Cooling vests

[floatingurboat]

So summer is creeping ever closer and I decided this year I should be prepared for it, seeing as how I wont have AC this summer and the heat made me very sick last summer. I was just wondering if I could get a few tips on where to buy one of those oh so sexy cooling vests I keep hearing about. I'm trying to stock up on things I need to beat the heat before I end up in a nasty heat induced haze like last year. Any tips on where to buy one online, or maybe what brands you've had good or bad experiences with would be super helpful thanks!

~Elly

[wkikta]

The MSAA, http://www.msassociation.org/, will give you a vest.

[jkforrest]

cooling vests

I got mine over 10 years ago and still use it. I have recently purchased new ice packs for it. Go to Steele Vests on the net. It is expensive but worth it. It will last for about one hour and then you have to change out the ice packs so I would encourage you to start with two complete sets.
jkforrest

[gomer]

I got a Polar cooling vest last year...GREAT!

My gellpack set lasted me a good 2+ hrs in the outdoor heat last Aug. I got mine thru the VA and it came with 2 sets of gell packs.

While they work great, they can not be expected to last a whole day, at least w/o a big freezer and many sets of gell packs. A/C would be more practical, even if a small room unit. An inexpensive window A/C unit can be had for about $100 maybe less. (& a lot more practical, IMO)


Gomer Dr. of, Been There, Done That

[WACVet]

Prosthetics at the VA just measured me for mine, and I can't wait for it to be delivered!!! I've heard so many say how they help, not only with the heat outside, but also during exercise! I just wish they also had such a thing for the legs.........

[wkikta]

You may find that cooling your upper body will significantly help your legs. Cooling the blood anywhere will tend to cool you everywhere. A damp cloth or cooling scarf on your neck can be a great help.

[pocoapoco]

Check your local MS Center or doctor

My local MS center supplies them to their patients. It helps a lot. I'm very heat sensitive. Thank goodness for them! I guess my center has a program just for cooling vests. Good luck, they sure do help.

[Brian and Carol]

Carol and I love to ride our motorcycle, we have gotten one with a sidecar so she can continue to ride. We live in North Texas where the temperture can get in the up the triple digits in July and August. We have tried phase change vests but they would last about a couple of hours. Veskimo makes a great cooling vest. It is basically a personal air conditioning system. If worn under a leather vest, the temperture under the vest will feel like 70 degrees in triple digit heat. It hase a reservoir where you put ice and water in it and it pumps cold water in to vest that cools the upper body and takes the heat away and carries it back into the reservoir to be cooled again. We have the 9 quart cooler and put blocks of ice in it and in the Texas heat, it will last 8 hours. Veskimo is working on a system for MS patients, that will have a skull cap to cool the brain area. Go to Veskimo dot com.

[MadamMarvelJen]

Brian and Carol, I saw one of your previous post about the Veskimo cooling system and it peaked my interest. I also live in the North Texas area and I am dreading the relentless HEAT !

The system looks like something I should invest in soon. Can you tell me how heavy the vest & backpack are when empty, also how heavy is it when full. I could not find this out on their website.

I would love to go to a baseball game and, this just maybe the ticket. Does Carol use this just running errands like grocery shopping etc.? I bet walking outside in 100 temps. & wearing this has got to feel wonderful!

[wkikta]

What would probably work to transport it when walking might be a roller bag like a carry on.

[akafearless]

check this site

Prosthetics at the VA just measured me for mine, and I can't wait for it to be delivered!!! I've heard so many say how they help, not only with the heat outside, but also during exercise! I just wish they also had such a thing for the legs.........

check out polarproducts.com they have items for the legs, feet, etc. It is one of the companies the society uses.

[jumpinjiminy]

Carol and I love to ride our motorcycle, we have gotten one with a sidecar so she can continue to ride. We live in North Texas where the temperture can get in the up the triple digits in July and August. We have tried phase change vests but they would last about a couple of hours. Veskimo makes a great cooling vest. It is basically a personal air conditioning system. If worn under a leather vest, the temperture under the vest will feel like 70 degrees in triple digit heat. It hase a reservoir where you put ice and water in it and it pumps cold water in to vest that cools the upper body and takes the heat away and carries it back into the reservoir to be cooled again. We have the 9 quart cooler and put blocks of ice in it and in the Texas heat, it will last 8 hours. Veskimo is working on a system for MS patients, that will have a skull cap to cool the brain area. Go to Veskimo dot com.

That set is awesome! This is what I've been looking for. Something like that might save me from having to buy a car this year. Mine has no AC, no window tinting, and I'm very heat sensitive.

[Brian and Carol]

The cooling vest weighs about 1 lb. The back pack weighs 2 lbs dry and it only takes about one or two pounds of ice with 1 quart of water (water weighs 8 lbs per gallon, 1 quart weighs 2 lbs). It will last about two hours depending on several circumstances, i.e. how cold was the block of ice to begin with? We keep our block ice for the cooler and some bag ice in a deep freeeze at -20* and the temperture of the intial water "charge". Again we start with the coldest possible, water from the refrigerator at 38*. Outside temps can affect the cooling and is the cooler in direct sunlight? We wrap the cooler with a vehicle windshield shade to reflect the sunlight. Are you wearing something over the Veskimo? If not, your cooling the air not your body. Even you core body temperture will have an effect on the cooling. The longer you wait to cool your body down, the more heat gets tranfered to the cooler resulting in the ice melting faster. It is best to keep the body core temp cooled and not wait till your over heated.

The 9 qt cooler weighs 5 lbs dry and the block ice I make weighs 5 lbs per block. It will hold two blocks with an additional 1 lb of bag ice and about 1 quart of water. With the 2 blocks it last about 8 hours but again depending on the circumstances.

When on the motorcycle, the cooler is strapped down on the bike and hoses ran over to the side car. When off the bike, Carol is on her electric scooter and I have made a bracket that fits behind the seat to carry the cooler.

[MadamMarvelJen]

Thanks for all your great information. I really appreciate it. I just this week received cooling vest from MSAA, it's made by Polar. Wanted to get this one to use while I save for one of the ones by Veskimo. Probably will be giving it a try this weekend.

[shellos8]

It's so dang hot here and I'm not handling it very well, plus my 8 year old plays baseball and then soccer in late summer. I'm very worried about today's game in the 90+ degree heat.

I just went on the msaa website and printed off the application forms for a free cooling vest. Is it really FREE if you meet the income guidelines (I do for once). Is it really that easy to apply? Just seems nothing is easy! Do you know how long before I would receive the vest, assuming I'll be approved?