Heated Gloves Or Heated Grips?
When temperatures hover just north of 0°, the cold can severely effect the way you ride, or even whether or not you ride at all. Freezing your fingers into icicles ain’t fun for anyone, and that’s exactly how it feels. However, there is a way around this… in fact, more than one! In this head to head, I tested which one is better for keeping your hands warm – heated gloves or heated grips.
Head To Head - Heated Gloves vs. Heated Grips
In order to decipher which is the best way to keep your hands warm, I conducted an experiment (if you will) on a cold day, switching between using a pair of WarmThru Thermo Gloves and Oxford Hot Grips. I judged the best source of heat based on the following factors:
• Heating Speed
• Versatility
• Compatibility
• Convenience
• Lifespan
• Price
• Coverage
Heating Speed
During my experiment, I turned on both the heated gloves and heated grips simultaneously. With one hand wearing a Thermo Glove and the other holding the Hot Grip, I timed which one of the two was fastest to heat up. Now this wasn’t an exact science, I didn’t take their temperatures or anything like that. This was done by touch, which is how it would be done if you were riding, therefore more accurate than a thermometer… maybe.
The heated gloves were toasty in no time, taking 36.33 seconds to become warm enough to ride with. As for the heated grips, they took a slightly longer 59.54 seconds, making the gloves the winner of round one.
Gloves 1 – 0 Grips
Versatility
My second test asked more of the heated gloves and heated grips when it came to general use. I wanted to know what their limits were. Considering the grips were bound to the bike, this part of the experiment was a little one sided. Subsequently, it made me think of all the reasons that the heated gloves were more versatile.
1. Heated gloves can be worn on or off the motorcycle.
2. They can be worn for other outdoor activities.
3. They have more temperature settings.
I had to acknowledge some features both the products shared, like being washable, but in the end the heated gloves ran away with round two.
Gloves 2 – 0 Grips
Compatibility
Round three was a much closer contest. This time I had to think about how the heated items affected my ride outside of providing me warmth. I contemplated:
• Restrictions to my other riding gear.
• How they affected my weight.
• How they limited my range of movements.
Between my weight and range of movements I was splitting hairs. Ultimately, both points would be awarded to the heated grips as they had no negative effects, but in all fairness, the heated gloves were barely noticeable. The pair I was testing were powered by light-weight lithium-ion polymer batteries, and their effect on my fatigue and flexibility were close to none.
The real deciding factor was how my riding gear was restricted. As the gloves were a piece of riding gear, there was no option of changing them if I wanted to benefit from their heat. This meant I had to accept the level of protection they came with. With the heated grips I was able to use my preferred pair of riding gloves, which offer better armour and have a superior construct to the heated gloves. Therefore, the heated grips had to be crowned the more compatible.
Gloves 2 – 1 Grips
Convenience
Another worthy battle shaped up in round four. As accessories, heated gloves and heated grips should be naturally convenient. If they were a hassle, why would we introduce them into our experience?
Once fully prepared, both the heated gloves and heated grips were easily switched on and operated. The gloves had large, accessible buttons that could be pressed while wearing the gloves, and the heated grips had a switch that was comfortably reachable without taking my eyes off the road.
What separated the two was the initial preparation. For the pair of heated gloves I tested, a charging period of up to 8 hours was necessary before they could be used for the first time. Every time thereafter, they would need 5 hours to fully charge. This meant I’d have to think ahead. The heated grips did not require any thinking ahead, as they would always be waiting for me to flick their switch when I got on the bike. Nonetheless, I cannot claim they are more convenient.
Here's Why - Heated Gloves
In order to use heated grips, you will first have to install them onto your motorcycle. This is a relatively basic procedure from what I have researched (mine were already fitted), but it is not more convenient than simply charging up a pair of batteries. On the subject of batteries, it has been known that by forgetting to switch off the grips after riding, you can drain your motorcycle battery. Now, that is an obvious inconvenience.
It is for those reasons that the round was awarded to the heated gloves – just remember to charge them up and take them with you!
Gloves 3 – 1 Grips
Lifespan
In this category the products are at opposite sides of the spectrum, provided everything works as intended. Although I did not fully test the duration of the heated gloves’ battery life until they were dead, it is clear that the heated grips would outlast them. They are directly connected to a constantly charging power source, and in the short term, their lifespan is more lengthy. In regards to longevity, both products will eventually need replacing. Nothing last forever folks!
In all seriousness, this levels up the playing field. Whilst the heated gloves’ batteries will need replacing after some 500 recharges, the heated grips will last you varying ranges in mileage. If you assume each battery lasts 3 hours for 500 charges, in theory, you’ll get 1500 hours of heat from each glove. If the grips last you 5000 miles at 30mph, you’re looking at between 160 – 170 hours of heat. Let’s be honest though, you won’t be doing all those miles at 30mph, so the grips are likely to wear down in less than 150 hours of riding. If all my maths are correct, that’s 10 times shorter.
As this theory could not be proven in my experiment, and what can be clearly identified is that heated grips last longer in the short term, I have decided that heated grips deserved the round. Controversial decision?
Gloves 3 – 2 Grips
Price
Much like with lifespan, when deciding which was the most economic option between heated gloves and heated grips, I only took into consideration the short term expenditures. I didn’t think it fair to assume the long term replacement costs, so this round was based on the initial outgoing to buy these products.
The pair of gloves I tested were WarmThru Thermo Gloves, and they can be bought online for £155 (at the time of writing this). As for the heated grips, they were a pair of Oxford Hot Grips, which come in a range of prices, from as low as £35 on Amazon.
Indeed, you could scroll through pages and pages of both products, and undoubtedly find cheap versions and more premium, expensive ones. Be as that may, I tested a pair of Oxford Hot Grips, and as the most expensive pair on their website will only set you back £100, they always come in cheaper than the WarmThru Thermo Gloves. Install them yourself to keep the cost down, and round six has to go to the heated grips.
Gloves 3 – 3 Grips
Coverage
So, with the scores level, they entered the final round. The most important factor remained to be judged, and it would split the products from their deadlock. Which was going to be the victor?
To determine this, I looked at the heated elements incorporated in both the heated gloves and the heated grips. In the gloves, there are five carbon fibre panels integrated into the fabric, which stretch through to each fingertip. A sixth carbon fibre panel spans the back of the hand, and the heat it provides can be felt as far up as the lower knuckles.
Oxford Hot Grips Installed
In contrast, the grips are heated by thin wires that are laced into them. Innately, they are only able to heat the palm of your hand, and the inner surface of your fingers that curls around them. This begged the question, where do I want to feel the heat – on the back of my hand or my palm?
As the wind can be a major cause of cold hands, and the fact that my palms are in a naturally sheltered curve around the handlebars, I had to conclude that the coverage from the heated gloves was more preferable. I was sufficiently protected from the wind chill, and I could even feel the warmth flowing through to my palm. The heated grips were effective, but in a limited capacity. I think we have our winner!
Gloves 4 – 3 Grips
The Scorecard - Heated Gloves vs. Heated Grips
Read it and weep heated grips! We have our undisputed champion, and a well-deserved one at that. Heated gloves take the win!
The main points to take away from this include how the heated gloves were faster to warm up, and more convenient. A quick and easy accessory is always a good one. Besides that, they offered the best coverage, and that has to be the deciding factor. My whole hand felt snug and toasty, protected not only from cold temperatures, but also from the wind. Heated gloves also offer better versatility, as they aren’t attached to your motorcycle. If you can find a pair with a phone friendly fingertip, like on the pair I tested, you can do almost anything whilst wearing them.
The Winner – Heated Gloves
With all that said, the heated grips made this a fiery fight. They are more compatible with your other riding gear, and come at a better price. Although the area they heat isn’t as broad as the heated gloves’, they will keep it heated for longer. It’s just a shame it’s on the inside of the hand, and this heat is slightly muted by the fact you’re wearing gloves.
This just leads me to believe one thing – it’s worth having both! Too excessive? Okay, get yourself a pair of heated gloves and do away with your wondering woes. We now know which is the better way to keep your hands warm, and hopefully we’ve ended this debate that could give anyone the chills.