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Anyone try one of these cooling jackets?

1K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  SheVTX 
#1 ·
#2 ·
I got a vest off ebay, works great for me. You can ride for 1 or 2 hours when I stop we just soak it again and go. I looked for a long sleeve but did not find one at the time. Thanks this is now on my list to buy.
 
#3 ·
I guess I'll find out how well they work cause I just ordered one. Should be here Saturday and I'll be trying it out. I'll be sure and post my take on it cause this riding in the heat sucks!! :mad:
 
#4 ·
1 thing the leave out is WHERE to soak it once you leave home. If you have a trailer and a cooler filled with ice cold water, then it works great. If you don't have a cooler with you, where are you going to leave it soak? gas station sink, maybe the toilette tank??? Water fountain?? This is the only problem with them I have seen, where to recharge it????????????? 8)
 
#5 ·
1 thing the leave out is WHERE to soak it once you leave home. If you have a trailer and a cooler filled with ice cold water, then it works great. If you don't have a cooler with you, where are you going to leave it soak? gas station sink, maybe the toilette tank??? Water fountain?? This is the only problem with them I have seen, where to recharge it????????????? 8)
toilette tank with no logs :mrgreen:
 
#6 ·
1 thing the leave out is WHERE to soak it once you leave home. If you have a trailer and a cooler filled with ice cold water, then it works great. If you don't have a cooler with you, where are you going to leave it soak? gas station sink, maybe the toilette tank??? Water fountain?? This is the only problem with them I have seen, where to recharge it????????????? 8)

Good point! I'll strap a small ice chest on with ice water and try it for a day, then try tap water from a gas station for a day and do a comparsion. If this thing will knock off 15-20 degrees with tap water it'll work for me.
 
#7 ·
The problem isn't with the temp of the water really. It's how long it can soak. The beads that are inside the lining take time to soak up the water that it uses to evaporate to cool the wearer down. It doesn't soak up a lot of water when it is poured over the vest. It needs time to sit and soak up the water :thumbup:
 
#8 ·
My Hyperkewl says never to soak the vest more than a few minutes. It does feel like it lowers the temp about 15 to 20 degrees. When it's 108, it's still pretty warm, but tolerable. It works better if you wear a jacket over the vest so that the water doesn't evaporate as quickly. I've found that I stay cooler with something over the vest than without.
 
#9 ·
Why not find a collapsible container to hold the water. Could be as simple as a ziplock bag. Just fill it with water and let it soak. dump the water and ride on.
 
#10 ·
My Hyperkewl says never to soak the vest more than a few minutes. It does feel like it lowers the temp about 15 to 20 degrees. When it's 108, it's still pretty warm, but tolerable. It works better if you wear a jacket over the vest so that the water doesn't evaporate as quickly. I've found that I stay cooler with something over the vest than without.
Bing Bing Bing..we have a winner :agree:


Not that I ever ride in the heat :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
#16 ·
I just realized who posted this. Geezer is it hot enough up there in Washington State that you would NEED this? :shock:
Or have you taken off and ridden to Mexico or something? ;)
Hey Phil, DJ from Va Is on a trip out west and doing a blog on the Va site. He has the vest and says it has been a life saver for him. Hope you are doing well Bro. JR:yikes:
Hot weather is about a month late this year and it's been getting up to the high 90s. That's hot enough for me! Just got my new rear tire in and they said something about "scuffing up" the new tread. I think 3-4000 miles should do it. :D

Doing great here JR! I'll check the VA site to see what's going on.

Ride safe and often!!
 
#17 ·
So once u take it off is ur shirt soaked as well? For guys thats not too big of a deal, but for a women I could see this as a potential embarrassing moment.
The inside is "water resistant". Your shirt, and your belt line, get a little damp, but not wet. I use mine when riding distances for work. Hasn't really been a problem.
 
#18 ·
The wife and I both have one. Worked great in SoCal - until you stop. Then, you need to take it off if you are going to stay stopped very long, unless it has dried out.

A 'soaked' one was good for about an hour or so in the dry heat of SoCal. When you stop for a break, take it off and put it in the large baggie you brought along and pour in water from your water bottle. Let it soak while you eat lunch, etc. The vest will soak up a lot of water. Bring at least one liter bottle for each stop (or refill your liter bottle at each stop).

When ready to start your ride again, take it out of the baggie, put it on, and RIDE! It needs flowing air to work properly. We used ours' under our mesh jackets. Also, when stopped for long when the vest is still wet, you will get clammy. Not bad at a stop light, but don't expect to wear it while eating lunch.

We have not used them since moving to Wichita, KS. I am not sure how effective they will be in a high humidity environment like it has been here for the last two days.

Good luck,
Joe T.
 
#19 ·
I wear mine every day to commute back and forth to work. I also wet my shirt under the vest and it keeps my core nice and cool. It's been 106 here and I don't think i would ride without it. Worth every penny.
I wore it from Colorado to Texas last year and carried a couple bottles of water and a large zip lock bag to recharge it. Do it.
 
#20 ·
I have that exact jacket, with zip off sleeves. It comes with a big zip lock bag that you can use to soak it. I don't use it much but where it really worked well for me was a trip to California through Las Vegas in July. I wore a mesh jacket over it and it kept me comfortable for about 200 miles. You do need to be just a bit creative in re-soaking. If I used a rest room, I always washed out the sink first. Some gas stations have a garden hose and everyone I asked was happy to let me run a bit of water through their hose. I don't use it unless I'm running in really, really hot weather. Just remember, when you are done using it for a while, be sure to dry it out, and be sure not to throw it back into the zip lock bag wet, or it will probably get moldy and have all sorts of fuzzy growing things on it. They really do the trick but it is also a bit more work. It has to be really hot or I just drink more water.
 
#21 ·
I have that exact jacket, with zip off sleeves. It comes with a big zip lock bag that you can use to soak it. I don't use it much but where it really worked well for me was a trip to California through Las Vegas in July. I wore a mesh jacket over it and it kept me comfortable for about 200 miles. You do need to be just a bit creative in re-soaking. If I used a rest room, I always washed out the sink first. Some gas stations have a garden hose and everyone I asked was happy to let me run a bit of water through their hose. I don't use it unless I'm running in really, really hot weather. Just remember, when you are done using it for a while, be sure to dry it out, and be sure not to throw it back into the zip lock bag wet, or it will probably get moldy and have all sorts of fuzzy growing things on it. They really do the trick but it is also a bit more work. It has to be really hot or I just drink more water.
RedRide, where did you get you jacket?
 
#22 ·
Evaporative vests

Having just returned from the Keys 2 days ago we can attest that the vest made the difference for us! Especially the 7 hour "walk the bikes" from Key West to the mainland. Traveling we stopped every 100 miles for gas and re-soak our vests in gas station sinks. In 102 degree Georgia sometimes we "cheated" and after soaking the vest for a couple minutes we stuck them in the ice cooler outside the station for about ten minutes! These made the difference in our trip and will use them again more this summer. Well worth the price for the sleeveless version.
 
#24 ·
1 thing the leave out is WHERE to soak it once you leave home. If you have a trailer and a cooler filled with ice cold water, then it works great. If you don't have a cooler with you, where are you going to leave it soak? gas station sink, maybe the toilette tank??? Water fountain?? This is the only problem with them I have seen, where to recharge it????????????? 8)
I have a waterproof stuff sack that I put my vest in fill it up with water then hang it on the back of the bike until I need it. Then I stick the bag in my saddlebags. When I stop for gas I grab a gallon of cold water from store cooler, stuff the vest back in the bag, poor half the water in there, drink the rest. By the time I'm done drinking, the vest is ready to go again.
 
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