Heated Gear

[SLK50]

I really don't care for the knit cuffs and waist of the Gerbings.

For me, Warm-n-Safe/First Gear is better.

 

[juniorfjr]

When we left Castlegaar, we got pretty well soaked. After we rode out of the rain, I stopped and we put on another layer. Gave my wife the Gerbings and turned it up for her. A little while later she announces,"now I see why you like this stuff". Could be costly in the long run. <_<

 

[ALDAWG]

? On the Warm & Safe. Anybody try/use their waterproof heated liner? I am thinking of getting this one to use under my Motoport mesh Jacket. It will allow me to omit the rain liner top in the winter, and I will still use the bottoms, I agree with everyone else that heated bottoms are'nt necessary.

Anybody? Hello, do I hear an echo?

 

[TomInPA]

? On the Warm & Safe. Anybody try/use their waterproof heated liner? I am thinking of getting this one to use under my Motoport mesh Jacket. It will allow me to omit the rain liner top in the winter, and I will still use the bottoms, I agree with everyone else that heated bottoms are'nt necessary.

Not sure what you use as a top layer, but here is my take with the Gen4 non WP jacket. I use Olympia Air Glide outer clothing. It is mesh and flows a lot of air, water etc. I use this all 4-seasons in different ways. In very cold dry temperatures well below freezing (teens to low 30s), I used the WnS jacket under the weatherproof insulated shell of the Olympia. This is a LOT warmer and allows me to use much lower troller settings (not bad for a Gen I) and stay very comfortable. I found that the stretch panels on the sides can still feel cold without that top insulating layer. In milder temps above about 38* F I can leave the insulated layer off and get by with the WnS jacket. In even warmer temperatures, the Gen 4 liner (non-WP) flows enough air to be comfortable at low or zero heat settings, so it's versatile where temperatures change a lot, like on mountain passes.

The waterproof layer is new this year, and looks like it would do much better at cutting wind, and allow me to leave the Olympia inner liner behind. The only question I have is if it is as temperature neutral in wamer temps. Still it sounds like a great solution and another step forward by Mike to bring more useful lightweight, stuff that does more.

 

[ALDAWG]

? On the Warm & Safe. Anybody try/use their waterproof heated liner? I am thinking of getting this one to use under my Motoport mesh Jacket. It will allow me to omit the rain liner top in the winter, and I will still use the bottoms, I agree with everyone else that heated bottoms are'nt necessary.

Not sure what you use as a top layer, but here is my take with the Gen4 non WP jacket. I use Olympia Air Glide outer clothing. It is mesh and flows a lot of air, water etc. I use this all 4-seasons in different ways. In very cold dry temperatures well below freezing (teens to low 30s), I used the WnS jacket under the weatherproof insulated shell of the Olympia. This is a LOT warmer and allows me to use much lower troller settings (not bad for a Gen I) and stay very comfortable. I found that the stretch panels on the sides can still feel cold without that top insulating layer. In milder temps above about 38* F I can leave the insulated layer off and get by with the WnS jacket. In even warmer temperatures, the Gen 4 liner (non-WP) flows enough air to be comfortable at low or zero heat settings, so it's versatile where temperatures change a lot, like on mountain passes.

The waterproof layer is new this year, and looks like it would do much better at cutting wind, and allow me to leave the Olympia inner liner behind. The only question I have is if it is as temperature neutral in wamer temps. Still it sounds like a great solution and another step forward by Mike to bring more useful lightweight, stuff that does more.

I did not know the WP liner was a new product, I was hoping someone had one, they could give some review or input. Please if anyone has this liner, chime in soon, as I will need to make a descision by early November. Thanks

 

[rfespinosa]

I have the First Gear liner and it is the bottom of the line Warm & Safe, it's the one you can feel the wires in it. In retrospect, I should have gone with the top of the line Warm & Safe where you can't feel the wires in it.

I also have a Widder vest from a few years back, don't get a vest, a liner is the way to go. Don't get a Kenetsu liner from Aerostich, you can't connect gloves to it.

 

[kevinmorris22]

I used this all last winter, and was very happy with the gear. https://www.ridergroups.com/featured/powerlet-rapidfire-jacket-liner-package-review/

 

[Colin24]

Anybody have some recommendations?

Warm-N-Safe.

- Get the pants and the jacket

- Get the dual heat-troller controller.

- Get the socks. (I am _so_ glad I did this!)

- My experience with a Gen I FJR is that I tend to use the pants\socks at higher heat values than the jacket. I would not consider the bottoms optional. If your going to buy the heated gear go the whole way.

- I bought the gloves too. But I have never liked heavy gloves and have a set of VStrom hand guards on the bike. As such I only used my Warm-N-Safe gloves once. I just found having to deal with the elxtric plugs on the gloves made it too much of a hassle for something I didn't need. But I will probably be doing more testing on this in the next month or so.

- In really cold weather you still need a bit of an outer insulation layer to help keep the heat in. Outer shell needs to be windproof so your allowing in cold air. Then a light insulation layer over the jacket and pants works wonders in sub 40f weather.

Hope this helps

- Colin

 

[madbiker]

Hi Colin,

Would you anticipate any problems running Warm-N-Safe jacket, pants, glove liners, and socks on a Gen I? Thinking about this set up for a late October trip from WI into AL.

Richard

Anybody have some recommendations?

Warm-N-Safe.

- Get the pants and the jacket

- Get the dual heat-troller controller.

- Get the socks. (I am _so_ glad I did this!)

- My experience with a Gen I FJR is that I tend to use the pants\socks at higher heat values than the jacket. I would not consider the bottoms optional. If your going to buy the heated gear go the whole way.

- I bought the gloves too. But I have never liked heavy gloves and have a set of VStrom hand guards on the bike. As such I only used my Warm-N-Safe gloves once. I just found having to deal with the elxtric plugs on the gloves made it too much of a hassle for something I didn't need. But I will probably be doing more testing on this in the next month or so.

- In really cold weather you still need a bit of an outer insulation layer to help keep the heat in. Outer shell needs to be windproof so your allowing in cold air. Then a light insulation layer over the jacket and pants works wonders in sub 40f weather.

Hope this helps

- Colin

 

[Colin24]

Hi Colin,

Would you anticipate any problems running Warm-N-Safe jacket, pants, glove liners, and socks on a Gen I? Thinking about this set up for a late October trip from WI into AL.

Richard

None at all.

I've got a GenI and use the same setup (less gloves) all the time. I use the Dual Heat-Troller. (Very recomended and well worth the money.) The heat-troller controls the heat\power levels in a very energy efficient way. Combine this with the fact that the WarmNSafe gear generate alot of heat and it means that you are rarely drawing full power.

Note: I have my wiring setup so that I can run aux-lites or heated gear but not both. But the heated gear by itself should pose no problem for the FJR.

------------------------

Interesting time to post this for me. Decided to head down to Toronto and surprise my Dad for breakfast. I was up and out the door at 3am and arrived 4 hours later at 7am. Whole time the temp hovered around 4c to 6c (40f to 45f). But I was toasty and warm the whole way. I was using some RevIt OffTrack gear. I had the quilted liners in but not the rain liners. The quilted liners work quite well. But without the rain liners I was getting some cold air infiltrating the jacket. I noticed this because I started to get cold spots. But when I turnrf the 'lectrics up it just made the warm spots even hotter. When this occurs I've foind its an indication that you are losing alot of the heat to the outside air. What I should've done is put the rain liners in. This would've ensured the warm air stayed in the jacket. But I was too lazy and had lost the rain liners on my last trip. So I just toughed it out and I was fine.

I have some spiffy new Klim Gear ordered and it should be showing up in the next few days. I am very anxious to do some testing with that gear and the warm-n-safe stuff. I'll post more info once I have some!

- Colin

 

[VTFJR13]

I use the tourmaster synergy because it is cheap for me to buy. It heats up fast and I use the warm n safe heat troller with it. Warm n safe sells a plug end that bypasses the tourmaster controller and allows you to use a variable controller. I have a vest and jacket . I like the vest for the mid fifties and up then the jacket is nice for 55 or below. I also inherited the tourmaster heated gloves just this year when my dad pasted and I can't wait to try them

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

I did a lot of searching on this and on my 1600mile journey from Texas to Cali during a cold blast where temps got into the teens.

Tourmaster vest...with heat trotter worked great.

I also wore for the bottom some ski pants as a outer shell. Stops the wind and rain...(picked up at Burlington coat factory) Economy option.

I used my leather fieldsheer jacket with heavy liner on top.

It's the underneath stuff that really matters just as well.

Wool wicking socks.

Hot Chilly's thermal gear top's and bottoms.

My fieldsheer eskimo gloves were very solid; no frozen fingers.

With all the good undergear, never had to turn the vest full blast.

 

[pjleduc]

I just ordered gloves and a liner from Motorcyclegear.com. They are running a promo, one week only on the Tourmaster Synergy 2 stuff. https://myemail.constantcontact.com/One-Week-Only---Special-Promo-on-Heated-Gear-.html?soid=1011190681102&aid=K-tjDCCaoWA

 

[johnny80s]

warm n safe

Talk to Mike about the WP jacket. He is always happy to talk about his products.

 

[zenwhipper]

Um... OPer here. Well my trip has come and gone and it was clear the way the PNW Sept was shaping up (can we say freakin' awesome!) that I would not need any heated gear on my trip. I just went on the trip with an extra base layer and was more than fine. So, I'm gonna hibernate this winter and ponder the question again in the spring. Lots of good advise on this topic. Thanks mucho! :clapping:

 

[hppants]

I'm bumping this thread to ask a few questions. I recently purchased the Tourmaster Synergy 2.0 jacket liner with the dual controller. I have read about this forum's displeasure with the t/m controllers, but additional reading elsewhere and a nice conversation with T/M technical support lead me to the conclusion that the 2.0 product has addressed and specifically fixed all previous problems. Time will tell.

1. Does anyone have the Tourmaster Textile Heated Gloves, and if so, where did you buy them? How do you like them? Are they fairly flexible and does their construction lead you to believe that they will protect your hands in a fall similarly to the way typical non-heated armored gloves do? I am hearing rumblings that T/M is considering pulling this product as they are having some overheating problems.

2. Does anyone have the Gerbing T-5 heated glove, and are using it with a T/M 2.0 jacket liner? The electrical plug is the same, and the power draw is similar to the T/M glove, but I don't know if the T/M controller will work with the Gerbing glove?

3. Does anyone have the Gerbing heated glove liner and if so, same questions as #2? Also, how thin is this liner and can I expect to purchase an additional set of waterproof gloves 1 size larger than what I currently have in order to use them? If so, then I'd just as soon buy the heated glove and be done with it?

I'm also looking at grip heaters. I'd rather be riding, but since the weather's too cold and I don't have a way to make my hands warmer, I'm stuck inside today.

Thanks.

 

[escapefjrtist]

'pants, i can give you a little information...

I have the TM Synergy jacket with a single controller. Original controller failed and was warranty replaced with the new and improved version...so far no problems with the replacement. Jacket works well and has more than ample heat for temps into the 20's.

My previous '06 did not have heated grips. I purchased a pair of TM Textile Gloves waaaay on sale to try them out. Used in conjunction with the jacket and single controller, it's a compromise at best. I usually run the jacket on low and at that setting, there's not enough heat in the gloves. On medium, gloves are good but jacket's too hot. When I use(d) the gloves I wear a thicker layer under the jacket to act as insulation and run things on medium. My current '09 has heated grips so the gloves stay in the glove pile...

Answers to Q's -- Bought the gloves way on sale from a local dealer. Fit is snug, I had to go up one size. With dual controllers I think they will work better regulating the heat. You can feel the wires while wearing, not bothersome but there nonetheless. They are flexible enough, they'll provide as much protection as typical textile gloves in a get off.

FWIW, I'd go with heated grips. You'll be happier in the long run.

--G

 

[Hudson]

I would like to say I like Gerbings, but had a less than stellar experience with their customer service. Placed an order for a present for my missus, a battery powered jacket, in early Oct. Seven phone calls and three emails later, with many promises to get right back to me, and I gave up with Gerbings last week. Too bad, she really wanted the vest.

In contrast, Warm and Safe had my order on my doorstep days after placing it online, and gave a great discount and trade in on my not so reliable Tourmaster. The jacket works great!

Your mileage may vary, but I choose to keep my biz from Gerbings going forward. A shame given that I had heard they were good.

 

[roggiedog]

Wanted to add an experience with the Sedici heated liner from cyclegear. I picked it up for 150 including the controller. The reason I took a chance on it was that it has a lifetime warranty and cyclegear is great with their return policy. I've got to say it works awesome. No more thick layers under my jacket...just the heated liner. I notice that with the liner on the hands don't seem to get cold anymore. So for a cheap option this worked out great so far.

 

[ALDAWG]

Update: I am awaiting delivery of my warm-n-safe liner from Motoport.

Wayne can custom make a heated liner if you send him your existing Aerotex liner. Amanda gave me the duel remote troller for X-mas gift. Can't wait to try this stuff out!