Okay, so winter isn’t here yet – but it’s not that far around the corner, so it’s time to start preparing for it now – better proactive than reactive I say. With this in mind I tried out the Keis X800i heated glove from the extensive Keis apparel rangewhich covers a wide and varying selection of heated clothing. Everything from internal/external gloves to trousers, body-warmers, or even heated jackets – Keis does them all.
The Keis X800i outer glove tested here comes in a black and carbon effect finish. The rugged leather palm has a textile upper with protection provided by nylon carbon-look armour; they are padded with a ‘Thinsulate’ lining. The power to provide the heat comes independently from a standard 12v motorcycle battery (or alternatively, a lithium battery pack) and linked to the gloves via one of the varied fused connection leads; they can be wired-in directly, or plugged into a suitable socket via the glove supply loom (all the necessary wiring, a selection of fuses and easy-to-follow instructions come with the kit). The power/controller button is cleverly disguised as a Keis logo.
Fitting Keis X800i heated glove is a fairly easy process; the Honda SH300i I was test riding has a ‘cigarette lighter’ type plugin facility underneath the seat so for me, it was a simple case of plugging in the leads and threading the wires through my jacket sleeves (to avoid any dangling wires) and then connecting them up to the glove sockets; all connections are quick release in case of emergency.
In use, the Keis X800i heated gloves provide an excellent heat source, which is available via three different levels (it initialises on the ‘maximum’ setting, so remember to toggle through ‘medium’ or ‘low’ to find one that suits your riding conditions. Available in sizes S to XXL, the gloves are comfortable, supple and fit well. Even though they are built for cold weather use, they still remain flexible enough to allow full lever control.
Price : £149.99
Labels: Gear, Gloves, Keis
