Richa Inferno V12 heated gloves in black

We like electrically-powered motorcycle clothing. As far as we're concerned, getting cold on the bike is dumb, verging on the irresponsible. You wouldn't drive anywhere in the car in the winter without heating on. So why would you dismiss using heating on the bike? 

And so, in principle, we like gloves like Richa's Inferno that are powered by the bike's battery. This having been said we've never really rated the heated gloves produced by the 'heated' brands like Kies and Gerbing. And that's because we take the view that these guys know a lot about how to keep your hands warm, but not a lot about how to keep them safe.

But that's the beauty of these gloves. The glove itself is made by Richa who make some of the finest motorcycle gloves on the market. But the heating stuff comes from Gerbing which, in our book, means that potentially you are getting the best of both worlds. A glove that's going to work on the bike, that's going to be comfortable to wear, that's going to keep the rain out, that's going to keep your hands warm, and that's going to take care of your hands if it all goes wrong.

The Infernos can also be powered by 12 volt batteries. Now we are not such fans of this way of powering a pair of motorcycle, but these are at least powered by mini 12 volt batteries, as opposed to the 7.4 volt batteries that some such gloves come with. Presumably, these gloves are going to work for some people; mostly those facing a short, daily commute, we would suggest.

Now, whether connected to the bike or not, the Inferno comes with three different, heat settings. When powered by the portable batteries, as you would expect, the more you turn the heat up, the less time they will power the gloves for. On the ‘ECO’ level, the gloves are supposed to deliver 30 degree centigrade for 300 minutes. On the ‘NORMAL’ setting, you get 60 degrees for 150 minutes. On the full ‘INFERNO’ setting you get 90 degrees fo 90 minutes. But I would take this all with a pinch of salt. And the notion of getting your hands up to 90 degrees is little more than a fantasy. At speed, with the wind chill factor, your hands will, without doubt, feel a bit warmer than they would do in a normal glove, but even with their 12 volt portable batteries we would suggest that you’re not going to get more than an hour on the highest setting. 

But the gloves don't come as standard with the batteries. They're an additional £100 or so. And what this tells us is that the Infernos are designed, first and foremost, as gloves that you plug into the bike. And plugged into the bike these gloves are going to generate even more heat, because the battery will be generating more than 12 volts. More importantly, perhaps, the heat will be generated for as long as you're riding the bike. Your hands will be as warm four hours down the road as they were when you left home.

You can plug heated gloves directly to the bike's battery. And people who suffer particularly from cold hands will often do this. But it's a bit of a hassle. And that's because you have to run the battery leads up your sleeves, and down the back of the jacket. Most of us haven't had to suffer such an indignity since our mum put our woollen gloves on elastic to make sure we didn't lose them.

It is far easier to plug the gloves into the ends of the sleeves of a heated jacket. A lead at the hem of the jacket connects to the battery that comes out beneath the saddle. You then simply plug the gloves into the sleeves of the jacket. It's a simpler, neater and more elegant solution.

But Richa doesn't offer a heated jacket! We do, however. And it's the best heated jacket on the market. It's from Warm & Safe. It's the most powerful, and, as luck would have it, the connectors used by Warm & Safe are the same as those used by Gerbing. Which means that these gloves are totally compatible.

So what are the Infernos like as gloves?

The chassis is made from a 600 denier Cordura. The palm is reinforced, in areas, with a textured goatskin that will improve purchase on the bars. Running down the inside of the fingers are panels of Spandex for extra comfort. To the same end, you get concertina banding on the fingers and thumb. And indeed it does have to be said that the Infernos are very comfortable. 

In terms of protection, you get a D3O knuckle protector, and some kind of Kevlar-style slider on the palm. Waterproofing comes courtesy of an AquaShell waterproof membrane. Whilst a Tri-fleece lining delivers a degree of passive heat insulation. You get a visor wipe on the left hand. And there's touchscreen sensitive pads on the index finger and thumb on both hands. There's a Velcro strap at the wrist to ensure the glove stays in place. But as with most heated gloves, especially those that can be used with batteries, the cuff of the glove has to be worn outside the sleeve of your main jacket.

So, bottom line? 

A very comfortable glove that's got all the appropriate protective elements. Without the heating turned on, the Inferno is going to be reasonably warm, and should keep your hands dry in moderate rain. But with the glove plugged in to the bike, your hands are going to be very warm and, as the the rain has a tendency to evaporate with a heated glove, your hands will stay very dry too.

Personally, I am not yet convinced that any glove with portable batteries is ever going to be up to the job, especially on a longer ride. But buy the Infernos, and you have an insurance policy. If the batteries in the cuffs do the job, then you're in luck. If they don't, then you can plug these gloves into the bike. 

But if you're going to do this, we reckon it makes sense to invest in a heated jacket too. It will just make life easier!