onmyrt Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Picked up a Cool Vest at Cycle Gear this afternoon and just returned from a 40 mile ride around the metro. My RT's computer display was registering 110 and the humidity was around 35%. I have to say, this is the best investment I've made in a long time. I'm riding up to Concordia Kansas and back this weekend and was dreading the heat, not now. At under $40, you can't go wrong. I did a 75 mile ride last Saturday when temps were in the upper 90's (without a cool vest) and I was totally miserable. This afternoons ride was a good 10 degrees hotter, but I was very comfortable with the cool vest on. I'm totally amazed at how well it worked. Check out their web site here: Web Site Link to comment
MChick Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 The link you gave has a problem. Here is the correct page: Tehniche Link to comment
Tool Man Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Yepper....the cool vest is a cool deal that's for sure. It's the only way I can get back and forth from L.A. and our mountain place every weekend without passing out. Especially with the heat wave we've been having. Don't know how your using your's, but I wear a microfiber t-shirt, refrigerate cool vest the night before, install over micorfiber t-shirt, install the ventalated jacket (insert choice of brand that blow's yer skirt up) and I'm good ta' go until I get there. However, I do ride the GS instead of the RT for better air flow. I actually get a little chilled below 90F. Works for me when I use to ban summer riding after taking a long trip in August. Probably too many years desert racing cooked what I had left of common sense. Link to comment
RGMIII Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Let me ask a stupid question. What amount of humidity in the air makes this vest in operative? Link to comment
ratfink Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I'm new to this cool vest thing. I have the Fieldsheer version. Here are my observations: I get just as good of results with cotton under my vest as with "performance cationic polyester under stuff" maybe better with cotton. The thing is based on evaporative cooling. Warm water evaporates more quickly. I'm not sure if refrigerating the vest would help or inhibit this process but I suspect it slows the process. Above 50% humidity I have noticed far less cooling but I suspect itis a function of dewpoint (humidity vs temp) more so than humidity alone. Regards, RT Fink Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I have to say, this is the best investment I've made in a long time. Absolutely my experience too!! The only thing that I'd add is that I always kept a dry shirt, so when it started to cool off, I could put both vest and wet tee in the baggie and have a dry shirt. I used the under-armor shirts which I found to be very effective on my UnRally trip. Link to comment
Shawnee Bill Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I guess I'll have to try mine in Oklahoma City, I usually don't wear it until I'm pretty far west. They do make it possible to ride across the desert for sure. I just keep it in a zip lock freezer bag until I get hot, then when I put it on it is instant cool. But I talked my wife into making mine, cost less than $5 Link to comment
Yankee_Dog Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 ..........But I talked my wife into making mine, cost less than $5 Where did she get the material to make them? Yankee Dog Link to comment
Kinsley Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 But I talked my wife into making mine, cost less than $5 Does yours stay wet for 2 to 3 days? I used a bandana type thing from Aerostich and it would dry out and last maybe 15 minutes when I have good airflow. After wearing a friend's Techniche Standard Sport Vest, I had to hang it up for two days for it to dry out before returning it still damp. I ordered one the next day and it definitely makes it possible for me to ride in August now. I guess it's filled with those water absorbing crystals and it works. Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Does your vest stay wet for 2-3 days? Yes, and I believe it's the same brand as yours. I bought it for $30 from Sound Rider. Link to comment
eljeffe Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Another product to consider is UnderArmour Shirts and Shorts. We just completed a 10 day trip through NM, AZ, UT, and CO with temps ranging from the mid 40s through the high 90s (and even the low 100s when heading into TX). The material wicks moisture away from you and keeps you cool in the hot. And it seemed to do very well even in the cool. All of us on the trip were using hot weather mesh gear over the UnderArmour. The compression fit seems to work better than the loose fit, but unless you are as "ripped" as T.O., the compression stuff just looks goofy on you. Also, I've used LDComfort shorts for a long time, and the UnderArmour shorts work A LOT better. Link to comment
Laura Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I just keep it in a zip lock freezer bag until I get hot, then when I put it on it is instant cool. Isn't that the best !!!! Link to comment
nbooth Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I just returned from a long trip to Key West and through Florida. Before I left, I picked up one of these vests thinking that it might come in handy. Well, I used it every day! It's an outstanding product. Also, their customer service folks are great. I ordered it a bit late, and called to see if I'd get the product in time. Well, they located my product and moved it out in time for me to receive it. Great product...great company. Link to comment
Rusty1945 Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 After wearing a friend's Techniche Standard Sport Vest, I had to hang it up for two days for it to dry out before returning it still damp. I ordered one the next day and it definitely makes it possible for me to ride in August now. I guess it's filled with those water absorbing crystals and it works. So this vest works in humid conditions - I assume Atlanta heat is high humidity? Link to comment
Kinsley Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 After wearing a friend's Techniche Standard Sport Vest, I had to hang it up for two days for it to dry out before returning it still damp. I ordered one the next day and it definitely makes it possible for me to ride in August now. I guess it's filled with those water absorbing crystals and it works. So this vest works in humid conditions - I assume Atlanta heat is high humidity? Well, yes, but not as well when it's humid, but I felt better with it than I did wihtout it. It makes sense that if the air has a lot of moisture, the water will not evaporate off of you as well, but with forced air from riding, I think it helps to some degree. For the little space needed to store it and low cost of the product, I would recommend it. Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I bought a Cool Vest at Paonia and rode across CO and most of KS in 100+ temps and higher humidity than 3x%. Wish I had my $35 back. Waste of money IMO. I rode out there with my First Gear coat on with vents open, and a wet long sleeve shirt on underneath. Worked much better IMO. The vest is just one more thing to screw around with while on a trip! Just my opinion, but also my experience in hot humid conditions. Link to comment
onmyrt Posted July 18, 2006 Author Share Posted July 18, 2006 Wow, strange how it performs differently from person to person... Didn't your wet long sleeve shirt dry out quickly? The cool vest stayed wet for hours. Link to comment
Chugger Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Last week riding from Montana back to New England I felt a big difference with the humidity. I was soaking my underarmor tee shirt every few hours. And wearing it under a mesh jacket. It was about 90 deg every day. Out West I almost felt cold at times with the wet shirt. By the time I reached PA the wet shirt didn't work half as well. So the relative humidity does seem to make a big difference in performance. Chugger Link to comment
tomk99r11 Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I guess that is why each of us have different accessories for our bikes and like different things. Yes, my shirt dried out fairly fast, but it seemed to keep me cool long enough to make it 150 - 200 mi when we stopped to get rehydrated. I will give the cool vest another try of course, this time was my first usage. It sure is hot enough around here, and the humidity isn't getting any lower! Link to comment
bmwmick Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I've had my Techniche vest for about 2 years and it works GREAT out here in AZ. I just came back from Boise via Frisco, CO. The vest will stay at least damp in 10% humidity for a full tank of gas on my RT under a Joe Rocket Peenix jacket. It works MUCH better if the RH is below 40% or so but it works a little even in 50% RH if you keep moving. I got mine at New Enough Leather in TX. I guess they were new then because they were only $26. They don't use the Hydro Beads that some of the other products use. It has some type of wicking fibers in it that soak up about 3.5 Lbs of water in 30 seconds when you toss it in the sink at the gass stations. Wonderful invention for us lizards. Mick Tucson Link to comment
ESokoloff Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Just to clarify. evaporative coolers also require that the surrounding air have a low relative humidity (R.H.) because the rate of evaporation is roughly inversely proportional to the relative humidity. At 100% R.H. no water would evaporate and the efficiency of the cooler would be essentially zero Link to comment
Chitwood Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 OK, sold - just ordered one Techniche vest, two UnderArmour shorts and two UnderArmour compression tees. Ought to work well here in central California with relatively low humidity - 105 to 110 forecast this week - hurry Big Brown Truck!!! Link to comment
DaveTheAffable Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Has anyone here tried the 'Phase Change' vests? They are totally dry. Put the inserts in a freezer. or bucket of ice water for 1/2 hour, and they last for 1 1/2 hours maintaining about 58 degrees. It's not blue ice (which can give you a freezer burn actually). I have not tried them, but there are several manufacturers that sell them. I did a little internet searching and found that they're fairly common for Hazmat workers, bomb squads, steel mills, and others where they are worn under their 'suits' to keep cool....for an 1 1/2 hours anyway. That's enough for most commutes! Comments? Dave Link to comment
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