David
Seattle, WA
Good, not great
My biggest gripe is they really don’t distribute heat evenly, especially down to the fingertips, which don’t get much heat at all. I’ve paired these with a FG heated liner and whether plugged into the liner or directly to the battery lead, they don’t get very hot, except for one area of my little finger that feels like its burning. However both my thumbs used to freeze solid after about ten minutes of riding and they don’t anymore so I guess they’re doing the job. They do seem well constructed, except for a bit of reflective piping on the back that was sewn funky and curls up. I’ve worn these in the rain and they keep my hands dry. Like you’d expect in a winter glove, the gauntlet is nice and high and fits over my jacket sleeve well. Plus they’re thinner than a regular winter glove which gives a better feel for the handgrip and controls. This is my second pair of FG heated gloves. I got a pair last winter and they stopped working after only a few months. So far these are holding up fine, we’ll see if they last until Spring. If you do order them, be sure to order a size up since they’re snug and you’ll feel the wires across your knuckles. I ordered a large and returned it for an XL. All in all, they’re better than riding in unheated gloves but they could be a little more refined.
Terry
Penn Valley, CA
Firstgear heated "Carbon" gloves
These heat your hands comfortably. When used without heat they work well because they do not have the perforations of the normal "carbon" gloves I have for summer (so wind-chill isn't a problem with the gloves). They probably would be awful in the summer heat, but they are really superior in cold weather. I have Ranaud's phenomenon which causes my hands to go numb and then become severely painful if they get the least bit cold, these gloves do a fine job of preventing me from experiencing these painful episodes. Set to high you are toasty and even perspire, but at a low setting (with the First Gear heat troller) they are quite comfortable and warm without bulkiness. The only problem when paired with the 90 watt jacket liner is that it is a very heavy load on the electrical system, dimming the headlights as the heat troller cycles on and off. On my 1972 Honda 350 it runs the battery down in about 90 minutes, on the 2002 250 Nighthawk I will be putting a headlight kill switch to allow longer daytime rides on cold winter days.
If you are waffling on getting these gloves I suggest you give them a try, the better control of the bike provided by warm hands are more than worth the purchase price.
Jay
Salem, OR
So Far So Good
I've only had these for a month and it has just started getting cold. So far at 30deg with the heat turned all the way up they're wonderful. They have proven to be waterproof at this point but I haven't ridden long distance in the rain yet. As stated you will need a heat controller, and a splitter. I also found that a 24" extension is very helpful, this allows me to keep the Y cable in the jacket. The fit is good and the finish is real nice. I found the thumbs a little long, and they take some effort to hold fingers bent. I gave cost benefit a 4 because they don't seem to get real warm and I'm not sure how they'll do in below 30deg. To be fair I have poor circulation in my hands, so they might be great for others. Overall a good product!
Malcolm
Seattle, WA
Great glove, for 5 days anyway
Great comfortable glove, but left glove stopped working after 5 days of wear. No heat. And with the no-bulk factor level of insulation, when the heat doesn't work, they're not great for keeping you warm in less than 40 degrees. First Gear told me to contact Warm n Safe who makes the glove. Now I wait, with numb fingers.
B Culv
Northport, NY
Undersized !!!
Although these glove a quite nice, they are way undersized.
I have slender hands and normally order a Large but these gloves a really tight across the knuckles. Sent them back and ordered Extra-Large and they too were still snug. When it comes to keeping warm you want NOTHING to inhibit circulation. Otherwise they seemed fine even unplugged at 40F.
Steve Metz
Carlisle, PA
Just What the Doctor Ordered
This is my first winter of riding and I found that even the warmest non-heated gloves I could find left me with dangerously cold fingertips below 32 degrees. These were the solution. I've gone on 50 mile rides in the upper 20s, and shorter rides in the upper teens and been perfectly comfortable. I need to mention a couple of things, though. Some other brands of heated gloves have the heat controller built in. With these, you need to also buy the heat controller and, if you're not using them with a Firstgear heated jacket liner, a Y cable. So that adds almost an additional $100. Second, as others have pointed out, the gauntlet part is so small that I have a tough time getting a good seal around my sleeve. Firstgear could have added an inch more material which would have fixed this issue without adding much to the cost.
William Hagen
Fairfield, CA
Carbon heated gloves
These are the first heated gloves I've tried that didn't feel like "Hulk Hands." I have dexterity that were impossible for previous versions from other manufacturers. Although not the equal of summer-weight gloves, they're still very good. And warm without being hot.
Karl Rhyner
Sandy Hook, VA
Outstanding glove
8 degrees, 65 mph, at night. Heat turned up full blast, your hands will not freeze and the tips of your fingers may get a little cold, but hey, these gloves are very light for a winter glove. You can get so hot in mild temps that you can burn your hands. Fit is true at least for size large. They are warmer then the Tour Masters Synergy heated glove that I was using.
Tim Budd
Alexandria, VA
Great Gloves
A bit stiffer than I would like, but heater works awesome. No problem during ride in 19 degrees. I use 1/2 power at 30 degrees. These gloves have totally changed winter riding for me.
Rita Weeks
Leesville, SC
Gloves
The gloves run a bit small so one might consider that when purchasing. We returned them and hope to order a larger size shortly.
Nathan Neuberger
Chicago, IL
You'll need other power cords
I have not used the gloves yet, however they fit well and are not overly bulky at all, so I think they will be great. However, note that no power cords come with these, and you will need to buy cords separately or a heat troller or something to get these hooked up.
Phil Parsons
Salina, KS
Carbon Heated Gloves
These gloves are great, I wish they were just a little warmer, but they are better than anything else I've tried. I ride year round with the Legion Riders, I have ridden with them so far at 10 Degrees, for 50 miles, one way, and I was in better shape than my friends. Kansas winter weather can get pretty bad, but these gloves are great.
JDubbie
Iowa City, IA
Firstgear - Carbon Heated Gloves
These gloves work reasonably well with heated grips at temperatures that would otherwise result in danger and discomfort. There are no heat elements for the underside of the glove, which is also un-insulated. In fairness, I think that is simply how such gloves are designed, and they are in every other respect very good motorcycle gloves. The leather is first-class and they are well-made and a good design. For my purposes, the opening of the glove could be a bit broader to accommodate both my jacket sleeve and wires a little better, but with practice and break-in of the gloves, getting everything tucked away now takes less time and effort. I am fairly demanding as I ride year round in Iowa. If you don't ride in temperatures below 50 degrees, these will more than fulfill your needs.
Harry K.
Leesburg, VA
Excellent Value. Works as designed
I purchased a Firstgear Single Portable Heat-Troller, 90W heated Jacket Liner and Carbon Heated Gloves. I ride an '08 Silver Wing. Installation directly to the battery was simple and took about 15 minutes. I went on a 125mile, 2.5 hour ride in 26F-36F with average speed of 65-70. I was comfortable throughout the entire ride.
Terry Sharp
hope, MI
never cold in these
No need to wait for these babies to warm-up before riding, slip them on and ride, in 30degree weather they were still plenty warm and with no air deflectors on my honda st1300
Avelino Rochino
Natick, MA
Nice and toasty
My friends and I went on a charity run this weekend in Maine. Temps in the morning leaving for the ride were in the lower 40's. With the Firstgear heated gloves my hands were toasty all day. On the way home I did a segment of about 90 miles without stopping. Usually on days like this I would have to stop and warm my hands every 30 miles, even with heavy winter gloves. Now I'm looking forward to cold weather riding and am considering buying a vest to compliment the gloves. By the way, these gloves fit run true as opposed to other gloves I've tried. I usually wear a large size and the Firstgear large fit fine.
Victwin
Natick, MA
Excellent heated gloves with very good protection
These gloves definitely keep my hands warm. So far I've only tested them down to 38 deg F but at that temp the setting was only about 60%. I could easily have set the gloves to be warmer if I needed them. The added carbon fiber protection is a plus too. They're very comfortable and not very bulky at all.
Joe
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Firstgear - Carbon Heated Gloves
Bought these gloves and the controller for a May ride from Southern California to Denver, CO. I am very happy with them. They functioned as advertized and consistent with some of the other reviews; they generate plenty of heat at the lower settings. On my ride I crossed Monarch pass at 11,300 feet with snow still present and very cold temps. Gloves kept my hands plenty warm. Good investment experience for me.