Heated Vest or Heated Jacket?

The Keis 501 couldn’t be less bulky !!!

I concur; the old stuff may have been but their new kit (I have the jacket version of your waistcoat) couldn't be more unobtrusive. Oh, and I also have Giles to blame for getting one :D

<a href="https://andressotoscastello.smugmug.com/UkGSer/n-5CFLKf/i-z85bh7d/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-z85bh7d/0/63c59765/XL/i-z85bh7d-XL.png" alt=""></a>

Andres
 
Powerlet, the American company, were the first to offer the new, thinner, electric jacket liners with their Rapid Fire liner. The others like Warm’n’safe / Keiss and now seemingly Gerbing (with their Micro WirePRO jacket liner) have joined the gang. They are all very good, though Powerlet have dropped much of their range on offer.

The tricks I think are:

A. Remove the standard winter liner from the jacket to reduce bulk

B. Find a good way to control the heat properly. I use Powerlet’s dual wireless temperature regulator, so that I can control the heat of the jacket liner and my glove liners separately. As the jacket and gloves are so efficient, it is useful to be able to control the heat efficiently.

For very cold days (for example -5 C all day in the Ardennes) I have Powerlet’s electric trousers liners and socks. All excellent and each controllable separately from each other and separately from the jacket and gloves, via a second wireless controller. A prefect set-up. Was it cheap, no. But as I was doing lots and lots of miles, worth it.

Would I go back to an electric vest? No, I don’t think so.


PS I saw the Keiss jacket in post #21 a week or so ago in Infinity, Holborn. It looks very good. The new Gerbing offerings arrive (in London at least) towards the end of the month. I am pretty sure either would work with my Powerlet controllers, so would do as a replacement should my RapidFire kit pack up.
 
The Keis 501 couldn’t be less bulky !!!

Fair enough, I hadn’t looked for a while. I would say though this is their first generation of the lighter weight jackets, and looking at specs they draw less power than the warm’n’safe which could be a good thing but might mean they don’t get as hot.



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.... looking at specs they draw less power than the warm’n’safe which could be a good thing....

I wouldn’t worry too much about power draw. My Powerlet jacket is rated at 105 watts, which equates to about 8.75 amps on the bike. It’s well within most if not all modern bikes’ capabilities.

Warm’n’safe (which seems pretty much the same as Powerlet’s RapidFire) is in the same sort of league in the power draw field. The Keiss is 66 watts (Powerlet can ‘step down’ to that by swapping two connectors around) which is still quite adequate enough to heat the jacket and you.
 
I wouldn’t worry too much about power draw. My Powerlet jacket is rated at 105 watts, which equates to about 8.75 amps on the bike. It’s well within most if not all modern bikes’ capabilities.

Warm’n’safe (which seems pretty much the same as Powerlet’s RapidFire) is in the same sort of league in the power draw field. The Keiss is 66 watts (Powerlet can ‘step down’ to that by swapping two connectors around) which is still quite adequate enough to heat the jacket and you.

ktm 640, heated jacket, heated grips and headlights, not an option one has to go as the alternator wont provide enough power for all three and run the bike :)
 
I have a Keis waistcoat (501 predecessor so a little bulkier). I love it. As Wapping says, I don't use the winter liner in my jacket. One some days I wear a long sleeved T shirt with the Keis waistcoat as you need a bit of insulation on your arms. If really cold, there is room for a thin fleece over the Keis which give adequate insulation for my arms without feeling bulky.

I also have the Keis heated insoles and these are my favourite bit of biking gear ever. Never getting cold feet is bliss.

Running both from the same cable draws under 3A so I can run from the BMW accessory socket by the seat on my RS.
 
P
PS I saw the Keiss jacket in post #21 a week or so ago in Infinity, Holborn. It looks very good. The new Gerbing offerings arrive (in London at least) towards the end of the month. I am pretty sure either would work with my Powerlet controllers, so would do as a replacement should my RapidFire kit pack up.

Keis sell adaptor cables to convert their plugs/sockets (5.5mm x 2.1) to "generic" plugs/sockets (5.5mm x 2.5). i have Keis gloves connected to a Gerbing controller.
 
Heated jacket for me, have used one since 1995, just a Hally Hanson tee shirt underneath, how resistant are you to the cold, it’s a bit like the recommend me a sleeping bag thread, I hate being cold its easier to cool down than to warm up. When you buy one don’t think about the cost, try them all see which is the best for you
 
Has anyone tried the any of the battery powered undergarments on the market?. I like the idea of a thin shirt which doesn't need hard wiring to the bike.
 
Does anyone know, I find the controller a faff, if i go straight to power what does the vest default to, low med or high.

Looked at Keis site and now wiser

Thanks
 
Does anyone know, I find the controller a faff, if i go straight to power what does the vest default to, low med or high.

Looked at Keis site and now wiser

Thanks

it will go to the high setting as it will get a full 12V - all the controller does is step down the voltage - the resistance of the jacket is constant (ish, before the analogue circuit pedants arrive)

I have never used the high setting - it is far too hot on my Keis waistcoat
 
Has anyone tried the any of the battery powered undergarments on the market?. I like the idea of a thin shirt which doesn't need hard wiring to the bike.

we have loads of horsey types around here who use the Keis with batteries - it's Keis' primary market

the battery packs look bulky and inconvenient compared to a fly lead poking out from under your seat.
 
I have a Keis , I want something less bulky.
 
it will go to the high setting as it will get a full 12V - all the controller does is step down the voltage - the resistance of the jacket is constant (ish, before the analogue circuit pedants arrive)

I have never used the high setting - it is far too hot on my Keis waistcoat

Thanks. Grateful for your reply


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Has anyone tried the any of the battery powered undergarments on the market?. I like the idea of a thin shirt which doesn't need hard wiring to the bike.

I’ve got one of these that I use with the dirt bike. Lasts all day if you use low or medium power, which you change with a nice little controller on the right cuff

http://avade.co.uk/


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we have loads of horsey types around here who use the Keis with batteries - it's Keis' primary market

the battery packs look bulky and inconvenient compared to a fly lead poking out from under your seat.

Difficult to plug into a horse though....
 
I’ve got one of these that I use with the dirt bike. Lasts all day if you use low or medium power, which you change with a nice little controller on the right cuff

http://avade.co.uk/


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That looks like the type of thing I am after. Dont have my size at the moment though.
 


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