Those interested in utilizing Electrically Heated Clothing (EHC) may want to look into products available from Venture Heat. Their latest gear is remarkably lightweight and compact, making their EHCs more than practical to stow for emergencies, or readily available in cooler climes. They’re remarkably comfortable and reliable, too.

Users of other EHCs may have experienced uncomfortable hot spots, bulkiness or electrical failures. With the exception of the controller and lead wires, Venture Heat products have a distinctly cloth-like feel with their micro-fine heating elements almost indistinguishable from regular cloth. Among the compelling reasons to pack Venture Heat’s EHCs are their relative compactness and multiple uses.

There’s a tendency to over pack just about any long distance motorcycle, but our Venture Heat test jacket and glove liners compressed to almost half the size of other brands we’ve used. The jacket liner is also waterproof, helping to keep you dry in case of a big rain, on or off the bike—also radiating enough heat to more rapidly dry a waterlogged riding jacket and gloves.

After the sun has dropped, using the liners around the campsite proved to be a side benefit. It can get quite chilly on desert evenings, and the liners by themselves do the job down to near freezing temps. Likewise, they don’t necessarily need to be plugged in when riding to help keep you warm.

Venture Heat offers a wireless main controller that can be fastened to the handlebars, and most pieces also have independent controllers. So, each element can be regulated to different temps (exceptions are the sole and glove liners). Although we didn’t get a chance to test the gear in extremely cold environs, they seem to distribute the heat in a balanced way, without annoying hot spots.

Those who use heated grips are aware of the frozen knuckle phenom. Your palms stay warm, or even hot, but other parts of the hands can get nippy, or worse. Switching to heated glove liners is a worthy alternative. And because they work from inside the gloves, the heat distribution is superior, requiring less current. They are easier to replace than a burned-out grip element, too.

Last but not least is the safety aspect. Because Venture Heat’s jacket liner is so compact, it can be stowed for emergencies. We’ve all been caught on rides where sudden freezing temperatures and/or cold rain threaten hypothermia or frostbite.

With EHCs if there’s nowhere to safely get off the road, it almost doesn’t matter. Think of staying warm as another aspect to safe riding—being in pain, to say the least, is a major distraction.

MSRP: Jacket Liner GT-40 $299.99 | Glove Liners MC-60 $79.99 VentureHeat.com

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