You need your hands to feel good when riding an ATV!
So, it’s a good idea to look into buying some heated ATV grips.
They make a big difference between feeling like your hands are icicles and having an enjoyable ride.
Price, ease of installation, and the reliability of the grips are the biggest factors when deciding to upgrade. You’re not going to bust the bank, but it’s something that should last you the life of your ATV.
That’s why we took a look at the 4 best heated ATV grips:
Heat Demon ATV Heated Grip Kit with Thumb Warmer
Heat Demon’s heated grip kit is a top of the line option for ATV owners. It has one thumb grip heater as well for your thumb throttle. This will work on all ATVs and it’s the bells and whistles option. The handle grips are quality. You’ll have a good grip and feel good using these.
What makes it different is how adjustable the controller is. It has a light up display so you can figure out how much heat you need depending on the temperature outside. Mounting hardware is included, you can lay this on your handlebars. It’s a bit bulky, so you’ll have to find a nice place that it won’t annoy you.
They have a shut off feature with this kit, if you forget to turn it off it will time out after two hours. With how often I forget things, if you’re anything like me this is great for peace of mind. They’re the highest quality heated grips out there for ATVs and the only knock is the installation. If you’re good with electronics that will be a breeze, though.
Tusk Digital ATV Heated Grip Kit with Thumb Warmer
Tusk Digital’s heated grip kit is an affordable option to keep your hands warm. It’s one of the most affordable options while still having the same functionality like the thumb warmers. The controls aren’t as fancy compared to Heat Demon’s, but they are adjustable and that’s all you need.
You get five different heat settings. It does not have a timed shut off function, so make sure you double check that this thing is off when you park your ATV. The lowest heat function might be hard to notice if you’re wearing gloves.
This is the top value pick for the price and what you get. The kit was thought out but priced appropriately, instructions are easy to follow and the grips are 7/8ths so they’ll fit all ATVs. Some people prefer this heat button compared to bulkier ones. We like it because it doesn’t take up as much room.
Western Power Sports ATV Heated Grip
Western Power Sports heated ATV grips are the most affordable option we’ve come across. The electrical controller has a solid housing and the whole thing just feels sturdy. You won’t get a thumb warmer with this kit, so if that’s a big thing for you then you’ll need something else.
You’re going to need to use a relay when wiring this because it’ll use some current even when your ATV is off. These grips are pretty thick, so if you have smaller hands they might not be for you.
The control unit will give you two options for heat, high and low. The high gets darn hot, if you’re in a very cold climate you’ll be happy. You’ll need a bit of electrical know how to install these – they aren’t something you plug straight into your cigarette lighter. But, if that’s not an issue to you then this kit is a great buy.
Heat Demon ATV Heated Grip Kit with Rocker Switch
The second sighting of Heat Demon, this is their heated grip kit with a rocker switch. Not nearly as expensive as their first model, but still featuring their quality grips. You won’t get a thumb heater with this one either and for the (affordable) price we think that’s reasonable.
A simpler design, this has two heated clamp-on grips that will give you a solid fit. The rocker switch comes with two settings, high and low. Both settings work great. For setup and installation they include a helpful wiring diagram and instructions – there are also plenty of install videos on the internet for these.
If you have smaller hands or you just like this style and want an affordable option you can’t go wrong.
How to change your ATV Grips
- Use a screwdriver to get underneath your old grips, a flathead will do as well. Spray in some lubricant to help you break the seal the grips have on your handlebars.
- Work them off with some elbow grease. If this doesn’t work and you don’t want the old grips, you could use a knife or sharp object to just cut them loose.
- Put some WD40 or another lubricant on the inside of your new grips. They’re going to resist sliding on your handlebars, so we’re just trying to make it as easy as possible. A few applications should make them greased up enough to not give you too much trouble. Put some lubricant onto your actual handlebar as well.
- If there’s a thumb heater peel off the adhesive and put the included sleeve over it. Make sure it sets before you continue on with the install. Get a heat source to shrink it, a hairdryer would do.
- You should have a heater control unit of some sort depending on what you bought. Mount this with the included hardware that is hopefully included. A clamp on your handlebar would be a good idea.
- Clean up the wiring, make sure there’s no kinks or anything funky going on. If they’re not looking ideal you can get a wiring sleeve to clean it up or electrical tape.
- Disconnect your battery. Connect your pins into the assembly, this varies by kit.
- Connect these to your power accessory wire for power, then ground the electric. You can do that by attaching the ground to the negative terminal on your battery.
- Check that everything works. Reconnect your battery and give it a go.
Regular Grips vs Heated Grips?
If you’re planning on riding in colder weather, heated grips are going to be a relief for your hands. You’ll get more blood flow and won’t have to worry about them cramping up. But, that’s only if you are going to be out and about a good amount in the cold.
If not, you could make it by with some heated gloves.
Heated grips or heated gloves?
The one realistic take you can have on heated grips vs heated gloves is that they’ll work better in combination. Heated grips are only going to be good for the interiors of your hands, which is still nice.
But, if you’re taking your ATV up to a decent amount of speed or if it’s a windy day, the outside of your hand is exposed, along with your fingertips. And that’s not a good feeling.
I know the very extremities of my hands hang free. Regular gloves with heated grips on a cold day would work, and heated gloves with heated grips are going to work best of all. Those windy days can be brutal.
For top of the line with everything you could ever want in a heated grip, Heat Demon’s option is a good buy. This is their area of expertise and they have a whole line of warming products for riders. But, not everyone needs that. If you want to save some money we think Tusk Digital is a great price or any of the other 2 options.
We chose the highest quality products in this category and we hope you’ll agree. If you install one of these let us know how it goes. As always, ride safely 🙂