Spinoff: Who uses a cooling vest?

[Surviving_the_Dramas]

I have one of these…

http://www.chilla.co.nz/framesets/mainframes_prod.html

This is a NZ product but they do post overseas. It’s bloody handy to put on when warming up, just switch to your coat before you go in, then put it on again after. I soak mine, then put it in the fridge at home or in the truck for an hour, lovely and cool…

Big bonus is that it doesn’t make me or my white shirt wet… the see-through look is never a good one :lol:

I also have their horse boots as well to cool down legs after working on hard ground, or the XC, they are also FAB!

[ThreeFigs]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;3281562]
You would be much better served acclimatizing your body to warm conditions and keeping yourself fitter to tolerate those conditions.[/QUOTE]

In my professional opinion there is only so much some of us can do as far as fitness to tolerate heat. As we age, the ability to sweat diminishes, hence the tolerance for hot conditions also diminishes. After menopause, fitness has little to do with heat tolerance – it just gets worse!

I have used the vests, and yes, I’ll agree they’re a pain in the butt and satisfaction varies with both the individual and weather conditions. Yes, these work best in bone-dry places. I can only imagine these items would be intolerable in humid climes. I think I prefer the cooling neckties. I just ordered a cooling hat. I should like that!

I’m surprised to read so many of you in places like Georgia like the cooling vests! Ewwww!

[RhythmTempo]

Beasmom-

In my professional opinion there is only so much some of us can do as far as fitness to tolerate heat. As we age, the ability to sweat diminishes, hence the tolerance for hot conditions also diminishes. After menopause, fitness has little to do with heat tolerance – it just gets worse!

:eek: :no:

Say it ain’t so!! :lol:

[Horsejudge]

I love the cooling ball caps - how cute!

Does anybody have one like that?

[Coreene]

I have a cooling cap I got from www.carouselhorseproducts.com I also have a Cool Medics thing I wear under my helmet on hot days, which I love (the Cool Medics thing, not the hot days).

[Pippin]

I just bought one… hve to say it does the job… they are heavy when you put them on … but really don’t notice it till i take it off… i ride a couple of horses in the AM… and have found that i have to resoak it for the next ride… the instuctions say they last a couple of hours… I don’t find that to be true… but with a re soak i am good to go for my next ride… Don’t think i would wear one under my dressage coat… as is , a hem… my coat is a little snug…

[sign_of_Grace]

I bought mine to wear under my bullet proof vest in AZ on a motorcycle in 117 degree weather. Um, that didn’t work. As for simply taking it off, that is a huge process under a uniform/gunbelt, vest, blah blah, …but… I have worn it a couple times out riding in the desert and I do think it works ok. Mine lasted about an hour or so. I can see just from trying it that one day at work why it wouldn’t work in humid areas.

As a matter of fact, it’s 8pm here and cooled off to about 107 degrees…I’ll probably wear it tonight and try the suggestions of soaking it longer to see if it works a little better. The rep told me it could cool for 4-6 hours depending on heat/location/humidity. I don’t think that’s even close to accurate.

[WindsongEq]

I rode four horses in 102 degree weather at lessons last week. I got the coolmedics vest wet between every horse. (plus drank water between each horse) Worked great!
Mine is the short white one so I can wear it if jackets are waived, plus it hides under my shadbelly perfectly.

[SBrentnall]

You would be much better served acclimatizing your body to warm conditions and keeping yourself fitter to tolerate those conditions.

A lot depends on your basic body make-up. I’m a Brit and even though I’ve lived here for 20 years, I still don’t tolerate heat well. Every year I tried to acclimatize, and every year I’d find myself having to stop in the middle of a lesson or even, on occasion, passing out at a show and being revived by paramedics.

As for fitness, I’m a 2nd degree black belt and I train every day (karate, pilates, cardio, weights and yoga). I don’t think I can get any fitter!

I have one CoolMedics vest for lessons and one nice white one for shows. I had the show vest tailored for $20, and it looks perfect over a crisp white polo shirt when jackets are waived. I also have a CoolMedics beanie that goes inside my hat. Since taking these precautions, I haven’t passed out once!

[yaya]

If the vest is wet, and you take it off right before going into the ring, how do you prevent the wet-T-shirt look with a white shirt?

Of course, I guess sweating would give you the same look.

[EvelynJK]

I have a problem where I go into anaphylactic shock because of heat, extreme exercise, etc. I was thinking about getting a cooling vest. I think if I was able to keep my core temp a bit lower I’d be much more comfortable and have a lot less anxiety when I do something I love. It can get humid in NJ though, so for that reason I’ve been holding back. Its a big purchase! I may go for it!

[Carolinadreamin]

cooling vest

Someone asked about the vest getting your shirt wet. I have found that if used properly (soaked and then just wipe off excess water with a paper towel before putting it on), the moisture does not transfer to your shirt.

I bought one, used it once and found it did not work for me in our humid climate. They are expensive and now I’m stuck. Overall, it’s a great idea. Just didn’t work out in my case.

[ThreeFigs]

I just tried my cooling cap for the first time this morning. I was very pleased! It’s so dry here in Colorado, however, that you’d have to resoak the hat several times a day. It kept me cool for about two hours – then I realized it had “gone dry”.

The hats are pretty cute and you can get them embroidered!

I bought one of the vests from the same folks (Hobby Hill Farm) and will try that this afternoon. It fits looser than the CoolMedics vests. I’ll report back!

[Pippin]

[QUOTE=Carolinadreamin’;3298836]
Someone asked about the vest getting your shirt wet. I have found that if used properly (soaked and then just wipe off excess water with a paper towel before putting it on), the moisture does not transfer to your shirt.

I[/QUOTE]

I don’t think a paper towel wipe down will keep my shirt from getting wet… but that IS part of the cooling down… What i do is while tacking up the horse i let it hang so that all the water can pool to the lower edges of my vest… much easier to wring out the bottom only… I then ride a horse… when done with that horse i soak my vest again then hang it so it pools… this works great for me… I have to tack and tack down my horses so there is time in between to soak and drip…

They do not last more then one ride tho… so they are being mis represented …

P