Electric vest or full jacket liner

[Triumph 'n Shadow]

I ride in 20 degree temps wearing a Firstgear Thermo Jumpsuit.

Only $170 at the motorcycle superstore.

I rode in 20 degree temps with just jeans and a long sleeve shirt under it.

Just a thought!

God bless!!

Michael

[MikeB]

I ride in 20 degree temps wearing a Firstgear Thermo Jumpsuit.

This is a really important point. Sealing out warmth-robbing cold air drafts is as important as what you use to generate heat. If you can keep a layer of warm body-heated air around you it's half the battle.

[John Hopkins]

Originally Posted by MikeB

This is a really important point. Sealing out warmth-robbing cold air drafts is as important as what you use to generate heat. If you can keep a layer of warm body-heated air around you it's half the battle.

This is what it's all about..

John.

[toadshoney]

Thank you all for the thoughtful replies.

I am considering electric heat only because I have reached the maximum layering that I can achieve with the present leather jacket I have. If I was to buy a larger one for more room to layer, the sleeves would be too long. Besides a new jacket would be the same price as heated gear.

I do wear several layers, including my rain gear as an outer wind stopper and can manage the 45 minute ride as it is, now. I am looking for the next layer of comfortable, so it doesn't take an hour to get my core body temp back up to where it belongs.

Thanks again,

Dean

[adlowe]

Originally Posted by toadshoney

I am looking for the next layer of comfortable, so it doesn't take an hour to get my core body temp back up to where it belongs.

Either a vest or jacket liner will do that for you. The jacket liner will do more for you -- but that won't matter all that much on a 45-minute ride. If you're looking at Gerbing's, which I have seen in use several times, the jacket liner offers much more flexibility for use while you're off the bike -- as I mentioned earlier. (Widder went out of business so that's not an option for new. They did make quality stuff.)

[MikeB]

I have reached the maximum layering that I can achieve with the present leather jacket I have

Maybe you should think about a textile jacket with zip-in insulated liner to wear along with other layers (I prefer polar fleece). I had leather jackets early on in my riding career, but found them to be bulky, too hot in summer, poor insulators against cold, too stiff to close tightly at the neck to seal out drafts, pretty useless for rain, and un-armored. A good textile jacket addresses all those things.

[adlowe]

Originally Posted by MikeB

I had leather jackets early on in my riding career, but found them to be bulky, too hot in summer, poor insulators against cold, too stiff to close tightly at the neck to seal out drafts, pretty useless for rain, and un-armored. A good textile jacket addresses all those things.

Agree with all of that. I still have my leather jacket but cannot remember the last time I wore it -- sometime before I got a Tourmaster Flex Series 2. (They've been replaced by the Flex Series 3.)

But I still use (and love) my electric vest and would not be without electric gear -- even if I lived in a southern state. The coldest I've ever been on a bike was riding in rain with temps in the upper 50s; would have had to stop (not turn back but stop) if I wasn't carrying the vest on that trip.

[Susan07]

I commute 80 miles a day...all year. The only time I take the truck is for ice or snow. I will ride down to the upper teens. After that it's too cold and with no source of heat for the bike.

I've never worn or depended on electrics. I wear Gortex lined down filled clothing. My mittens are Arctic mittens that go to -40F. Gortex and down will keep you warm! My long underwear is pleated goose down. Warm as toast!

[adlowe]

Originally Posted by Susan07

I commute 80 miles a day...

Good for you. Is it a competition now?

Seems to me toadshoney asked for input on vest versus jacket for electric gear and now he's being lectured on ways to do without what he wants and maybe even having his manhood challenged.

Maybe that's just my take on it.

[Eldorado]

I use the Warm n Safe Electric Jacket and Liner and Electric Gloves, mine is one of the older model's and only use one controller (you can get two, 1-for the jacket and 1-for the gloves), biggest concern with the sabre is wattage useage, so far I have had no problems (appox. 3yrs), the best thing is you don't have to wear a lot of clothes, I just use a mock t shirt under the jacket liner and my leather jacket, this way you get all the heat where needed at your core (this is the main thing to keep you warm).