Schupo Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Do any of you have recommendations or suggestions as to cooling vests or bibs. I saw one offered by a vendor at the MOA 2004 in Spokane but can't find the vendor anymore. I have been using the Aerostich Evapodanna but want something more effective. Link to comment
oldvic Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Search the internet. Lots of products available with a broad spectrum in prices. I think as long as you find a product that incorporates the 'gel' that absorbs water, it's a matter of taste in design, style and fabric. I found a vest that sold for $30 that is used by the construction trades that has lasted me three summers with excellent service. It's not fancy , just a black vest, with a zipper down the front. I wear it over a poly T-shirt and under my perforated jacket. Link to comment
twilmotte Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Ditto "oldvic." I didn't pay much more than $30 for my cooling vest (http://www.aqualitywater.com/personal_cooling_vests.html) and it works fine. It will work better on hot-dry days versus hot-humid days; and you have to have air flow over the vest (so wear a mesh jacket over the vest and some type of Under Armor type synthetic material t-shirt underneath (not cotton). Prices range from $30 to $80 for these vests and I doubt if the more expensive ones cool any better (although they may be constructed better). FWIW Link to comment
brennaman Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 As an alternitive, I bought some wicking shorts and shirt that I wear under my mest jacket and pants. I have a cooling vest, but it is not as nice as the shirt and shorts I bought. I got some at target, and they are bicycle attire. I used to just get my shirt wet in the summer which I think worked better than my cooling vest. Phil Link to comment
Valueman Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I use the Silver Eagle coling vest with a wicking shirt beneath. Its awesome. VM Link to comment
Schupo Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Thank you for the advice. It's very helpful. Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 The Sport Vest from www.ridecool.com. Realize that no cooling vest (short of air conditioning) will do you any good in Florida in August, but will work great in Arizona in August. Link to comment
CMWingfield Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I bought a cooling vest a couple of years ago at the Top of the Rockies Rally that works quite well in the low humidity states. In humid areas they are worst than worthless, they just add humidity and weight to your miserable body...... The name of the product is Colorado Coolwear. Mike Link to comment
RodanAZ Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Check out: http://www.newenoughmx.com/ti_cooling_vest_page.htm I recently purchased one of these (vest only - no sleves)and have been very impressed for the price. Newenough has fantastic customer service as well. As mentioned, these work better in lower humidity. This vest has been good for 2-3 hours on the bike in 95 deg weather. Also, the "wicking" athletic wear seems to work really well. WalMart has a brand (Athletic Works) that is similar to Under Armor in both tight and loose styles and runs $7-10 for a shirt. They also pack small for touring. Link to comment
bmwmick Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Check out: http://www.newenoughmx.com/ti_cooling_vest_page.htm I recently purchased one of these (vest only - no sleves)and have been very impressed for the price. Newenough has fantastic customer service as well. As mentioned, these work better in lower humidity. This vest has been good for 2-3 hours on the bike in 95 deg weather. This is the same vest I use almost daily in Lower AZ. They are made by Techiche and they use the wicking fibers rather than the hydro beads that just add weight and very little cooling effect. Soak it for 15 seconds and you're good to go. This vest will last for a tank of gas in 100 degree temps under a Joe Rocket. It is the best buy for the bucks! Mick Tucson Link to comment
farmerp Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 I had a small rope like thing that went around my neck for work a few years ago. It was to cold in that one spot and driped all the time. Are these vests different? Link to comment
wingnut Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Another site: http://coolingapparel.com/ Link to comment
ben1364 Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 . I found a vest that sold for $30 that is used by the construction trades Do you recollect where you found the $30 vest? Type of store? Link to comment
Effervescent Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 I think I bought mine at newenough.com for $29. Couldn't find it there when I searched today. -Eff Link to comment
Redbrick Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I wore my $29 wet cooling vest yesterday with temps in the mid to high 80's under an Olympia vented jacket...It stayed damp for over an hour and it was cooling but felt "musty", for lack of a better description...But, we were riding in the Santa Monica mountains and on the coast where the humidity was higher than it is in the desert...Might be different out there..... I have ridden with the old wet t-shirt method before and got cooler temps...The t-shirts dry out in 30 to 40 minutes but evaporate faster giving more cooling....Will try the vest again but thinking of carrying 2 wet t-shirts in separate zip lock bags when it's really hot...Switch off when necessary...... Phil..........Redbrick Link to comment
alanz Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 There are three basic types of cooling vest commercially available suitable for motorcycle riding. 1. Evaporative -- wet them and let the air evaporate the water, cooling the vest. Works very well in dry climates, not very effective in humid climates. Some vests retain quite a bit of water and can therefore get over 5 lbs. Relatively inexpensive, $29-$99 2. Gel filled -- gel is wet and then refrigerated/frozen to bring the temperature down. The gel is slow to change its temperature, so it's not as affected by humidity, but is somewhat. The vest I have is ArcticHeat, and pricy, but really designed for sports use to reduce the core body temp before performing athletics. I've used it on a couple of recent rides, and it did very well. This unit is particularly interesting in that when activated it weighs only 2.2 pounds. Cost is approximately $180 3. The phase change vests contain plastic inserts with a liquid that turns solid when frozen or immersed in ice water. Vest with inserts weigh about 4.5 lbs. These vests have several advantages: a) Not subject to humidity at all (if I had to work in a character costume at a theme park, this is really the only viable choice) b) You can have an extra set of inserts ready to go, c) They maintain a cool temperature of about 52 degrees, even when frozen so it's not "too cold" and little condensation. d) The inserts can be refrozen in ice water in about 20 minutes. Cost is approximately $170 for vest and one set of 4 inserts, and extra inserts are about $120 per set. I hope this helps. There is another class of cooling apparel, but that's for industrial use and comes with a refrigeration unit and a high price tag. Hope this helps. Link to comment
USAF1 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I'd like to know about the commercial unit...any links? TIA Pat Link to comment
Rusty1945 Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 There are three basic types of cooling vest commercially available suitable for motorcycle riding. 1. Evaporative -- 2. Gel filled -- 3. The phase change vests contain plastic inserts with a liquid that turns solid when frozen or immersed in ice water. So where do you get the "phase change" vests? Is there a web site? I live in a humid climate so option 1 is out and I know where to get option 2. Thanks. Link to comment
alanz Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Rusty, There are several makers of phase change cooling vests. I might get one, and if so, will get a vest from: http://www.coolvest.com/ or from http://www.hyperlites.com/coolvest.html The gel vest I currently have is from ArcticHeat http://coolingvests.arcticheatusa.com/ Link to comment
bmwmick Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I wore my $29 wet cooling vest yesterday with temps in the mid to high 80's under an Olympia vented jacket...It stayed damp for over an hour and it was cooling but felt "musty", for lack of a better description...But, we were riding in the Santa Monica mountains and on the coast where the humidity was higher than it is in the desert...Might be different out there..... I have ridden with the old wet t-shirt method before and got cooler temps...The t-shirts dry out in 30 to 40 minutes but evaporate faster giving more cooling....Will try the vest again but thinking of carrying 2 wet t-shirts in separate zip lock bags when it's really hot...Switch off when necessary...... Phil..........Redbrick Phil, Did you at least stop at Neptune's Net for some fishy stuff? Man I miss those roads. I used to live at the very West end of Simi Vally and could be at the Rock Store in 15 minutes. Also have family in Santa Paula so South Mountain is another favorite. ( I would just keep my Evap vest in the plastic bag for the Santa Monica's. 10 minutes in any canyon Westbound will get you cool. Too humid to feel any cooling from the vest. Mick Tucson Link to comment
TonyS Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Here in central CA we can easily run through a fifty degreee fluctuation in temps during a day ride. Last Sat. was my first real test of my evaporative Silver Eagle vest. I wore it for the second half of a 280 mile ride. When the temps hit 100 I pulled the vest out of the saddle bag. That sucker was hot from being in the black plastic solar collector, but cooled off immediately when I pulled it out of the bag. As part of the trial I switched from my MotoPort dacron jacket (vents open) to a mesh jacket part way through the hot part of the ride (We started in the eighties, dropped to the fifties, and then climbed back to one hundred plus degrees). Definitely cooler with the mesh, but certainly comfortable with the MotoPort. Near the end of the ride we got close to the coast and the temps dropped down to the high sixties. At this point I was very glad that the vest has a waterproof inner liner and I was dry. There are certainly less expensive vest on the market, but for me, the selling point was staying dry underneath the vest. Link to comment
baggerchris Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 I use the Silver Eagle coling vest with a wicking shirt beneath. Its awesome. VM I second that! Link to comment
bmwmick Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Tony, If I was still in CA I would try one of those vests but over here in AZ the Techniche works GREAT!! I'm homesick for my CA roads so maybe I need to schedule a little trip over to Mattei's Tavern if they still let Beemer trash in for dinner. ) Mick Link to comment
alanz Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 USAF1, There are various tethered vests available... one example is http://www.summitstone.com/Airvest.htm Link to comment
TonyS Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Tony, If I was still in CA I would try one of those vests but over here in AZ the Techniche works GREAT!! I'm homesick for my CA roads so maybe I need to schedule a little trip over to Mattei's Tavern if they still let Beemer trash in for dinner. ) Mick Yea, Mattei's will certainly let you in. I live about three miles from there. Cold Springs Tavern is still happening as well. Tony Link to comment
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