasty, and the powerlets take care of the tops & fingers down into the 20s.  

[black hills]

thanks for all the advice, ordered grips for starters and will most likely add gloves as well.

[expatbrit]

WIth handguards and heated grips, plus a set of Rev'it Bastions, my hands are not cold. They're not warm and toasty, but they're not cold at around freezing. It's just a bit of chill in the fingertips. I don't really notice the grips like I do with lighter gloves on.

I think heated grips vary in efficacy. I'm super happy with the stock ones on the Mutleystrada. Warm enough, for sure.

THe big thing I like about the grips is for days when it's not QUITE as cold, and I'm just a bit chilly in my summer gloves. Pop them on low, and bask in the glow.

[Dan K]

Whoever posted they had gloves that kept them warm to below freezing without heated grips or gloves, please tell me what they are so I can buy a pair.

 -Dan

[black hills]

Whoever posted they had gloves that kept them warm to below freezing without heated grips or gloves, please tell me what they are so I can buy a pair.

 -Dan

   I need a pair for riding, work, skiing, etc.

[TheRedOnesAreFaster]

Both.

I like my grips for weather down to about 40 or so with summer gloves on long rides, and down to 30 or so with summer gloves for short trips.

For longer trips in cold weather, I snag my Gerbing gloves.  They are a PITA to take on and off (which is why I don't use them on short trips unless it is really cold.

The nice thing about the gloves is that you still have warm hands if you take your hands off the bars for a minute or two.

[Croak]

Both.  But if i had an either/or choice, I'd probably go with a good set of grips.  Heated grips are handy year-round and are always there, always ready when you need them.

[bluepoof]

I vote for gloves because I am utterly incapable of remembering to turn off the heated grips when I stop riding.    So grips are way too expensive for me -- $40 for the grips plus $75 every few months for a battery.

[Cablebandit]

 

[black hills]

I vote for gloves because I am utterly incapable of remembering to turn off the heated grips when I stop riding.    So grips are way too expensive for me -- $40 for the grips plus $75 every few months for a battery.

One of the reason I went with the KTM grips, clean install to a switched connection soi don't have to worry about turning them off

[expatbrit]

I vote for gloves because I am utterly incapable of remembering to turn off the heated grips when I stop riding.    So grips are way too expensive for me -- $40 for the grips plus $75 every few months for a battery.

Wire 'em to a switched circuit?

[M.Brane]

 I have a separate fuse block for all my accessories that is wired off a relay. No power to anything unless the key is on.

[bluepoof]

Now now, you all are making way too much sense.  

[miles]

Now now, you all are making way too much sense.  

If it's any consolation, BP, I've killed my battery a handful of times with the heated grips, too.    

[Yankee Dog]

Folks....   they sell these things in the autoparts store called relays. They only cost a few bucks. There are 13,000 sites on the internet that explain how to install them. It really aint too hard. Even I could figure it out.   No more dead batteries....  ever    

[expatbrit]

Folks....   they sell these things in the autoparts store called relays. They only cost a few bucks. There are 13,000 sites on the internet that explain how to install them. It really aint too hard. Even I could figure it out.   No more dead batteries....  ever    

Oh, that's not true!

Once I had relays and stuff on switched circuits, then I'd leave the bloody key in the 'park' position and kill the battery. That was a brilliant wheeze, let me tell you.

[Solitaire]

I had factory grips on an old R1150RT, now I have Gerbing G-3's for my Sprint GT. The gloves are significantly warmer IMHO. If you have good wind protection for your hands, you may find the grips are enough, but personally I wouldn't go back (though I have thought about the 'both' solution). Grips are great down into the 40's, and super convenient - lower 40's and below, I'll need my Gerbings...

[sagerat]

Heated gloves + heated grips + handguards = mucho riding comfort.