KEIS Science: How It Works - Keis Heated Apparel

KEIS Science: How It Works


During winter, it’s easy to not want to go out on a ride, but for some – it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a leisure-rider or a commuter, it’s widely agreed that the warmer you are on the bike, the safer you are. But how does heated clothing really work?

KEIS kit includes integrated resistive heating elements placed in the internal structure of the garment, in areas such as the chest, back, arms, collar area (in select kit such as the B601, B501W, J601, J501 and J505) and thighs and knees in the T103. Other brands use elements typically made from metal wiring, whereas KEIS uses micro carbon fibre heating elements, which provide a comfortable warmth without risk of hot spotting. These elements generate heat through electrical resistance. When the power source is activated, electrical current runs through the heating elements, causing them to resist the flow of electricity. This resistance generates infrared heat, which is then transferred directly to the body. Micro carbon fibre is a great alternative, as it’s flexible, lightweight and poses no risk of overheating.

But what is infrared heat?

Far Infrared Heat (FIR) is a form of energy that penetrates the skin and warms muscles directly, similar to how the sun does. FIR is a preferred method of heat due to it being efficient, targeted and energy-saving. Instead of only heating the air circulating between your body and your clothes, FIR heat transfers energy directly into the body, creating deep, long-lasting warmth directly into the skin and muscles, and since FIR heat doesn’t rely on warming the surrounding environment, heat loss is minimal, making it much more efficient. FIR is great for long rides due to its ability to evenly distribute heat, which massively reduces risk of hotspots.

KEIS kit operates with a 12V DC power supply, meaning it can run on either a motorcycle battery, with the kit wired directly to your bike which is ideal for long-distance riding, or through a KEIS portable lithium-ion battery pack, for off-bike use. We’ve designed a clever plug-and-play system, where a single connection can power more than one of your heated garments.

Interconnectivity is a big part of our kit. We wanted to design something simple and faff-free for riders, so our kit is designed as a modular system of sorts, meaning you can connect multiple pieces of gear, without needing separate power sources. For example;

A heated jacket can power KEIS heated gloves through integrated sleeve connector
Heated trousers can be connected through a single lead, reducing excess wiring

Most importantly, KEIS kit has some impeccable in-built protection features including intelligent circuits that regulate garment temperature to avoid excessive heat; waterproof connectors to prevent short circuiting, and efficient energy usage – meaning the kit only draws power when needed, making it highly energy efficient. Additionally, as FIR heat is non-invasive, KEIS kit is completely safe for long-term use.