Heated Gear

[Paul Hamilton]

Heated gear makes everything so much better. Typically your trike has the amp capacity to really keep you warm. This video is old but the principles are still valid. https://youtu.be/gAsWjOmsb6g

[Tim]

Thank you. Good info. I got gloves, jacket, and pants. Should be no problem as my 582 is a single seat. Any downfall to just going direct to battery without a switch?

[Paul Hamilton]

Direct to the battery is a good start. Monitor your battery voltage which is your key to make sure you are good. You can always add controllers as you go. I had to add a controller to my boots because my feet got too hot with super insulated boots.

[Tim]

Update. My heated gear finally arrived last week. This morning was the first time the wind hasn’t been blowing in the double digits for almost two weeks. It was 42 degrees this morning. Had the jacket, pants, and gloves set to medium and was quite toasty. Wired harness to battery, Jacket plugs into battery and pants and gloves plug into jacket. Each has its own controller. has controller for sock liners too, but I did not get those as of yet. Jacket not windproof, but I would think with something windproof over it, should be good to go at least down to freezing. I have also ordered some pogies, which are neoprene bar mitts. Will see how those work out.

[Neal Berry]

The video was very helpful. Thanks. What helmet/headset setup do you use or recommend?

[Paul Hamilton]

I use the Flycom system with the com same as typical airplane but the GA Flycom helmets. From my experience this is best overall.

[Tim]

Thank you Paul.

[Will Richter]

Tim, how did the bar mitts and the whole setup work out for you in flight?

[Tim]

The heated gear works great! Bar mitts or Pogies works good too. The neoprene is windproof and with the heated glove liners my hands were actually a little too warm on anything higher than level one. Good or bad is that once they are placed on the bar they do not move, so if you want to change your hand position you have to remove your hand from the mitt. Not that big a deal and i would suspect would be the same issue no matter what bar mitt you install. I believe they would be comfortable with any glove liner heated or not as they are windproof and warm alone. I have only flown once since installing due to weather and winds, plus it’s deer season here. lol. I will say i have neoprene gloves that i wear during cold weather on the boat and while hunting ducks that i find superior to insulated gloves.

[Roger Larson]

Everyone is different but I can fly with first gear snowmobile suit (seen in our videos many times on youtube “larson adventures”, down into the 30’s very comfortable with only using heated feet. My whole setup is First gear Suit, jacket under that, normal pants on under suit, pair of ski gloves, Gerbing Heated insoles on both feet. This setup keeps me totally warm for hours. The heated feet keep my whole body warm. I do wear a cloth also around my neck to make sure no wind gets down my neck. The Flycom helmets keep my head warm. I have flown like this for 3 hour flights. I do have the large windshield on our Revolt. Diane uses the whole setup, plus heated jacket, feet, gloves. I added a fuse block below my seat which i hooked up directly to the battery. I limit the use on the ground while taxi but in the air we can use all mentioned items at once. I have lighted gerbing on off switches on both front and rear. I do not use controllers for my feet only the on off switch. In 30 degree weather I don’t normally have to turn mine off but above that my feet get so warm at times that i do. The feet draw approximately 1 amp each side, the gloves i believe are about the same and the jacket is about 5 amps. I do have a heated jacket but never use it. The system i use is not restrictive in movement and is what i use after trying other systems. In higher winds, especially near mountains i move my hands on the bar somewhat and don’t believe i would like bar mitts. Before i got my heated feet i would get cold hands at times.

[John Glynn]

I have flown many hours on skis and during the winter months. In open frame trikes and in my Revo. For years I flew with a non-insulated gortex rain suit. A guide wear quality fishing outfit. Bibs and jacket separate. Find one that has good Velcro at the wrists. When I flew with the Lynx helmets in very cold weather, I flew with the non-insulated hood up, headphones over the top and under the helmet. To keep your visor clear, a soft cloth with a drop of Dawn dish soap “polished” onto the inside surface of the visor keeps it from fogging up. The surfactant in the soap acts as anti-fog. I currently fly with the Flycom helmets. No need for anything extra. Plenty warm. For your hands, I use have used bar mitts. I attach a disposable body warmer inside the glove. I wore a thin pair of gloves, preferably with the touch screen friendly fingertip for my iPad, inside the bar mitt for when you have to adjust radio frequencies etc. On the coldest day or if you land on the ice (make sure safe on ground first don’t trust ice fisherman) I place a body warmer on the inside of my arm up by your bicep. There is an artery that runs close to the skin and the body warmer warms blood on the way to your fingers. Body warmers last about 10 – 12 hours. I always fly with extra, in flight accessible, eye wear. If your face shield fogs up and you have to open to land, you have to wear some glasses so you can see in the wind. I layer up with a wind stopper vest, and insulated pants under the goretex shell. I also recently have purchased some Milwaukee heated gloves. Great purchase that I also can use when snow blowing etc. I found the palm of the gloves too slippery and requiring a firm grip on the control bar so I roughed up the palms with some sand paper and made them much better. A light touch only needed again. Warm boots are readily available. I have a nice pair of Danner 1200 gram thinsulate boots that are as comfortable as tennis shoes and plenty warm with wool socks. Important if you land anywhere and spend time on the ground. Remember when flying in winter, if you have snow, beware of “flat light”. I do not care how many hours you have, it is easy to accidentally land prior to when you think you should if operating off skis. I typically try to land next to tracks in the snow, etc. for better depth perception in flat light. Lastly, after completely covering all exposed skin you should add a yard “tell tale” or streamer on one of your front flying wires. If you have no clouds, smoke, leaves on trees, etc. wind direction can be hard to determine. The yarn tell tale with help you. Have fun, keep warm, and fly safe. The winter performance of the wing, engine, prop, is all spectacular!.