Heated Vest

In this heated vest review, I have looked at motorcycle motorcycle vests mainly. What follows is a complete review of 5 of the best heated vest brands available on the market today. Where relevant I have included some of my personal tips for you as well as share the advantages and disadvantages of each brand so that you can choose the heated vest that best meets your personal needs. On my site I’ve also included a product matrix to present a more convenient visual comparison.

Check out our heated vest side-by-side comparison.

Product Descriptions

Tourmaster Synergy

The Synergy Tourmaster heated vest is a quality product, well made and competitively priced. Comes complete with harness and controller. Alternative vest available without collar as well as gloves, jacket and pants. Very good product range. Comprehensive instructions on website. With one of the lowest power demands at 52W, this heated vest is unlikely to overload you charge system. Unlike most of the others, is machine washable.

Click here to visit the Tourmaster Synergy product site

Venture

The 12V Elite PowerSports Venture heated vest has a water repellent coated nylon outer shell and a fleece lining. Heating element also in collar. Also comes complete with a harness and controller. The heating panels are soft, pliable, and ultra-thin so heated is evenly distributed. This vest features stretchable wing panels for a comfortable fit. Power consumption is 83W.

Click here to visit the Venture Action product site

StormRider EX02

This EXO heated vest is a very well made and versatile. In fact, although not marketed as a liner, it is light enough to be worn under a jacket as a body warmer vest. A unique point about this product is the optional power pack so you can use it away from your motorcycle, this makes it more versatile than the rest This means that you can benefit from using it away from your motorcycle. You’ll find that StormRider also do a jacket and a less expensive heated vest. StormRider offers a jacket and a cheaper vest but their performance is not for serious cold weather. Hand wash only.

Visit the Storm Rider EXO2 product site

Gerbing

Well made and attractive. Quality materials, Thinsulate insulation and Teflon wind resistant outer shell. Unique Power Distribution Unit incorporated in lining to allow you to add pants and gloves. Comes with the harness but you’ll have to purchase the controller. Inside and outside pockets. Hand wash only.

Learn more at the Gerbing product site

Warm & Safe

Jacket only and the highest power consumption of all the products considered here at 90 W. Lower Wattage versions also available. Comes without harness or controller. Has outlets for gloves and pants.

Best Buy

The Synergy Tourmaster heated vest is great value for money, and unlike some of the others comes complete with harness and controller so you’re not forced to spend more money before you can use your kit. It’s light, fits well due to elasticated sides, comes with side pockets and is expandable to fit gloves and pants. Very hard to beat for the price.

Discover more about the Tourmaster Synergy heated vest

If your budget will stretch a little and you want a well made vest go for the MC-25 Ventura heated vest liner. Again comes with wiring and harness so there’s no extra outlay and is expandable by adding pants or gloves.

Read more about the Venture Action heated vest

The EXO StormRider heated vest is also priced at the higher end of the market but is more than just a liner and has the advantage that you can buy the optional battery pack and use it away from the bike. Doesn’t come with a controller which means that you could end up by spending a fair amount of money on accessories, is a very good product, as it should be for the price. The Gerbing heated vest is a good quality product for the money, but comes without controller. The Warm & Safe has the highest output but annoyingly comes without controller or harness, cheaper and lower output options are available.

Click here to read more about the Storm Rider heated vest

All of these products use high tech materials and are well made so you may wish to consider other design features such as pockets, collar height, fasteners and so on. The one other significant feature you will need to check is the power capacity and if it matches to your motorcycle charge system.

I hope these reviews assisted you in making an informed decisions about purchasing the best heated vest for your personal needs.

Stay Warm & Happy Riding!

When considering the advances in heated vest technology and the impact on heated motorcycle clothing, we need think in terms of design, fabrics, consumption and price. American riders have enjoyed the benefits of heated clothing for 30 years with such great names as Eclipse, Widder, Gerbing and more recently Stormrider, Venture and Tourmaster.

With the advances in materials, design and heating systems, you can look forward to lightweight, waterproof, windproof, crush-proof and stretchable heat generating materials, the elimination of hot spots, and safer electrical circuitry which replaces the old wiring systems.

Whether you are into motorcycles, snowmobiles, snowboarding or simply watching sports, heated vest technology enables you to enjoy them with comfort and complete safety.

Also with the introduction of lightweight and flexible fabrics, thousands are benefiting from wearing a heated vest indoors reducing heating bills, increasing their comfort, stimulating blood circulation, staying warm and much more.

The advances in heated vest technology have also meant an ever increasing range of heated motorcycle clothing and heated clothing in general such as gloves, grips, pants, scarves, socks, boot liners, glove liners and more. Most riders will tell you that a heated vest will allow you to enjoy your riding pleasures in colder temperatures as much as 20 degrees lower.

With the introduction of modern carbon fiber heating elements instead of those old-fashioned wires, design to keep the vest and the warmth close to the body, a motorcycle wiring harness and the inclusion of a built-in waterproof controller, motorcyclists can now enjoy riding in extremely cold weather conditions in total comfort and safety and at a very affordable price. One of the benefits of wearing a modern heated vest under a winter motorcycle jacket is to minimize the need to wear excessive layers allowing as much freedom of movement as possible while still keeping warm. The lightweight, very flexible heated clothing that doesn’t bind during movements while riding such as over-the-shoulder checks or other movements make riding just as enjoyable in the winter as at any other time. Traditionally a heated vest has been the favorite because heating your torso will then spread the heat throughout your body.

The better producers and marketers of advanced heated riding vest technology products not only provide motorcyclists with a complete package for one price, they have taken this technology to provide their customers with the ability to connect with other products in their range such as heated jackets, heated gloves, heated pants, and for those who prefer it, heated motorcycle vests with a heated collar.

Between the carbon heating fabric which is approved for use in the rain also, the elimination of hot spots, the built-in controller and the wiring harness all at an affordable price, the advances in heated vest technology have played a significant part in extending the riding season for motorcyclists as well as putting heated motorcycle clothing in the reach of many more riders.

Further advances in heated vest technology have come from Fabroc material as found on the Stormrider heated vest which was developed for the aerospace industry. Extremely light in weight, Fabroc is a self regulating heating material. As its temperature rises, the resistance increases, drawing less power. Equally when the temperature drops, Fabroc takes on more power to produce more heat.

Whether you are actually on your motorcycle or not, in cold weather our body extremities will feel the cold first, our head, our hands and our feet. Of course if you are on your motorcycle the effect of the cold will increase significantly. So how can you extend the cold weather riding season?

Wrapping up warmly and adding layers will definitely help. Many motorcyclists will have a pair of thick and waterproof gloves, caps or helmet liners for their head, scarves and thick socks. Adding more layers and covering your extremities well will offer warmth and some protection and may be adequate for short trips but what if you are planning longer trips and truly wish to extend the fun you have with riding?

Adding heated motorcycle clothing together with your other cold weather riding gear is one solution worth your consideration. From heated hand grips to heated pants, riders can have the ultimate in cold weather comfort. In addition to a heated vest or heated jacket you can consider heated gloves, socks, pants and additional heat for your arms.

The fact that I don’t have to worry about shivering makes it so much easier to concentrate on the road  and I no longer have any worries about going out riding  when it’s cold.

In parts of the world where the winters are really cold heated motorcycle clothing will extend your cold weather riding season well beyond what you may enjoy otherwise.

Just heating the body part will make a difference. Until you have ridden with a heated vest on, you cannot comprehend that difference. Vests are often the traditional electric garments of choice because heating the torso is known to change your entire body temperature.  Many riders claim that an electric vest will extend the riding pleasure zone about 20 degrees downward on the thermometer, without adding layers of clothing. Adding heated sleeves and neck will go that bit further in ensuring you are warm and well protected against the cold.

The simpler and less expensive heated vests come without a heated vest controller so they will either be on or off. This may be sufficient for your needs due to its ease of installation and low cost.

However, I highly recommend the heated vest with the heat controller which will allow you to adjust the heating to suit your comfort level depending on the number of layers you may also be wearing. This is sure to become a key component of your heated motorcycle clothing gear.

Product		Harness supplied	Optional heat controller	Vest or Jacket	Glove plug/s	Approx price US$	Power (high) in Watt
Tourmaster Synergy		Yes	Included	V	No	$139.99	52
Venture		Yes	Included	V	Yes	$159.00	83
StormRider EXO2		Yes	Yes	V	No	$239.95	52
Gerbing		Yes	Yes	V	No	$139.95	54
Warm & Safe		No	Yes	J	Yes	$199.95	90