For a long time I’ve struggled with this winter riding question — heated gloves or grips?

Handwritten Notes

Heated gloves and grips were on my mind while sitting in a waiting room writing.    I often start posts with notes, ideas corralled and collected for use later when I’m at a keyboard.  On Sunday morning I conducted some research on heated gear.

Gerbing’s Electric Gloves

I’ve not tried my Gerbing electric gloves in over a year — dismissing them in favor of heated grips and Tucano Urbano muffs which keep the wind off my hands.  The question of heated gloves or grips didn’t surface until my hands started freezing at 10F.  Frustrated, I began looking at options and after some input from members of the ModernVespa.com site I decided to try the gloves again.

Off to Breakfast

A Sunday morning ride to Lock Haven for breakfast and a 37F temperature presented the opportunity to try the gloves despite being convinced they wouldn’t keep my hands warm. I was also convinced the generator on the Vespa couldn’t power the grips and the gloves simultaneously but some experts on the Modern Vespa forum informed me otherwise.

So I plugged them in and was pleasantly surprised that they were hot.  Wired directly to the battery without a thermostat I had full power at my fingertips.  Poor Paul, despite heavy gloves and heated grips on his Ducati was suffering loss of feeling in his thumb and fingertips.

Market House Restaurant, Lock Haven, Pennsylvania

By the time we finished the 45 mile breakfast leg of the ride Paul was frozen and I was sporting hot hands.  So much so that I had a burn on my right hand — a small round burn that looked like someone put a cigarette out on me.

Still — hot hands!  That was reason to celebrate despite the burn.  I’ll track down that problem — perhaps a thermostat is in order.  But I’m convinced now I can ride in some pretty cold temperatures again.  Concern now has migrated from my hands to my feet.  If I can get them warm I’m set.

Onward!