Electrically heated glove liners

[robjh]

Any recommendations? I guess the features I'm after - apart from keeping your hands warm - is not being to bulky with batteries so as to make putting on waterproofs a pain, the same with wires, and also not restricting movement too much of the fingers.

tl;dr...

We had the 3rd morning this year when it was 2-3 degrees C on the commute. Not very cold really. I wear ski gloves plus silk liners, but still fingers are gettign cold within a mile and going painful and numb shortly after, making the whole thing unpleasant. Then 15mins of burning when I get in. I've probably got some circulation problem and/or should just mtfu, but I'd rather just open my wallet. Also, it probably doesn't do your joints much good long term.

It sounds like your main problem is your fingertips, and the experience you describe sounds like what I get in the cold. I've tried different things - silk liners, lobster gloves, ski gloves, gloves with ever-greater warmth ratings, and none really address the main problem, which is that the fingertips need much more protection than any other part of the hand. I would be wary of heated gloves unless it can be shown that the fingertips, and not just the main part of the hand, are heated.
I'm still looking for the ideal solution, but the best thing I have found is the thickest gloves I can get followed by 15 minutes of hard cycling, after which the circulation seems to kick in better in my fingers. I just try and grit my teeth through the agony

 

[Bodhbh]

Cheers all, sorry I meant to keep on top of this thread but the weekend was more hectic than planned. As a first port I'll see what I can pick up on the high street / Halfords / wherever motorcyclists go. If I'm going to blow $$$ on electric gloves I at least what to try em on and get a feel for what the issues are.

Regarding alternatives, as robjh I've tried nearly everything including lobster gloves, liners, ski-gloves, loose and tight fitting, etc. It's always been a bit of a problem, but gotten worse and worse over the last few years - and once they're cold they just don't warm again. The only things I've not tried are heating and poogies. I have some poogies, but they're luminious lime green and I probably need to get something a bit more understated so I'll actually wear them.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

As a first port I'll see what I can pick up on the high street / Halfords / wherever motorcyclists go.

Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick but do you realise that motorcycle heated gear is generally designed to plug into the bike? Heated motorcycle gloves generally have wires that go down your sleeves and to your waist where you plug it into the bike after you've sat on it.

It shouldn't be that hard to rig it to run on batteries if you have a little bit of electrical knowledge but it means extra time and expense.

 

[Bodhbh]

Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick but do you realise that motorcycle heated gear is generally designed to plug into the bike? Heated motorcycle gloves generally have wires that go down your sleeves and to your waist where you plug it into the bike after you've sat on it.

It shouldn't be that hard to rig it to run on batteries if you have a little bit of electrical knowledge but it means extra time and expense.

Ah...my impression is that some where designed to plug into the bike and some had their own batteries. Maybe the ones I've seen with their own power source aren't motorbike specific. (i.e. the Warmthru ones up thread).

 

[Ajax Bay]

As one who's had frostbite in more of my digits than not, I've used these 'Hot Hands', though it has to be extreme down in Devon to need them. I've also used the footbed version (underneath the insole in enclosed cycling winter boots) on long rides in winter and they have been excellent.
I have a pair of ski gloves with an element in them but the heating power is poor (and expensive in (the 9v cuboid) batteries). Batteries cost ~£3.20 and have a capacity of 400mAh so the power available is <2w (and maybe only 2/3rds directed into the glove).
Waterproof-crab-hand-winter-gloves for me. These allow easy changing of gears using STIs (cf mitts).

 

[Bodhbh]

As one who's had frostbite in more of my digits than not, I've used these 'Hot Hands', though it has to be extreme down in Devon to need them. I've also used the footbed version (underneath the insole in enclosed cycling winter boots) on long rides in winter and they have been excellent.

I may give them a go as a first port of call - they're pretty low risk at the price. Probably dismissed them out of a vague dislike of disposible solutions, but it's the run up to Christmas and competing priorities. I'll nip into Maplins this weekend, also - who apparently used to do electric liners for 15-20 quid - but I can't see them on sale online.

 

[HLaB]

These were on my Faceboke page tonight http://www.barmitts.com/ targetted advertising

 

[Bodhbh]

I meant to post a short review but never got around to it.

In the end I plumped for some G4 Heated Liners from Warmthru - the latest iteration of their heated liners. Not cheap at nearly £150 but I'd honestly had enough, and it was that or taking the bus till spring. First impressions, I was a bit disappointed - the build quality doesn't seem all that for the price and trying them on indoors I hardly noticed when they were on - the heating is quite subtle...

However, on the ride in they do in fact maintain a comfortable equilibrium and I've had commutes now down to -5C without cold hands. Without them I'd be looking at a painful ride in once it drops below 5C. So as long as they keep performing reliably I'll be happy. My worry is the repeated stretching which happens when you pull them on will cause a loose connection somewhere. Also, the battery lifetime as mentioned by amisidlover above.

Anyhow, some pictures of them below which give an idea how the batteries sit:

 

[dodgy]

Glad they're working for you, shame you didn't try these first, they work very well.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RockBros...ittens-Hand-Warmers-Covers-Black/371330642156

 

[Bodhbh]

Glad they're working for you, shame you didn't try these first, they work very well.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RockBros...ittens-Hand-Warmers-Covers-Black/371330642156

Honestly I doubt they'd work. Sometimes even my fingers start to go before I even leave the house. I really hate to depend upon a high-maintenance and expensive solution like the above and wish it was just a case of layering up. As someone said upthread, it's probably middle aged onset of Raynaud's. It didn't used to be like this - 6-7 years ago I went touring in Finland in December - I'm sure I had cold hands at points, but not like now. Around that time I felt thru the ice into the Grand Union canal at the start of a 60mile ride and finished it without problems. If either happened now I'd be back indoors within a couple of miles.

 

[dodgy]

Ah I see, if it is Raynauds, that's a completely different matter.