Tired of riding your motorcycle through cold days and nights with frosty fingers and icy toes? I certainly was. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to score myself a pair of Gerbing's heated gloves ($139) and matching heated socks ($59).
Because they needn't be bulky to keep you warm, the gloves are constructed of relatively light, supple leather. Details include non-slip material placed at crucial grip points; protective padding on the knuckles; Kevlar-reinforced palms; interior waterproofing; and DuPont Thermolite insulation. The wires run through the glove, heating the length of your fingers, the back of your hand and the palm. A nice touch is the brass grommet that protects the glove's liner where the wiring exits it. To keep drafts out and heat in, there's an elastic closure at the wrist with a strap used to seal the cuff.
Gerbing's heated socks, which are designed to be worn over everyday light cotton socks, utilize heating elements that completely surround the foot, ensuring a pair of warm dogs no matter what.
The connection to the bike is made using the supplied battery harness, a five-minute installation, or through the bike's accessory plug via an optional adaptor. The furnished connecting cords are standard UL two-wire insulated cables with coaxial plugs to ensure a solid joint.
I'd also recommend springing for the portable temperature controller ($69). Without it, your only heat choices will be on or off, which makes it tough to find an acceptable comfort zone. Finally, we also recommend that the first piece of electric apparel a motorcyclist acquires should be an electric vest, which will warm your vital organs, thereby helping to keep your extremitied warm as well.
Having a few zillion electrons warming my extremities made all the difference this past winter. For the first time in 35 years I was able to say, "No really, I'm not cold at all," and actually mean it.
For additional evaluations of, comparisons of, and shopping advice for motorcycle gear and accessories, see the Accessories and Gear section of MotorcycleCruiser.com.