Gordon Gerbing has been producing an array of electric clothing for 22 years. His line includes everything from full suits to socks -- all designed to be integrated.
Starting at the top, he offers a vest ($129) that seems to supply more heat than any we have tested. He won't say how hot his clothes get, only that he makes them as hot as he can without drawing too much amperage. Gerbing's offers three heated jacket styles that range in price from $219 to $499. The high-end Ultimate is a three-quarter-length coat with a lining that heats the chest, back, neck, arms and hips. Its outer shell comes in either 500-denier or 200-denier Cordura. The electric liner can be removed and the jacket's vents opened for warm weather. Ballistic Cordura and impact pads reinforce the elbow and shoulder.
Gerbing's Ultimate Pants ($299) plug into the jacket. And get this -- the socks plug into the pant cuffs and the gloves plug into the wrists of the jacket. Yahoo! But be warned, once you get a taste of this whole-body heating, it's hard to be satisfied with less.
Gerbing's biggest sellers are the heated jacket liners in thin nylon or nylon with fiberfill. He says he sells about 50 liners to every two vests simply because "people figure out they can have their arms warm too." We tested the fiberfill version ($189) and we're wild about it. It's soft and comfortable and offers such a high level of warmth we even braved a sub-freezing ride. And if you're already happy with your jacket/liner combination, you can send the liner to Gerbing's and the company will convert it by adding elements.
Gerbing's will custom alter its own line too. If you buy something and find you're still cold in a particular area they'll run more juice through there. And if you encounter a hot spot, they'll tone it down. In addition, when you buy one of the three jacket styles you can mix and match your colors and be custom-fitted too. The options seem unlimited, but the outcome is the same. You'll be satisfied or get your money back. Gerbing's also offers a lifetime warranty on the electrics, no questions asked.
The idea of wearing electric socks made us giggle at first but after using them in near-freezing temperatures we were believers. When it is really cold you don't exactly feel them heating your feet, your feet simply feel comfortable and don't send panic signals to your brain.
With the leather gloves we sampled (Gerbing's thin and heavy water-resistant types) you do feel the heating elements when they are used at the high end of the thermostat, especially on the palms, knuckles and at the thumb and forefinger where they touch the grip ends. This is incredibly pleasant but the glove heat does need to be regulated. On one particularly cold three-hour ride I was caught without the on/off switch or thermostat cord, so I plugged the glove harness (which runs up the back of the jacket and down the sleeves) straight into the power cord. The result of full, unregulated heat over a long period of time left minor burns on the knuckles of my pinkie and ring fingers. Gerbing's socks sell for $59 and the gloves have a suggested retail price of $119 and $139, respectively.
Gerbing's offerings are extensive, and we enjoyed everything we tried. We are especially impressed with the Ultimate Suit (not shown) which is versatile enough to be all you need for riding year-round. There are also pants and two other jacket styles to choose from which collectively act like winter oversuits. We especially like the jacket liners, and the idea that you can have your own existing liner converted seems like the most impressive option currently available in the electric apparel market.
The amperage draw of Gerbing's heated apparel varies. The socks draw only 22 watts while the full suit with accessories will pull approximately 12 amps. A vest or overpant requires 44 watts and the jackets and jacket liners draw 77 watts.
If you're looking beyond a simple vest, request the catalog or visit the Web site to get the full scope of products, prices and variations available from Gerbing's. Sometimes more is better, and with this company you won't get less.
Widder Enterprises was America's first manufacturer of electric apparel and is perhaps the most widely known. The name Lectric-Heat is as familiar to veteran riders as Bell Star and Bates. The business began in 1971 with one product, the Lectric-Vest, which has since become the Mark II ($108) and has been redesigned and refined as time and technology have warranted. It is currently made with a urethane-coated nylon shell and a nylon-taffeta lining which encloses a layer of Thinsulate.
The vest we sampled is called the Ventura II ($129). It offers Widder's basic tried-and-true design but incorporates a heated collar with suede lining and heated pockets. Since an electric vest works best when it is tight but not restrictive, both vest styles use a two-way zipper so you can zip up from the waist to increase circumference when seated. Widder vests draw 33 to 48 watts depending on the size. When you order a larger size they don't just spread the wires more thinly, they add additional elements so the heat output will remain the same.
Lectric-Chaps ($92) have also been on the market for a long time and their basic design hasn't changed much. They use seven, thin, staggered hook-and-loop straps on the back to seal tightly against each leg. Although this closure system is less attractive and more difficult to apply than the Eclipse design, it does provide a more tailored, snug fit for minimal wind invasion. The material doesn't overlap in the back, so the chaps are less bulky which makes them fit comfortably under riding pants or a rainsuit. The Lectric-Chaps draw 33 watts, use the same quality nylon and insulation as the vest and feature a built-in Y adapter, so they integrate easily into the vest and power-cord assembly.
Widder's Lectric-Gloves ($93) have changed considerably over the years and get better every time we try them. They've moved away from a full-leather glove to a combination of water-repellent nylon on top combined with a deluxe reinforced leather palm. Downy Thinsulate lines the gloves for thermal insulation and each forefinger is endowed with chamois for face shield wiping. The gloves' extra-long gauntlets close at the wrist with elastic and hook-and-loop straps, then cinch down again at the forearm with a secondary hook-and-loop fastener. In short, these are outstanding winter gloves even aside from their heating capabilities. So if you are looking for the ultimate heated glove look no further. The Lectric-Glove harness, which runs up your jacket and down the jacket sleeves, plugs into the vest or chap/vest combination piggyback-style or can be used separately.
Widder products come with a standard on/off switch but you can buy a rheostat for a small additional charge. The plug system is quite different than the trailer-type or audio-jack setups. It's a double-prong male/female unit that is very easy to mate. And if you walk away from the bike without unplugging it, it will disengage without toppling you or your bike. But if you do this regularly the input wires will pull loose. That's when the beauty of the Widder plug becomes clear. With a small screwdriver you can disassemble the simple plugs and rebuild or modify them at will. It is a unique on-the-go advantage. If the other companies' plugs fail you'll have to hunt down replacement parts. The disadvantage with the Widder plug system, however, is that it is much harder to replace in the field than the others.
We have a lot of respect for the Widder line. It's a mature business that's remained dedicated to a small, specialized line of gear. That focused passion produces truly great products.
Aerostich RiderWearHouse
Eight South 18th Ave. West
Duluth, MN 55806
(800) 222-1994 or (218) 722-1927
www.aerostich.com
Eclipse, Inc.
3771 East Ellsworth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
(800) 666-1500 or (734) 971-5552
www.eclipseluggage.com
Gerbing's
East 750 Dalby Road
Union, WA 98592
(800) 646-5916
www.gerbing.com
Widder
942 East Ojai Ave.
Ojai, CA 93023
(800) 992-2653 or (805) 640-1295
www.widder.com
For additional evaluations of, comparisons of, and shopping advice for motorcycle gear and accessories, see the Accessories and Gear section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.