Heated Gear on my mind

Brrrrrr. I've contacted this company, Venture Heated Gear about their Scooter Vest to find out more about this vest, as well as the other motorcycle heated gear they are offering. Winter's coming and I know many of you are thinking about how to get ready for the cold.

In the meantime, here are more than a couple of options currently out there just for the ladies. All these work with 12V connectors for your bike. The only one that is battery operated is #3, ActiVHeat.

1) Gerbing Heated Vest $139.95 Gerbing is probably the most popular heated vests that people are using today. Before Widder went away, they were probably #1 and #2, respectively.

2) FirstGear Heated Jackets $199.95

3) ActiVHeat Vest $119.99 - $174.99 Apparently this vest was recommended on the "Today"show. The testimonials are also very positive in endorsing this product. This vest runs on batteries (rechargable and AA). The prices vary based on the package you buy. The more expensive packages come with rechargeable battery packs, whereas the cheapest comes with only AA Batteries.

4) WarmNSafe Heated Clothing $189.95-$199.95

5)WarmGear 13v Heated Vest Liner $139.95

6) exo² StormWalker vest $169.99

Men's Gear (2 items) for Sale

Guys! I still have these 2 items for sale. Gals, if you're trying to help your man find some gently used gear for less than $250, this is a great deal. AlpineStars TZ1 Leather Jacket and Textile Overpants. http://www.gearchic.com/forsale.html

Sept 1, SSU Podcast

Bad GearChic, Bad! I forgot to post my talk from Sept 1, from SSU, all about Boots. You can listen here (9/1/09, Ep.100), or if you don't have time, here's an overview along with my recommendations for boots.

Why do you need protective motorcycle boots?

Well everything starts from the ground up, doesn't it? One lesson in riding that you've hopefully learned by now is that you start small and work your way up. It's the best way to get better, in my opinion. I would never be where I am today if it weren't for this little 50cc scooter that I started commuting to work on 6 years ago. Having a great foundation and starting point can really make a difference on your ability to ride well.

So why not start with a solid foundation by putting your foot down and wearing a real boot with traction and reinforced protection to make sure your feet are well protected in an accident?

Especially when you're "vertically challenged" like myself. I'm short and not as strong as I should be.  But wearing boots that grip the pavement give me the self confidence I need to ride freely, without self doubt.  I do worry from time to time that I'll drop the bike, but I know that I've greatly minimized that risk by wearing proper footwear.

(Prices are current as of this post on Revzilla's website)

Boot Recommendations (Basic).

Boot Recommendations (Mid to High End):

The S-MX 5 boot is a track/performance boot, but if you want something more street/touring friendly, try the S-MX 4's. The standard Vertigo's also go down to a 37 (~size 7 US) if you like those instead.  If you are wondering why the Daytonas are $400, check out my other blog posts about them as well as my review. The first pic above is me wearing one of them to demonstrate how much extra height you'll gain from these boots.

Men's Gear for Sale

I rarely post anything about men's gear, however, this is a purely self serving post because I'm selling some of my husband's old gear. Don't worry, I'm not selling him, just his stuff! :D I love my gear too much to sell any of it just yet. But I'll be sure to let everyone know when I decide to let go of my discontinued Vanson Textile, circa 2003.

Dainese Flanker Leather Jacket $190, Size 52 Euro http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/1368499257.html

AlpineStars TZ-1 Leather Jacket $150, Size 56 Euro http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/1368613967.html

AlpineStars Textile Overpants $75, Size XL http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/1368447587.html

Olympia Ranger Overpants $100, Size 34 US http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/1368429668.html