No cab snow plowing.

Rustyiron · Dec 30, 2015

This winter I obligated myself to a friend that plows a ton of local driveways, to do a portion of his "route". I've spent plenty of hours plowing on my (over a mile) roads with my open station tractor, but that was at home and on no schedule. If I got chilled I could just drive back up to the house & warm up, or hop in the SS with cab & heat. (the tractor is more fun). But being on a schedule for this new work, running home to warm up was not an option so I spent $280 on this heated bike gear after talking with a few friends that ride well into the winter and love em.
Well last night I was finally able to try out my new 12v heated motorcycle jacket. I can tell you guy's that it is well worth the money. After speaking to "the guy" at "Whitehorse Gear" (I think he was the owner) he talked me OUT of the pants, socks & gloves, telling me to try the jacket first, and that by keeping your "core" warm go's a long way, and the other parts could be added later if needed.
I spent 5 hours last night on the tractor. It was around 15deg. with light snow & breezy to windy depending where I was, completely comfortable, without a bunch of "bulk". I had a tee shirt under the jacket (think thin coat liner made out of an electric blanket), a snug sweatshirt, and my Carhart vest up top, with long johns under insulated (legs only) Carhart bibs. My head, only a "ball cap" with the "work tunes" keeping my ears warm & happy. I'm sufficently suprised and impressed to pass my "story" along here. I work mostly in the woods with my tractor and I do not want a cab tractor that would only get broken up and is a p.i.a. to get in & out of constantly. I'm happy with my little fan in the summer, and now with my heated clothes for the winter.
Here is a link Motorcycle Warming Apparel - Whitehorse Gear
to the place I got them from, I was impressed that he actually un-sold me on the additional items that would have nearly doubled his sale to me. They are mainly an "on line" retailer, but they happen to be about 30 minutes from me and do have a store there, and with clothing, I prefer to try stuff on first.

k0ua · Dec 30, 2015

Good to know. Thanks for posting

Tomtint · Dec 30, 2015

I have a heated jacket from Harley Davisdon that is about the best thing I ever added to the bike. It makes my season start a month sooner and end a month later. I can ride comfortably at 35-40*. I also have the heated gloves. Love them both.

Rustyiron · Dec 30, 2015

Tomtint said:
I have a heated jacket from Harley Davisdon that is about the best thing I ever added to the bike. It makes my season start a month sooner and end a month later. I can ride comfortably at 35-40*. I also have the heated gloves. Love them both.

The "bike" guy's I asked about them said the same thing!
I figured if they're happy on a motorcycle at motorcycle speeds, staying warm at tractor speeds would be cake! The guy at Whitehorse Gear told me that there are only 2 manufacturers of heated clothes, everyone else "re brands" one of those 2. I ride a 'lectra glide and know what Harley chit costs and didn't want to pay the $$$ for the HD logo for my tractor:laughing:

oosik · Dec 30, 2015

I have a heated vest from AeroStich. Never used it on the tractor but sure do use it spring/fall on the bike. The guy at Whitehorse gear was correct. Keep the core warm and it allows blood to flow to the extremities - hands & feet - and you are toasty.

When a person starts to loose body core temperature - your circulatory system will reduce flow to the extremities to keep the core warm - i.e., keep the person alive. Keep the core warm and the circulatory system releases blood to the extremities.

garry w · Dec 30, 2015

millwaukee tools sells heated jackets that use their rechargeable batteries Same battery as drills etc

truckdiagnostics · Dec 30, 2015

Son has heat hooded sweat shirt, just got it.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-tools/cordless/2370
He likes because it gives him lot of flexibility to wear under other clothing like his rain gear. He wears it under his winter coat and can adjust down and says the battery lasts much longer. He works HVAC and has to spend lot of time on roofs, once he is up there sitting in one place he can turn it on, says really helps with the chills.

Rustyiron · Dec 30, 2015

Yeah those Milwaukee, Makita, etc are battery operated. These motorcycle heated clothes are 12V from the vehicle. They guy at Whitehorse said that he had a vest and used it for snowblowing with a walk behind and loved it. A couple of guy's on the job have the battery vests, but to me it looks a bit akward lugging around the battery.

Garandman · Dec 30, 2015

The HD branded gear is made by Gerbing. $295 from HD, $199 from Gerbing.

I have a Gerbing MicroWire jacket and First Gear controller. If you have an SAE plug on your tractor (like those used on Battery Tenders) you can buy an adapter cable to the Gerbing coax plug. Also they draw less than 105W (6.4A @ 12V) so you can get a cigar lighter adapter cable as well.

Whitehorse is a great shop. I also buy from Twisted Throttle and Revzilla (who also has snowmobile gear). When it's very cold I wear snowmobile gloves as well.

Lion Apparel and GE developed the WWII F2 heated flight suit, but Gerbing developed theirs independently. Made in USA!

Tomtint · Dec 30, 2015

Garandman said:
The HD branded gear is made by Gerbing. $295 from HD, $199 from Gerbing.

I have a Gerbing MicroWire jacket and First Gear controller. If you have an SAE plug on your tractor (like those used on Battery Tenders) you can buy an adapter cable to the Gerbing coax plug. Also they draw less than 105W (6.4A @ 12V) so you can get a cigar lighter adapter cable as well.

Whitehorse is a great shop. I also buy from Twisted Throttle and Revzilla (who also has snowmobile gear). When it's very cold I wear snowmobile gloves as well.

Lion Apparel and GE developed the WWII F2 heated flight suit, but Gerbing developed theirs independently. Made in USA!

If those Gerbing coats had the snazzy HD logo on it.. I would gladly pay 100.00 less &#55357;&#56846;

4570Man · Dec 30, 2015

Can you adjust the heat level or is it all or nothing? Did your tractor have a 12 volt outlet or did you add one?

Rustyiron · Dec 31, 2015

4570Man said:
Can you adjust the heat level or is it all or nothing? Did your tractor have a 12 volt outlet or did you add one?

There is a controller, I'm not sure on the setting, but it has a rotary knob and left it just after the "click" that I assumed was "on" and low, it had a whole revolution left. I was comfortable and left it there. For the power, I had previously ran a + and - from the battery back to a junction box mounted behind the seat. I connected their pigtail into that. The controller plugs into the pigtail and then the jacket plugs into the controller. I guess I should read the instructions

Garandman · Dec 31, 2015

4570Man said:
Can you adjust the heat level or is it all or nothing? Did your tractor have a 12 volt outlet or did you add one?

You use a controller between the jacket and power supply.

avc8130 · Dec 31, 2015

I've been using heated gear on motorcycles for years. I have the plug on my Kubota for use during the cold. I highly recommend you guys check out Warm n Safe:

Warm & Safe, the Home of the Warmest Clothing in the Universe

Every person I know has issues with their Gerbings. In fact, Gerbing recently restructured their company to skate their way out of their "lifetime warranty".

I really like the remote control from WnS. It is MUCH nicer to have just one wire from the jacket to the bike/machine rather than a birds nest you get with the external controllers.

ac

Rustyiron · Dec 31, 2015

avc8130 said:
I've been using heated gear on motorcycles for years. I have the plug on my Kubota for use during the cold. I highly recommend you guys check out Warm n Safe:

Warm & Safe, the Home of the Warmest Clothing in the Universe

Every person I know has issues with their Gerbings. In fact, Gerbing recently restructured their company to skate their way out of their "lifetime warranty".

I really like the remote control from WnS. It is MUCH nicer to have just one wire from the jacket to the bike/machine rather than a birds nest you get with the external controllers.

ac

You are one of the guy's that I used their recomendation on the heated bike gear, thanks AC.
Whitehorse was just too handy not to buy my stuff from. It's too late now, but who makes the "First gear" stuff.
My controller is in line, external to the jacket and I found that the extra cable allowed me to sneak it through my layer on top of the jacket and through the bibs to the 12v power for access to the controller. It is a co-axial connector.

3930dave · Dec 31, 2015

Good strategy Rusty..... modern bike gear throws enough heat that unless you grew up in Death Valley, you should never be cold... Crank up the dial, and you'll notice the drop in idle on most carb'd bikes - nothing that you'd notice on most large tractors though.

Sounds like you will be piling on some hours.... pls let us know how that vest stands up.

Rgds, D.

IXLR8 · Dec 31, 2015

I have the Gerbings heated jacket liner, saves the day on long rides... especially on rides where I have had to scrape frost off the seats before starting off in the morning. Last ride I went on with my ex, she cranked up the the heat as she likes to be toasty warm. She only had a thin T shirt on under the Gerbings jacket liner, when she got undressed at the end of the ride... she had burn marks where the wires were!!

I don't advise using heated clothing without a controller. I also have the heated Gerbings gloves, they heat well but I just find them too bulky to wear riding the bike. I might give them a try on the tractor on a cold night.

Garandman · Dec 31, 2015

I believe First Gear heated gear is rebranded Warm N Safe. They have a good reputation. Gerbing is obsessively devoted to customers so they have very loyal customers. Both have a lifetime warranty on the heating element.