Heated Vests

[CruisingDog]

I'm thinking about getting a heated vest for the winter runs. I was looking at the Widdier vests.

Have any of you guys got any commments about these or other vests.

TIA.

[NormanPCN]

I can only comment on the Widder as that is all I have ever tried. IMO the vest with the collar is the way to go. I have a 44 chest and I went with the 46 vest for a slightly looser fit. The 44 was snug in the stomach area when seated and the slight forward lean. Widder is local to me so I could try various sizes on. The closer and electric vest fits the better the heat transfer but it is plent warm for me. If I turn it all the way up and extend my stomach so it presses against the vest I would not likely want that heat level on my body for long at the temps I ride. Under the vest I only have a t-shirt. You do not want insulating cloathes under you vest. Cold rides I have done are very low 40's at superslab speeds. Mid to upper 30's occasonally but at slower speeds.

[Bones]

Get a heated jacket liner rather than a vest. Having warm arms is good, particularly since they are more in the wind stream than your torso. My Gerbings keeps me way toasty...42 degrees when I left home this morning. I don't have to worry about snapping arms onto a vest (or having them packed if you decide you're cold). It zips up high and the collar is heated...warm neck, good. I mounted a permanent Heatroller and dial-in my preferred toastiness factor according to the conditions. It's also good just as a liner (not plugged in) under a mesh jacket when the temp dips low enough that mesh alone is uncomfortable but not so cold that you need heat. Packs into a stuff sack along with my rain jacket. Widders and Aerostich make good stuff too, I just prefer Gerbings.

[nm6r]

The Widder vest is actually the best of both worlds as it has a very nice (heated) collar. A vest is all you need at the beginning and end of the season. During the season, just snap on the arm chaps. They work very well as they are a snug fit yielding the best heating efficiency.

Ray
http://www.frontiernet.net/~st1300rider/smile04Bikerwheelie.gif

[Blue STreak]

I've use the Widder heated vest, with the collar, and overall like it a lot. But it's not perfect.

With heated gear, the closer the heating elements are to your body the more heat your feel. I think the vests are superior to the jacket liners in this respect (note: I've only tried on a Gerbing's liner, never worn one in the cold).

But the collar on the Widder vest has no Velcro or any other way to keep it snug against the neck, so some of the benefit of the heated collar is lost because it's not always touching the skin.

Similarly, I find that the shape of the vest doesn't quite match my body. It's snug at certain points, but loose at others, reducing the heating efficiency.

In spite of those issues, it's a whole lot warmer than no electric vest at all.

If you have a LOT of money, check out riderwearhouse.com. Aerostich has a heated vest that has air bladders which can be inflated to keep the heated areas pressed against your body. I'm sure it works very well, but it ain't cheap.

[NewsMag]

I have a Widder vest - used in temps as low as 20 degrees F.

Widder advantages: simple plug system (can be repaired with a small screwdriver), decently warm piece of clothing without the heat, gets real hot real fast, comfortable

Widder disadvantages: bulky (difficult to pack), no arms (and my arms did get cold - no arm chaps available for my old model)

Gerbing jacket liner advantages: small & easy to pack, gets real hot real fast, has warm arms

Gerbing disadvantages: thin garment - will just be a windbreaker if something fails, specialized plug system

If I get a new one, it will be the Gerbing.

[luckyll]

I've been using a heated vest by Freedom Leather Works (although, it's the textile one - no leather). Works fine for me, and it was cheaper than a Widder (I paid about $80CDN at my local dealer).

http://www.freedomleatherworks.ca/

Cheers,
Lucky

[deedward]

I have the Widder vest with the arm chaps. I also have the gloves and leg chaps. Couldn't be happier. I used them with my Yamaha Virago 1100 (very little protection from the bike) in temps down in the teens at highway speeds for extended periods and I kept plenty warm. I've not tried anything else so Widder is all I can comment on.

[stg1]

Widder with a collar. On a really cold day you can tilt your head back a little and feel the warmth on your neck. Just talking about heated vest oooooo I can't wait for cold weather. :bow1:

[Highrider]

I recently searched out all the popular brands of heated garments and their features. I selected Gerbings jacket liner, gloves and pants because of the fit, features, cost and availability to try on before I buy. The Widder, Gerbings, Eclipse and Aerostitch have different features to offer. You need to compare these features against how you ride, when you ride, and the rest of your outfit.
If your planning to ride in 35 degree weather or colder, you will want a jacket liner with full sleeves and a heated neck. Watch out for the detachable sleeves, the people I talked to that have used these have problems with the power connection to the sleeves. If your not anticipating needing gloves or pants, there will be more options to choose from.
I suggest you call each manufacturer and talk to them about your application, you should be able to sort out which jacket will work best for you.

Ride Safe !!!
:biker:

[Fireball18]

I can't speak for the Widder save for the unfortunate experience I had with one many years ago. It simply often failed to function, which was a big let down on a cold day.

I've been using the Gerbing jacket for many years now, and I'm completely satisfied. The high heated collar and sleeves are very nice. The original Gerbings were insulated by some sort of imitation down. Currently I believe they're using Primaloft which is just like down, only sythetic. It's a very light filler and the jacket compacts down nicely for packing. They also offer an uninsulated heated liner that's just two layers of the nylon material with the wiring inside.

One of the great features of the Gerbing heated jacket (I'm referring to the heated inside jacket--they also sell a regular electrically heatd textile riding jacket) is that they all include all the plugs for plugging in the heated gloves and pants. Finally, while I don't know about the other brands, Gerbing's electrics are unconditionally guaranteed for life. If it ever fails, they will repair or replace it. Not a bad deal.

[Erik]

Gerbing, why mess around? They really are the best. Ask anyone who's tried the others!

[Clark]

I have a Gerbings jacket liner. It's well made, heats quickly, packs small and puts out lots of warmth. I've worn it and been toasty warm on the bike in a snow storm with temps of 30 degrees. (i know, i know... what was i doing on my ST in a snow storm.. another story)

[EASt]

:bump

Glad I found this thread. I've started to research a heated vest, and it's good to see the opinions on performance. I figured on buying a Widder, initially, but to my surprise the Aerostich windblocker heated vest is actually cheaper - and packs into it's own pocket for storage.

Am I doing my math wrong? The 'Stich version comes with all necessary wiring, and it looks to me like I'd need to shed an additional $80 to get the Widder to plug into my powerlet, which makes the 'Stich cheaper. :?

Thoughts?

[Uncle Phil]

I have both for several years - the full Widder set (vest, arm chaps, gloves, leg chaps) and the full Gerbing set (jacket liner, gloves, pants liner, socks) - and adapters to mix and match if I ever wanted to. The Gerbing coax connectors are really nice and work very well. The biggest problem with the Widder were the old plugs with the cheap pot metal screws. I was frequently on the side of the road repairing the connectors. The new plugs fixed that problem (I retrofited my arm chaps with the new plugs from a new Widder glove harness and a soldering iron). A friend and fellow user who had the old style plugs contacted Widder and they told him they would not retro old gear even if he paid for it. I believe the official warranty on Widder electrics is 1 year and the Gerbing is lifetime though actual experience may differ. Having used both sets at 19 F with wind blowing off the Great Lakes (Ohio breakfast rides in March), the Gerbing kept me much warmer. I have used both sets for all day riding in low temps (15-40 F) on many occasions since I ride year round. I did have a Widder connection (the old style) melt on me (probably a loose connection) and 3 'new' thermostats go bad before I gave up on the thermostats. My Widder leg chaps died and I have never been able to resurrect them and never sent them back since it was past 1 year. So far I have had only one problem with the Gerbing - an outside seam of the jacket liner tore a little bit from my over stretching, so I just sewed it backup. You might also want to look at Warm and Safe jacket liner which some folks really like. I do like the Gerbing gloves which are not as bulky as the Widder - unless Widder has done a redesign. If you go for the Gerbing socks, get the ones with the wires only on the top. The wires in the bottom keep you a little warmer, but not worth the discomfort when walking. Either system will work, but correct fit is the key for proper heat transfer. There also used to be a company in Louisana called KREAMER that made heated polypropene underwear and heated socks for hunters - just another idea to ponder. BTW, neither sets of gloves are waterproof regardless of what they say if you get stuck in an all day rain. Hope that helps.

[jfheath]

I have a Gerbing and a KLAN jacket. Klan is a name used be Giali (put Klan Heated Jacket into google) I dont know if they sell them in the states.

Comparison - The Gerbing is hotter - sometimes need to turn it off - but it is a looser fit than the Klan. The material is sythetic, and the wiring can be felt throught the shoulders, although it is not uncomforatble to wear. The heated collar is nice, but the arms are too loose - the wind from around the side of the fairing blows the heat away before it warms me up. Better than not having it at all, but end result is warm body, cool arms. To compensate for this, if its really cold, I wear a fleece on top of the heated jacket, to keep the heating elements close to the skin - but then I have to turn it off every now and then.

Tha Klan is not as hot, but they seem to have done more research about the amount of heat needed. It stays on and does its job. No need for a switch here. It keeps you warm. The material is fleece with a lining, and the wiring is much neater. It doesn't get in the way, and it looks more like an ordinary jacket than the Gerbing. The arms are close enough to get the heat where it is needed. No need for another jacket to keep it close to the skin.

I only bought the Gerbing becasue of a temporary lack of supply of the Klan jackets. Ive sinc ebought the Klan. Still have both, still use both (when my wife pinches the Klan and I have to wear the Gerbing), but in my opinion, the Klan is nicer.

[Fred]

Check these out, also do a google for reviews, among others web bike world.

http://www.jett.us.com

We love ours, High is too hot and runs for about 3-4 hours on one charge. Low goes for almost 8 hours. Recharge time is about 1-2 hours so with a spare battery pack we have plenty of heat. Talk about convenient. We get off the bike and walk away with the vest still working.

Service is great. Had a warranty issue and they sent the replacement immediately and just asked that we send back the defective on their dime (actually shipping was $ 80.00).

[Pat Thompson]

I didn't see Warm & Safe (http://www.warmnsafe.com/)mentioned yet. I've got their liner and it works great. Quality is top notch, very comfortable to wear, and packs small.

This is the guy who came up with the heat troller that some of the other brands sell you and there is some political friction between Gerbing and W&S, but who cares?

[RaYzerman]

I have the Warm & Safe jacket liner as well. Heated collar. I like the feature that the material is heat neutral, as I don't like materials that don't breathe. The Heat Trollers are excellent too.

[newbornst1300]

Gerbings are hot and keep you toasty but you will need a heat-troller. The jacket liner does keep your arms nice and warm as well which is a necessity up here in the Spring and Fall. My wife prefers the vest which is a little less bulky but if you wish heated gloves you must use a harness to plug them in as there are no sleeves with glove jacks.

[Lyall]

Gears, has a new design out which incorporates both a heated collar and an on/off switch with a coiled plug-in cord. Excellent product!!

[TennTitan]

Only have expierence with the Gerbing Heated Liner and am completely satisfied with it. Have ridden in temps. as loww as the teens and worked perfectly.

The reason for my choice of Gerbing vs. Widder was that it had sleeves so I did not have to add anything else for the arms.

Regardless of which you buy, you might want to consider the variable temp. controller otherwise with the Gerbing it is either on or off and it will get way too hot to leave on all the time.

Good luck in your search.

[STreaker]

I wear Gerbings as I read they have more resistance wires, ie more wattage than Widder. Don't know if its true, but I live in the PNW, and I often ride 40-50 degrees. I've yet to need the Gerbings on full blast, it is very efficient and has the prereq. heated collar. Their electronic thermostats are well done, and the electronics is guar. for life.

[cpsseals]

I have to put my vote with the Freedom Vest. Heck! They're cheap, guaranteed and made by folks in the great plains of CANADA! They should know a thing or two about staying warm!
I have two of them and they are great! Have ridden well below 0c or 32 f weather with it on.

http://www.freedomleatherworks.ca/

Cheers! Al

[John Anthony]

Another vote for Gerbings. Maggie and I visited their shop a few years ago and got outfitted head to toe. Nice people to work with. Good luck with whichever route you go.

John

[jbim]

I have the warm n safe. The one I bought is the 5-AMP version. It's warm enuff. I am in Canada, I rode at close to freezing with it. I wore a windbreaker on top of my Aerostich. I was toasty. Excellent quality. Also, it has spandex sides. It makes for a tighter fit, which is what you want, good contact with the body. I usually wear a long sleeve t-shirt underneath. Downside of warm n safe is that they don't have a pair of heated pants. For me it wasn't an issue as I didn't want one. Didn't get the gloves as my bike has heated grips

[motomac]

The biggest reason I went with Gerbing's is the sleeves connect to the gloves. Their guarantee is A+ also.

[jasonJonas]

another advantage of warm n safe over gerbings is their liner doesn't need to be re-wired to control the gloves separately from the liner itself. with a simple plug, you get to choose if the liner and gloves are controlled together or separately. the gerbing liner has to be wired specifically to support this.

[number9]

Powerlet also makes heated liners and controllers now. I can get a good deal on these but have yet to try them. If anyone is interested shoot me a PM.

http://www.powerletproducts.com/products/phg.php

I plan to order a single controller and heated liner soon to see how they compare to my Warm&Safe setup.

[EASt]

Powerlet also makes heated liners and controllers now. I can get a good deal on these but have yet to try them. If anyone is interested shoot me a PM.

http://www.powerletproducts.com/products/phg.php

I plan to order a single controller and heated liner soon to see how they compare to my Warm&Safe setup.

That looks like a nice setup. I'm really curious.

[Phillyrube]

I have the Warm n Safe full liner and dual heatroller, and (gasp) Harley heated gloves. Rode all winter with nary a problem. The heatroller technology is nice, and no matter which liner you use, I would use it with a heatroller. We had a group buy on here for them, and I saved some $$$.

[Orange Power]

Question on Freedom liner:

Can it be worn under a mesh jacket?
Wind and Water proof?
Does the lack of a heat controller cause any issues with regulation of comfort?
One can travel from 80F to 35F to 80F in less than 15 minutes in the mountains.

Tom

[mishkee]

gerbing jacket... and gloves... nice combo for me :)

[mjhenne]

Does the lack of a heat controller cause any issues with regulation of comfort?
One can travel from 80F to 35F to 80F in less than 15 minutes in the mountains.

For these 2 issues - I rode a bunch in the mountains in the 2nd half of May and all of June. Wore a Gerbings jacket under a mesh jacket. Used a heat controller. I really appreciated being able to turn the heat up and down as needed. For me I can't imagine not being able to do that since a lot of the morning times I'd run the jacket barely turned on with most of the rest of the time the jacket turned up 25% to 50% of the range. Turned up all the way was too hot and since the jacket warms up fairly quickly I'm guessing that you'd be turning the jacket off and on a lot. As soon as the day warmed up off came the heated liner and the mesh jacket was enough. For the few cold, howling wind times I just put the FroggToggs jacket on over the mesh and Gerbings. I really appreciated having sleeves since a vest under mesh would leave my arms way too cold. I know people's heat tolerances vary. Arthritis makes me like being nice and toasty so if the jacket turned all the way up fries me I'd suspect it'd incinerate someone that likes to be cooler.

[George]

I have Widder and Gerbing vests and a Warm & Safe jacket. The W&S is my choice for all uses now. Also have dual Heat Trollers for the jacket and for the heated grips on both STs.

Both my Widder and Gerbing have worked well for several years but the heated sleeves take the cake.

The HeaTroller by W&S is a solid unit, better than the knock-off sold by the other guys.

My opinion,

[Blue STreak]

I used to have a Widder vest. (Actually, I still do, but I haven't worn it in a couple of years.) I suppose in SF it may be all you need, though.

The problem is that it's hard to get the right fit. They're either too tight in the belly and too loose in the chest, or vice versa. If you're one of the lucky ones that it fits, great. If not, where it's loose it provides little heat to the body.

I'm now using a warm'n'safe jacket liner. The side panels are elastic, so it always fits snugly, transferring maximum heat to the torso.

One more thing: the Widder arm chaps are worthless. They're a pain to use, with the velcro straps, and the don't cover all the parts of my arms that get cold.