Product Review: Mobile Warming Gear Jacket and Vest

With this summer-like weather fooling us, Winter is not over.  Just a couple of weeks ago it was down to 32 degrees in California, which brought me into Anaheim Fullerton Harley Davidson to buy some heated gear, knowing that it is going to get cold again, I wanted to explore what was on the hook in that department.  Obviously, my review here is of the womens jacket and vest.  There is a Men's line available to look at on their website.

While there, I had the pleasure of meeting Scott McCaslin of Helmet House .  He was dropping off jackets and vests fitted with the Mobilewarming© Pro Heating System.  As I was trying on the jacket and vest, he started explaining the products to me, and I was given the water resistant "Cypress" model jacket and vest to take home and test them out.  I have never had heated gear, so when Tina at AFHD recommended this product, I was curious as to how it all worked and stood up to the elements.

Fit and Wear:
 
I really don't like bulk when riding, so I had my reservations when I tried on the jacket then put my leather one over it.  Surprisingly, it was very comfortable.  The units in the product are made to keep you warm and the larger the garment, the less you will feel the heat.  However, the fit is up to you, but I took one that fit closer to the body and it works for me and layering.  The neckline is high and it covered mine in the wind, so the addition of a scarf was not needed considering the warming ability.

The length of this style is nice too.  They are cut longer and cover the wind chill area of the waist and hips.

  

The jacket itself is made of a ©Windshark soft shell with four-way stretch inserts on the sides for a nice close fit that moves with the body.  The vest works the same way.  Both jacket and vest have two outside zipper pockets.  One pocket holds the battery which adds a little bulk, but for me it was easily dismissed after I got used to it.  There is still room for keys, etc.  There are no wires that need connection to the bike.  It is all self sustained, and that makes comfort and no pulls on a bike, and wearable at any given time for heat.

Heating:

One of the things that drew me to this product was no hook up to the bike.  No outside wires at all, other than for recharge.  Both the vest and jacket come complete with a rechargeable battery and the battery actually lasted a very long time, approximately 9-10 hours on low and about 3-4 hours on high. I adjusted the setting to the highest and as soon as it was hot (which was within minutes), I set it to the lowest and it lasted the whole day. It made the battery last longer and it was at a temp that kept me warm.   The combined heating elements are placed two on the upper chest area and one on the upper back.  Both products heated up fast and I could feel the warmth within less than 5 minutes.  Both are said to reach 135 F at full power.  I don't think I ever let it go that high, so I have not tested that out. Actually, I didn't need to.  It was substantially warm enough.

There is also a nifty "circuit breaker" near the lower zipper area for fast disconnect if you get too hot riding.  I particularly like the fact I did not have to stop and unzip my pocket to turn it off.  Just one quick hand-swipe and it is disconnected, and again that saves battery life, and pull over time.

Care:

Easy.  Hand wash or machine wash on a gentle cycle.  I put mine on a hanger to dry and the next day it was pretty much set to go.

Warranty: 

Scott had also informed me of the lifetime warranty and the jacket 5 year warranty for any zippers, tears, etc. and they stand by it.  The battery has a warranty of 90 days and is replaceable. 

Price:

Vests:  Depending on whether you buy online or at a dealer, it varies.  I found the Vest running from $143.99 online and up to $179.00 at dealers. 

Jacket:  Online for the Jacket was anywhere from $161.00 to $180.00, and well over $200 at dealers.

So, my total summation of this product line is this: 

I like them.  I still have the vest and actually wear it around the house and while out grocery shopping.  I have a tendency to overheat, so the jacket was just an added layer I did not want in case of getting hot on the bike.  Otherwise it was nice to walk around town and use that way.  I think it was a good expense for my lifestyle and have used it plenty so far.  I normally wear a vest over long sleeves in the Winter and having a heated one that I can use both ways is a perk for not only packing lighter for a ride, but just walking around exploring after rides. 

You can contact Steve McCaslin at www.helmethouse.com or Anaheim Fullerton Harley Davidson in So. California for any questions on this product. 

Warming Happy Trailzzz
KT Did