Electrically Heated Apparel Comparison

[BEER30]

What's the power draw on the Synergy gear? I don't see anything listed on their site. Their prices sure do look nice.

 

Does anybody have any comments about a full jacket liner vs. just a vest (brand no matter)? Do your arms stay warm enough without the heated arm pieces? Heated gloves would probably help that anyway.

 

Peg . , checkout post #1 of this thread , attached thumbnail .

 

BEER30

[Midrsv]

Does anybody have any comments about a full jacket liner vs. just a vest (brand no matter)? Do your arms stay warm enough without the heated arm pieces? Heated gloves would probably help that anyway.

 

I have a full jacket liner and like the heat in the arms. I ride with a friend that has a vest and he has mentioned that he wishes that he had bought a full jacket instead.

 

DT

[buddy]

So far I just leather up and ride to work but I might buy those when I get older.

 

buddy

[Guest Mortch]

Well Here is my outlook for the Product at hand as of now.

Yesterday I was on a ride and made a stop and talked with a Harley Rider age 67 years. It was a nice day here in Northern Washington (SUN) but chilly day. So he had on a set of Gerbings and I asked him all sorts of questions and even tried on his gloves. Both he and his wife have had them for a couple of years and no problems. Work great .

So today I got on the internet and started looking around.( I had all ready played with the Tour Master display at the Dealers) So I went back to the Dealers and played some more and then made contact with my cutie parts girl and she got out the Jacket, Pants( Chaps) and Gloves and I tried them all on.. 6' 150 lbs . ( skinny little devil) Large Coat, Medium Chaps and XLarge Gloves. Fit great! The Gloves come with a small controller ( That would fit in a outer small right sleeve pocket by the cuff so you could virtually just have the gloves hooked up. The Jacket and pants( Chaps) have a controller each of there own so they could hook up individually. NOW! If you want you only need one controller when you have the Jacket hooked to the pants (Chaps) and the Gloves. The Jacket has a inside left pocket that you can store the contoller in when unplugged and go into a restaurant so its not dangling.

The controllers have a spring clip on the backside. When riding they provide you with a velcro strap that goes around your left leg( Controller is water proof)Spring clip to Velcro Strap

So this afternoon I hooked up the wire to the battery and plugged in. All items worked on High. Great Heat! One controller!. If a Controller takes a Dump you will have an extra.

Tonight after a shower I put on my regular underwear and then my thermo 2 piece Long Johns. Then my Pants(Chaps) then my Flannel lined regular cut jeans and then my synergy Jacket(long sleeved). Then my Tour Master Sentinel rain pants and rain Jacket .Velcro strap to left upper leg with controller attached. Man! Iam all ready warm.

Tomorrow its suppose to rain But Im going for a ride dressed like this and turn up the heat and the music. Hope I don't fall asleep. The Girls at I HOP restaurant will love it..( Does this make my Butt look BIG?)

Here are the Numbers.....In post #1 you are given the Electric Stats.

Here is what I had at my Dealers after my Cutie Parts girl gave me my Ole Fart Discount. These price include my 10% Ole Fart Discount

Synery Jacket Liner----------$157.45

Synergy Gloves--------------$130.45

Synergy Pant(Chaps) Liner---$121.45

$409.35

Sales Tax---$32.75

Total-----------$442.10

 

It's always a lot of Money to stay warm but I reckon you just have to bite the bullet especially if it doesnt make your Butt Look Big. Isn't that the Truth Mini Muffin? So there! Mortch

[Snarley Bill]

just got home from work mostly highway had my gerbing jacket liner on with electronic control under my ski jacket .full face helmet ,craftsmen work bib coveralls,and loafers,riding my v-star 1300 with windshield lowers and vinyl leg shields on my crash bars.completely comfortable and warm all the way.oh forgot to say ,it was 20 degrees out.the jacket liner worked perfectly.turned it off for awhile when i hit traffic.

[pegscraper]

 

Peg . , checkout post #1 of this thread , attached thumbnail .

 

BEER30

 

Well, duh. If I would just look around a little bit more. Some people. Thanks.

[Guest cyote61]

Talking with them , I asked as there was no place that I found on how much power they drew . They let me know that they just placed a chart up on their site . I thought I would share it with you . http://www.wingstuff.com/pgroup_detail/20174_Synergy_Motorcycle_Electric_Clothing_Sizing_Chart

 

 

 

Not wanting to get into a peeing contest on the wattage draw but I have my paperwork in front of me on my Gerbing Jacket which I just purchased last week. The draw is ratted at 77 watts. Looks like maybe the competition is out to stretch the facts a little.

[Guest Mortch]

Just Got Back from a 90 mile Ride in Misty Rain. Outside Temp about 53 degrees. All Worked very well thru all heat ranges. I would be sure and purchase the Long Sleeve Jacket it works well.. Wore the Same gear as previous post. Its all a +1 for now. Speeds of 65 and 75. Made 4 Stops and the bike started up as usual so the battery must have been charging.

Very Happy! Now for the Sig Other. " I Want one" OOOOOOkay!

Have Fun... Mortch. OH! I Forgot to Stop at I-Hop. Must have been asleep!

[pegscraper]

The other angle about power draw is that the ratings are a maximum. One outfit may be higher powered than another, but then it doesn't need to be on as long either.

[SteveW]

Here is a great way to keep warm and very cheap also. I used this a couple of years ago when riding back from Fl. feb.

I have a 12 volt elec. car blanket 24" x 54" and just wraped it around me under my jacket ( you can use a little velcro to hold it together if needed ). Pluged it into the cig. lighter and I was nice and toasty in 25 degree weather in North Ga. at 1 am when I got home.

 

I got the blanket from a closeout store for 12 bucks and it has a 8 ft cord.

It might not be classy but it worked great. Keep the upper body warm and the rest will follow.

 

:cool10::cool10:

[eagleeye]

Sounds like all of these are nice and warm, but out of my price range.

 

Has anyone used the heated grips??

 

 

Steve

[Snarley Bill]

Sounds like all of these are nice and warm, but out of my price range.

 

Has anyone used the heated grips??

 

 

Steve

i bought some printed circuit grip warmers that wrap around the bars and you slip your grips over.waste of money the bars on the clutch side absorb most of the heat.the throttle side gets uncomfortably hot.don't know if the grips do that.i think the gloves would be the best bet.

[MrRadi8]

i bought some printed circuit grip warmers that wrap around the bars and you slip your grips over.waste of money the bars on the clutch side absorb most of the heat.the throttle side gets uncomfortably hot.don't know if the grips do that.i think the gloves would be the best bet.

 

I was debating the grips vs. gloves issue. Haven't bought either yet but have found that if I'm riding with the cruise on I'm not gripping the throttle. I slide my hand back and rest it on the weight to prevent stopping the throttle from moving.

 

So I think I'm resolved to getting gloves and seeing how they work out instead of the grips.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I was debating the grips vs. gloves issue. Haven't bought either yet but have found that if I'm riding with the cruise on I'm not gripping the throttle. I slide my hand back and rest it on the weight to prevent stopping the throttle from moving.

 

So I think I'm resolved to getting gloves and seeing how they work out instead of the grips.

 

 

I've used both heated grips and heated gloves...and if I had to make a choice, its the heated grips all the way. They are always on the bike, you can turn up the heat on those cool evenings and warm your hands even without gloves on, and you dont have to stop and wire up through a jacket or vest. You can wear much lighter gloves, and even with a variable controller, its very convienient to be able to regulate the heat reaching your hands by just adjusting how tight you hold the grips while cruising. I found that by setting the temp just a tad higher than I really needed, then I could relax my hand and then grip tighter to easily control the amount of heat on an individual basis per side.

 

Now...regarding Widder electric vests, mine is very warm, and I dont miss the warmth that a jacket liner provides, since I have heated gloves or grips and the vest. One thing that might be an issue for us big ol boys....I have a bit of a 'gut'....and the vests need to fit snug, but arent cut for a 'gut'...SO...I had a custom leather guy make me a zip-in extension out of black nylon and matching YKK zipper that makes the vest fit perfect!

 

Might look a tad odd, but then, the electric vest is for me, not the ladies!!

 

 

 

 

[pegscraper]

Could this be moved to the riding gear folder where it can be found again? It won't even turn up in a search because "apparel" in the title is misspelled.

[stardbog]

tx2sturgis Quote:

"I've used both heated grips and heated gloves...and if I had to make a choice, its the heated grips all the way."

 

You are luckey Living in warm State, Dont even try to ride with only Heated Grips up north in Chicago winter. Over Here only choice is Heated Gloves on full blast.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

tx2sturgis Quote:

"I've used both heated grips and heated gloves...and if I had to make a choice, its the heated grips all the way."

 

You are luckey Living in warm State, Dont even try to ride with only Heated Grips up north in Chicago winter. Over Here only choice is Heated Gloves on full blast.

 

Lol....Warm State....well ok...South Texas might be warmer in the winter, but that part of Texas is 600 miles south of me. Here in the panhandle, we get those cold blasts that Canada doesnt want. We are also at an elevation of 3500 feet.

 

Sometime this winter, look on a weather map and observe what the jetstream does to us here. When you look at the color coded temperature bands, you will see the panhandle of Texas is in the 'purple' zone alot...meaning temps that are equal to Pennsylvania and southern Alaska...temps that hover in the teens, and drop to the minus 5 range.....Its not that unusual to have a 22 inch snowfall here. This closes all the roads due to blizzard conditions. So dont tell me I dont know what COLD is like to ride in. IF I had to make a choice of heated grips or heated gloves, I'd take the grips....just personal choice, not 'Luck'.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

So much for the 'Warm State'...

 

http://www.myplainview.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19052583&BRD=517&PAG=461&dept_id=573717&rfi=6

[hipshot]

YeAH!!!!! what brian said!!!!

i got 1 1/2 inches of snow , today! problem is , it all melted , just before it hit the ground!

still cold here , though! wind chill , is at 36 degrees!

just jt

[stardbog]

So much for the 'Warm State'...

 

http://www.myplainview.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19052583&BRD=517&PAG=461&dept_id=573717&rfi=6

 

Ouch. Sorry Brian. I didnt Know you are In "Great Cold State Of Texas" :rotf::rotf:

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Ouch. Sorry Brian. I didnt Know you are In "Great Cold State Of Texas" :rotf::rotf:

 

 

Hey man...even the SNOWFLAKES are bigger in Texas!!

[Weedhole]

I bought the Tourmaster Synergy Jacket Liner and Gloves.

Beware that the gloves run small. I normally wear XXL gloves but I had to buy their XXXXL and could still use a little more room in the palm area.

On the Venture both items work really well. When it's about 35 degrees out you can run them on Low for 2 or 3 minutes and then shut them off for the next 5-10 minutes and still be warm.

But riding my FZ1 is a different story (less wind protection). At 35 degrees you can't feel any warmth in the gloves except on high and then you get way too hot in the jacket liner.

[Jercoupe]

A few months ago I bought 2 of the tourmaster vests and have done a lot of riding with them now. Bev and I love them. We have yet to have them on high and have been in 35 degs. With the hot grips on hi and the 2 vests on med it was all the bike could do to keep up. I have a volt meter. One of our members told me to disconnect the carb heat and that solved the problem. Now i have connected a switch to the carb heat located right over the rear air shock fill valve. I know the grips draw 3 amps and the vest 4 each on hi but the volt meter stays green all the time now

[Trimster]

For A different take on vests... I have been using the Tech Niche, battery powered vest this season. Nice! Fleece inside, wind proof outer shell, nice design, well built. 4400 mah battery with 9 power settings. 3 is pretty toasty on 30 degree morning... 5 is hot. Have not had the guts to try 9... It seem to run for 6-8 hrs on 5. Nice thing... NO current draw on the bike and you walk into the cafe taking your heat with you. LiPoly battery.

 

Downside is there are 3 heater pads... two over the chest and one mid back. Keeps your core temp right on, but the wife does not like the hot back pad right in the middle of the back when in the queen seat. If your jacket is drafty, then this vest might not cut it. I wear a long sleeve turtleneck, the vest, a leather jacket with liner and, so far, have been very comfortable during the 80 mph blasts to work here in Utah. Pads and wiring are removeable so you can throw the jacket in the wash.

 

I got mine through this distributor Acehighleathers.com

under the link 'other cool stuff'. The photo shown is the old version of the vest. The new one is much better and stylin enough to wear in public.

[KAWoodworth]

Hey Beer,

 

Met you at the Virginia meet and eat in April. I have both the heated vest and gloves from WingStuff. They had the best prices I found compared to the other brands. The vest puts out so much heat even on the low setting that most of the time I end up turning it off. I couldn't believe how much heat that thing puts out. At first I didn't know if I was going to like the controler for the gloves since it is on top of the left glove but found it really easy to adjust while riding. I have a volt meter mounted on my bike and with the vest/gloves and MP3 going I still showed one green bar and I didn't seem to have any electrical problems using them both. I don't know if it is just me but I didn't get the same amount of heat in the gloves and usually always kept them on the high setting the entire ride. That might just be my old tough hands.