A Guide to Getting Warm 

If you’re going to safely get a few extra months out of your riding season—without painfully compromised circulation to your extremities, and without getting into a dangerous situation where you’re so cold your reaction time is slowed—then heated gear is really the only one way to go. 

And it’s not just for extreme winter riding—heated gear will make life more comfortable on even short rides in the shoulder seasons, too. It's ideal for that frosty fall morning commute, or on those chilly curveball days we can get even deep into spring. As most riders know, and as new riders quickly find out, the quickest way to get uncomfortably cold is to ride a motorcycle in already cold temperatures.

While there are multiple companies making heated gear we've always stuck with Gerbing because we feel it's simply the best in the business. The company's U.S.-made stainless steel filament Microwire heating panels come up to temperature fast, and are guaranteed for life. Gerbing guarantees all other electrical components for 1 year from purchase, and if there’s ever an issue beyond that they can fix anything in their North Carolina facility.

We have two broad classes of heated gear. Battery-operated 7-volt systems, and 12-volt options that tap into your motorcycle's electrical system to provide practically endless power—just as long as you keep the engine running.

> 7-Volt Heated Gear: Quick, Convenient, Commitment-Free

For shorter trips around town, or rides lasting less than a couple hours, 7-volt rechargeable battery powered gear makes a lot of sense. The 7-Volt Radiant waterproof gauntlets are warm and relatively waterproof before you even plug them in.They're lined with 3M Thininsulate, and once you do plug them in you'll feel the heated panels across the top of the hands and fingers. 

Similarly, the Gerbing 7-volt heated softshell jacket provides hassle-free heat at the touch of a button. Just plug a battery into the dedicated pocket, set the thermostat, and continue on your way with heated panels at the neck, back and chest.

7-volt gear is versatile, too. The gloves make a great ski or snowboard option, and the jacket will warm your while waiting for the train, or walking the dog in the dead of winter.

> 12-Volt Heated Gear: The Nuclear Option

For as much of a pain in the ass it is to install initially, there really is just no substitute for a 12-volt heated gear system. By siphoning readily available excess electrical current directly from your motorcycle, you can stay comfortable and in control in previously unthinkably cold temperatures.

There are several components needed to wire up a 12-volt system. We sell all the sundry cables and controllers a la carte, or as one easy all-inclusive package—and as a bonus we include a REVIT neck collar ($20 value) to sweeten the deal. 

If you’re going with a 12-volt setup, you might as well go all the way—with a Gerbing 12-volt jacket liner paired with 12-volt gloves. Although hands are the first things to go, once your core gets chilled it can take hours of clutching a hot mug of coffee at a rest stop to get comfortable again. Preventing the shivers in the first place is highly advisable.

The jacket liner provides a built-in wiring harness for the gloves, with pre-routed coaxial cables at each sleeve cuff, making it easy to connect gloves to the system. Without this built-in harness, a Y-cable is required to thread through the sleeves of your regular motorcycle jacket. Also, the jacket comes with a dedicated pocket for the controller, which can independently regulate temperature between the two zones.