Gloves

Discussion in 'Clothing & Gadgets' started by Rob2025, Nov 14, 2025.

  1. Rob2025

    Rob2025 Member
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    Aug 6, 2025
    28
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    Midlands
    Hi all,

    I'm just embarking on my first winter riding for many years and found my hands (particularly fingers) are getting colder than ever!

    I'm looking at several options including Triumph heated grips (circa £350 inc installation) and heated gloves. I like retro style gloves and have found the Merlin Minworth II and Merlin Bednell.

    Any feedback or advice (particularly on the above options) is much appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.

    Rob
     
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  2. Jamesian21

    Jamesian21 Member

    Apr 15, 2024
    49
    18
    Texas
    Heated Grips make a big difference for the palms and heated gloves are a big help as well.
    However, depending on how cold it is outside, and how long you will be riding in it, there's only so much even that combination will do.
    If you plan on riding in cold temps for extended periods of time, you should really look into Hippo Hands or comparable alternatives. They look very dorky, but look up any forum board and everyone swears by them
     
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  3. littleade

    littleade The only sane one here
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    Mar 17, 2015
    288
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    Worcestershire
    Personally I wouldn't bother spending £350 on heated grips, as by themselves they don't solve the problem because they mainly only heat your palms of yoyr hands and do little or nothing for the backs of your hands and fingers if you ride with them covering your clutch and brake leavers. A decent pair of heated gloves and if possible a heated vest or jacket would be my suggestion as not only will they work better than the heated grips because they also heated the backs of your hands and fingers they are transferable if you sell your bike. Having had 3 BMW Gs' handguards to deflect the windchill help too. Others like the handlebars muffs but you can't see the controls with them in place.

    There is no substitute for heated clothing, especially stuff like Keis that's powered from the bike though the vest/jacket need to be a snug fit to work properly and be underneath, not on top of things like a fleece worn under your jacket.
     
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  4. Pegscraper

    Pegscraper Elite Member

    Jun 12, 2020
    3,770
    800
    Yorkshire
    As already said, you really need handguards to get the best out of heated grips. I have both on my Scrambler but, together they are an expensive option. There’s a good choice of heated clothing around now. I also have a pair of heated gloves which are really skiing gloves and not waterproof but very warm and we’re only £25 on Amazon.
     
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  5. joe mc donald

    Subscriber

    Dec 26, 2014
    15,519
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    I have found that having a set of handle bar guards is as good as gloves. I use merlin D30'S they heat all the glove not just the the palms and battery life is up to five hours.
     
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  6. Taran_las

    Taran_las New Member

    Sep 25, 2023
    16
    3
    Mold, North Wales
    My heated grips work fine on my Bonneville, even up in the Welsh hills during the winter. There are only two settings Low & High. Low suffices most of the time. High for brass monkey weather.:) The Oxford heated grips are very popular and cheaper than the Triumph offerings but the control box looks unsightly in my opinion.
     
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  7. pete_h

    pete_h New Member

    Oct 14, 2025
    7
    3
    St Albans
    Personally Ive found the heated grips to be great - not just for winter riding but for when you just want a little bit of heat on a longer ride in the evening in other seasons etc.
    But as a lot of people have said, unless youve got hand guards they'll only do so much. I dont like the loss of feel you get with big warm winter gloves so I've tried various combinations of inner gloves with short cuff 3-season riding gloves. It works as long as youre not going on a hundreds of miles long trip. Currently trying out these - https://www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/shop/clothing/riderwear/gloves/tri-stop-inner-gloves-mfna2051 - under my summer gloves to see how long I can get away with it before the big gloves come out!
     
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  8. Rob2025

    Rob2025 Member
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    Aug 6, 2025
    28
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    Thanks for the tips. I suffer with Raynaud's Syndrome, particularly in my fingers and specifically finger tips. I can't afford to buy both heated grips and gloves so I'm hoping that the Triumph grips and a good pair of ordinary (non-heated) winter gloves will solve the problem. Good luck with the inner gloves; I'd like to know how you get on with them.
     
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  9. pete_h

    pete_h New Member

    Oct 14, 2025
    7
    3
    St Albans
    Will do!
     
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  10. Rob2025

    Rob2025 Member
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    Aug 6, 2025
    28
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    Midlands
    #10 Rob2025, Nov 17, 2025 at 12:49 PM
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2025 at 1:25 PM
    Thanks all for the responses so far. I suffer with Raynaud's Syndrome, particularly in my fingers and specifically finger tips. My hope is that if I keep the lower part of my hands and fingers warm the finger tips will stay warm too. I can't afford to buy both heated grips and heated gloves so I'm hoping that the Triumph grips and a good pair of ordinary (non-heated) winter gloves will solve the problem.

    I've researched heated gloves and this weekend tried quite a few pairs on. The Keis gloves I looked at seemed to be good quality and I quite like the look of the G201 and the G120 glove inner (liner) options.

    My preference would be heated grips but before I spend the money I just need to be as sure as I can that they will work for me as it's the most expensive solution.

    Thanks again
     
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  11. Jamesian21

    Jamesian21 Member

    Apr 15, 2024
    49
    18
    Texas
    if youre looking for affordable options, look into the non name brand "hippo hands" you can find them on ebay for like $40. Again, they are a little dorky looking, but will be an absolute game changer as far as cold (and wet) riding goes.
     
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  12. Bolosun

    Bolosun Noble Member

    Aug 25, 2020
    522
    343
    Crewe/Cheshire
    I would go for hand guards and either heated grips or heated gloves. I also suffer from Reynauds, and the hand guards are a must IMHO.
     
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  13. beerkat

    beerkat First Class Member

    Aug 14, 2019
    988
    500
    Cheshire UK
    This may be a bit late but Zerofit make a pair of relatively inexpensive waterproof winter gloves. I bought a pair yesterday and haven't had a chance to try them on the bike but I've had their Ultimate base layer for a while and it's by far the warmest base layer I've ever worn. So I have high expectations for the gloves.
     
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  14. chassis

    chassis Active Member

    Aug 6, 2025
    135
    33
    USA
    I am in the middle of a 4,000 mile tour from Detroit to New Mexico and back. I left Detroit with 35F temperatures and am riding in New Mexico in low-40sF with some rain.

    Hotwired (brand) 12V heated gloves have been doing my hands well. $180 at Cycle Gear or Revzilla. Not sure if you have Hotwired gear available in the UK, it is sold by Cycle Gear retail shops and online in the U.S.

    My Tiger Sport 660 does not have heated grips or handguards. My next step for hand warm will probably be handguards to work with the heated gloves.
     
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  15. stinger

    stinger Senior Member

    Nov 28, 2017
    786
    243
    Yarnbrook
    As previously suggested heated gloves are by far the best option. Ive got them, had heated grips and handguards on my old bike. I get raynauds too as others have mentioned and im not convinced the handguards did very much (just my own opinion). That having said i have heated grips on my bike in the form of a budget but a surprisingly effective (for heated grips) option. I wouldnt spend a lot of money on heated grips as a winter option because especially on a naked bike ive never found them effective enough to stop my fingers going white and deathly!

    Heated grips i mentioned.. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08QRYYVJ5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
    As an option they are as warm as oxford ones i have had in the past. They way the wiring is configured you can remove the individual wrap over grips and leave all the main wiring on the bike in the summer if you desire (they obviously add a little bit of girth to your grips). They also survived 5 days of torrential rain in cornwall unscathed in September.
     
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  16. RBinDevon

    RBinDevon Well-Known Member

    Aug 19, 2025
    66
    68
    The West Country, UK
    #16 RBinDevon, Nov 20, 2025 at 10:49 AM
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2025 at 2:45 PM
    image.jpg I just purchased (2 days ago) some Keis heated gloves 701 with batteries. Expensive I know. They have 3 levels of heat and even on the lowest setting my hands esp fingers were warm with outside temp 2C, even though I have no hand guards.
    They can be battery operated or wired in to the bike. Each glove has its own heat level sensor on the back of the glove.
    Cost without a battery £195, cheaper than Triumph heated grips. Battery £85.
    Well pleased. Mind I have the Keis heated waste coat. Toasty warm.

    Edit photo sent to the top!!
    The battery fits in a pocket on the glove, didn’t notice it on the ride to and from Exeter.
     
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  17. Rob2025

    Rob2025 Member
    Subscriber

    Aug 6, 2025
    28
    13
    Midlands
    Morning all,

    Thank you all for your contributions. After much consideration I've purchased the Merlin Minworth II gloves in dark brown. They arrived yesterday and have already had their first charge and test ride!

    Overall, the gloves appear very well made. They are really comfortable although having been used to wearing much thinner summer gloves there was a slight reduction in my dexterity as expected. The gloves are leather so should stretch/soften over time.

    I warmed the gloves up for 5 minutes on the HIGH setting before leaving the house. I went for a ride of about 30 miles (on slow and fast roads) for about an hour in an air temperature of about 4 C. I used the MEDIUM heat for the first half of the journey. When I stopped a couple of my fingers and one thumb were starting to get a little cold so for the second half of the journey I cranked the heat up to HIGH. When I got home my hands were at a comfortable temperature and a couple of fingers were slightly cool (but definitely not cold) so I'm pleased to say that the gloves appear to be somewhat effective.

    They operate on quite low current and don't get very warm but the flip side to that is a good battery life of allegedly 3.5 hours on the HIGH setting! - (although I've not tested this yet).

    Would the gloves be good for everyone? Not sure - for someone riding at 70 mph on a motorway for 3 hours straight in an air temp of 1 C, I'm not sure these gloves would cut it, but for shortish pleasure rides on slower roads I think they're fine. It's early days but overall I'd score the gloves 7 out of 10 and I'm pleased with them so far. That said, a bit more heat, especially in the fingers would be good, even if its at the cost of a slightly reduced battery life.

    Merlin-Minworth-II-Heated-Glove-Pair-Brown.jpg
     
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