Keis G502 Premium Heated Sport Gloves

RRP: £295.00 / Tested by: Ross Mowbray / www.keisapparel.co.uk

I’ll be honest. I’ve never really been sure about heated kit. Ok, I can recognise the advantages and I’ve listened to many of my journalist counterparts wax lyrical about the latest and greatest heated gear. I’ve even tried bits and pieces of the stuff over the last few years, but to this point I’ve not been entirely convinced that it’s for me. I’ve found the kit I’ve tried clunky, cumbersome and a bit of a faff. Until now.

Late last year Keis released its new G502 Premium Heated Sport Gloves and I’ve been lucky enough to get my hands on (and in) them. As you’d expect, they’re still fairly chunky – they’re winter gloves after all – but for the first time, I’ve found a pair that don’t eliminate all feeling in my hands and are slight enough for me to operate indicators without pressing the horn and hazard warning lights at the same time. That might sound like something you’d take for granted, but believe me, it’s not.

I recognise, we’ve not had any particularly harsh weather over the winter, so I’ve not had a chance to test them in extreme cold, but regardless, I’ve been wearing them religiously every time I head out on the bike. And I’ve been impressed. The 3M Thinsulate lining and micro carbon fibre heating panel which covers the back of the hands and top of the fingers has worked well to keep my mitts warm when the mercury’s dropped down to zero. They’ve held up well in some seriously heavy rain too, with no leaks or seeps. Spot on.

For protection, they come with carbon-fibre knuckles and a scaphoid guard, which should help to keep your hands safe should the worst happen and you end up trading blows with the Tarmac. Thankfully, I haven’t had the opportunity to test just how well they’d look after me. Fingers crossed it stays that way. They also come with a visor wipe built into the left index finger, which is a nice addition and seems to work well.

The G501 gloves can be powered either using a 12V vehicle battery or one of Keis’ optional Battery Packs (available in two sizes), or a specially designed Glove Battery, which fits into the cuff pocket of each glove. I’ve gone for the battery-powered option, mainly because I’m jumping on and off different bikes fairly frequently, and it seemed like a bit of a hassle to have to keep wiring them in every time.

Of course, if you’re riding one bike regularly, there’s no real need to lay out the extra cash for the batteries, which means you can get a set of the G502s for £199.

In short, if you’re after a pair of slimmed down winter gloves to protect you from the cold, these are well worth a look. They’re not cheap, but Keis has a reputation for producing top-quality gear that will take a proper beating, so chances are you’ll be able to keep your hands toasty for years to come.