Widder Lectric-Gloves
WIDDER LECTRIC-GLOVES
Get'em while it's hot
COLD FINGERS CAN TURN AN OTHERwise enjoyable motorcycle ride into pure pain. There are lots of insulated gloves available to help ward off the chill, but when the outside air gets really brisk, nothing beats a good pair of electrically heated gloves.
We've been using a pair of LectricGloves from Widder Enterprises (28 Reposo Dr.. Oak View'. CA 93022; 805/649-1480) for the past two winters, and they're great. Heavily insulated with foam and Thinsulate, these water-repellent nylon gloves sport long, roomy cuffs that easily fit over the sleeves of bulky riding jackets. Wrist and cuff belts ensure a snug fit. Curved fingers let a rider grasp hand controls easily, and leather patches in the palms, forefingers and thumbs improve grip and increase durability.
Connecting the $94 heated gloves via their T-shaped w iring harness to the bike’s battery is a relatively straightforward procedure, though getting the long leads threaded inside your riding gear can take some practice. Widder suggests holding onto each glove’s lead wire, the batteryconnecter wire running down your chest, then slipping each arm into your riding jacket. This procedure w'orks a lot easier on paper than in actuality. If we lived where the winters were long and consistently cold, we'd tape the wiring harness inside our riding jacket.
Should you already have a Widder electric vest, which we highly recommend. installation is easier, as the gloves’ wiring can be plugged into the vest and operated from a single on/ off switch or from an optional, $29 thermostat control, which we also highly recommend.
Either way. the comfort provided by these gloves is well worth the extra effort that's required. We've been firm believers in heated vests for years, and we're equally impressed with W'idder's heated gloves. For most of us. cold-weather riding is over for now, but buying a set of these gloves while it's warm means that you'll be ready to comfortably extend your riding season when the weather turns cold again. El
