With winter comes a lot of activities for ATV, UTV, and side-by-side owners: deer hunting season, ranch or lease maintenance, snow plowing, and other snow fun. The only downside? Winter is cold. Did you know you can add heat to your rig yourself? Here are some reasons you should consider adding heat to your UTV or vehicle this winter.
- Cold weather riding gear can get expensive. Did you know you can spend $120 on a pair of lined socks made for enduring the cold weather while riding your UTV? When you add to that specialized riding pants, jackets, and gloves, you can spend well over $750. Of course you’ll need a jacket for cold-weather work, but you may be able to forgo specialized riding gear if you just had heat in your rig.
- That foggy windshield won’t defrost itself. Having a windshield on your UTV can make for a much more comfortable ride…unless you can’t see out of it. Installing a heater will allow you to get your job done faster and more safely (or even better—get to the fun faster) because you won’t have to rig up some kind of device to see out your front window.
- You can work/play longer. With a UTV heater, you’ll be able to get more fences repaired, more shots fired off, or more snow /mud stirred up than you would if you were braving the cold without heat. If you’re working, those extra repairs done each day could add up to earn you a nice solid day off. If you’re playing, you won’t have to cut your time short because of cold weather.
- Go on a winter night ride. There are several events for ATVs, UTVs and side-by-sides that include a snowy night ride. These can be nearly unbearable without a windshield and some heat. Adding a heater will allow you to focus on the fun instead of your frostbitten toes.
- Bring along a new passenger. The winter can be a fun time to introduce a child or friend to your ATV, but braving the super cold or even snowy conditions without heat could make for a less enjoyable first experience. Warming them up to the experience with a little heat could help you gain a long-time riding companion.
If you are mechanically inclined, adding a heating system to your ATV, UTV, or side-by-side is an upgrade that will certainly pay off. Look for a multi-directional heating system to heat your windshield (or top vents) and your feet.