As an all year motorcyclist, I’m always looking at ways of keeping warm and comfortable on the bike during the winter months. For a couple of decades I have been wearing various heated gilets or jackets wired into the bike. While they do the job of keeping me warm – and the Gerbing kit I’ve been using lately can’t be faulted for that – the mess of cables and controllers is irritating and I’m sick of the scratches left on the bike by all this extra paraphernalia. When the Gerbing jacket needed replacing a few weeks back, I tried a different approach. Battery technology has advanced since I started doing this, so I bought a low cost fleece with heating elements from Amazon to see how this would work. The answer was mostly ‘yes.’ Unlike the Gerbing, it only heats the chest and back, which keeps the core warm and I can get around six hours from the battery, but I noticed wind chill on my arms and shoulders. However, the ability to get off the bike when doing pad work with trainees without losing the heating is a bonus, so a bit fifty fifty.
This where the Zero Fit base layer comes in. I stumbled across them in a motorcycle magazine and they claim that their base layer is warmer than a jumper. For £55, I figured it was worth a punt. They claim that it will feel warm as soon as you put it on.
Technologically enhanced ‘Heat Threads inside the garment are activated through even the slightest of movements, gently brushing against the skin to generate positive warmth instantly and the construction of the Zerofit Heatrub Ultimate means the heat is retained.
Having tried it, I can concur. I’ve also been able to reduce a layer. That windchill on my arms is now unnoticeable and the reduced layering means more freedom of movement when wrapped up on the bike. What I have noticed is a general glow of warmth. Indeed, when the ambient temperature rose during the day, there was almost a point where I was feeling just a little toasty. Today, I finished early and needed to do my grocery shopping, so once home, I took off the bike kit, put on my normal jacket and drove the car to the shops. Again, I was unaware of how chilly it was – the ambient temperature was just creeping into double digits, but there was a chill wind, yet even without the coat on, when I popped out to the car, I felt nothing – and that’s the point. You don’t need to feel warm, you just need to not feel cold.
The fit is snug. I bought a medium and it is a close fit with the material being stretchy. I like a snug fit, so it suits me. Although I bought it for motorcycling, they advertise their products for all sorts of outdoor activities where keeping warm is a must.
I like it enough to be buying another. It’s a good bit of kit and I heartily recommend it.
*As with all items that I review, there is no form of sponsorship. The item I have reviewed is one I purchased with my own money and my relationship with Zero Fit is that of a satisfied customer. They are not paying me, nor have they supplied anything for me to review.