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Electric Mitts Warm Up Cold Ride |
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Tuesday, 03 February 2009 |
The 2008 “G3” version of the Warmthru battery heated gloves have been updated since last reviewed here; most noticeable is the battery pocket, which is now part of the gauntlet rather than an external pocket outside the gauntlet.
The rest of the G3 update includes minor differences in styling and abrasion protection, but the Warmthru gloves are still waterproof and windproof, passing our “bucket test”.
The 3300mAh, 3.7V Lithium Ion battery is claimed to last about 3.5 hours, which is about right. The battery is claimed to stabilize the heat in the gloves at 35 degrees Celsius (95 F), which is just under body temperature.
This means that the feeling of heat is subtle — the gloves do not provide overwhelming warmth akin to something like holding on to a heated grip. They are designed to provide enough heat to keep the hands from getting too cold to be uncomfortable, and in that regard, they do work.
Each battery is a 50x70x15 mm block weighing 79 grams (2.75 oz.), and each glove (or glove liner) has its own battery.
The battery has a female connector that plugs to a wire inside the battery pocket. Once the wire is plugged in, the gloves are “On,” but Warmthru offers an optional battery with an On/Off switch. We have a pair of each type and I don’t really miss the switch, so potential owners can save a few quid by not opting for the switched battery.
The gloves seem a bit bulky for motorcycle use; the size large shown here runs about one size big. Each glove has thick insulation all around and a wind- and water-proof liner, making them feel about the equivalent of the big Held Freezer gloves in terms of bulk.
The battery is held inside the gauntlet with a waterproof zipper, adding to the overall thickness. The gauntlets are also snug by design, so the Fingerheater gloves are best worn under, rather than over, a jacket sleeve.
The additional thickness of the battery can make the gloves a bit difficult to fit under some jacket sleeves. Several local riders tried the gloves and we got together and one of the suggestions was to make the battery an external device that could be worn on an elastic or hook-and-loop armband over the jacket sleeve, then extend the wire from the glove to plug into the battery.
This could allow the gloves to be worn with any type of jacket, no matter the sleeve thickness. It could also make the battery more accessible when riding in case the rider wishes to switch it on or off.
The Warmthru Fingerheater batteries are CE approved and are ROHS-WEE (reduction of hazardous waste for electronic components, a European manufacturing directive) compliant. The gloves are available with battery chargers for the UK, Europe or the U.S. and the batteries are claimed to last through approx. 500 charge cycles during three years of use.
The charger will charge two batteries simultaneously and we found that the first charge took about 8 hours, with subsequent charges taking about five hours. It is possible to order an extra set of batteries also.
The gloves have a large swath of reflective material and the rubbery surface on the palms provides excellent grip in any type of weather or conditions that we encountered.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 February 2009 )
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September 2010 |
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September - Kubudo Classes
September 03, 2010 (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm)
Lake Rim Recreation Center, 1455 Hoke Loop Rd, Fayetteville. Classes for those ages 7 and up, for those currently in self-defense class & have a yellow belt. $35 a month.
- V'z Modeling Academy
September 08, 2010 (6:30 pm - 7:30 pm)
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- Kubudo Classes
September 10, 2010 (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm)
Lake Rim Recreation Center, 1455 Hoke Loop Rd, Fayetteville. Classes for those ages 7 and up, for those currently in self-defense class & have a yellow belt. $35 a month.
- V'z Modeling Academy
September 15, 2010 (6:30 pm - 7:30 pm)
Lake Rim Recreation Center, 1455 Hoke Loop Rd, Fayetteville. Classes are for all ages. $20/month.
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