Motorcycle
Glove Reviews

Gerbing Hybrid Heated Waterproof Motorcycle Gloves Review

Gerbing’s is very near the top of the list when you hear an adventure rider discuss heated gear for those long and very cold rides to wherever they have been. Their new “Microware” technology has been very successful – after all, it was developed for the military – and garments with it are hot sellers for those who can afford them (if you are riding in the arctic winter chill, how can you not afford it?). The Gerbing’s Hybrid heated waterproof gloves make good use of the new system to give you one of the best, though not the hottest, winter gloves on the market today – and they can be battery powered!

The cowhide making up the Gerbing’s Hybrid Gloves is very soft and supple; it has the feel of goat skin, which is quite rare in this segment. This well-prepared leather gives the glove nice flexibility which you notice even before you don them. On the palm side is a strip of very ‘grippy’ material that also helps when the going gets very wet. Stitching and overall construction is top notch here; there are stretch panels between each of the knuckles for superior dexterity.

There is little serious armor on these mitts, though the Hybrid Glove does have padding sewn into them across the back of the knuckles, in the palm and on the top side of the hand. Across the back side is a Kevlar retro-reflective strip of material to aid conspicuity, which is right above the nicely secure closing strap. Inside the Hybrid is an Aqua-Tex waterproof and breathable liner which keeps your hands dry even in the heaviest rainfall. Just on top of that is a Thinsulate liner which sits against the skin; it feels much like micro-fleece and is quite soft.

The gauntlets are quite substantial and have their own built-in cord to keep them tightly over the outside of your jacket sleeves. There is even some padding here which works like a seal against incoming moisture. The Microwire technology is incredibly compact and holding the Hybrid Gloves in hand there is almost nothing letting you know that these things are heated – provided the battery packs are not installed.

The heating system can be a bit complex, but it breaks down into essentially three configurations; the first is the easiest and only requires you to use the connectors installed on the Hybrid to hook them up to another Gerbing’s heated garment, such as a vest or jacket. The second method is the next simplest and only requires that you use the included lithium battery packs. The Hybrid Glove also comes with a motorcycle battery harness which you may install and then configure the wiring so that you can safely use them on your bike, so there is no need for worrying about charging things; for this method, though, a heat controller switch must be purchased separately. This actually gives 25% more heat than using the batteries.

Gerbing’s lithium battery packs – one for each of the Hybrid Gloves – are nicely done and are designed to fit within a mesh-windowed pocket located on the top portion of each gauntlet near the wrist. The batteries have a time of life equal to one hour on high, 2.5 hours on medium, and 4 hours on low – and those are real temperature differences, not the common barely noticeable steps in heat. On the back of each battery pack is a membrane switch allowing the user to adjust the temp from Off to High, and LEDs indicate each level. Charging them is done via a standard wall outlet using the included charger.

Gerbing’s Hybrid Gloves really did need that much explanation as they are a well-thought out glove, with a very flexible capabilities. Wearing them is akin to wearing any standard winter and waterproof glove made of cowhide – they feel well-heeled, actually, and a bit fancy. But, that does not mean that they feel anything less than very durable and well-built. The stretch zones allow great flexibility and that thin Microwire technology adds no noticeable bulk.