Cooling vest

[deathbydanish]

I've been looking into ways to keep cool, besides the usual Camelbak and UnderArmour clothing.

I just googled "cooling vest" and I got this site

http://www.texascoolvest.com/techinfo.html

I'm doing further research but I'd like to know if anyone has had practical experience with a cooling vest and even better, if they've used it in an airsoft game as well.

[Vince]

Well, I forget, it might have been posted on Arizona Shooting -- however, I saw something along those lines, but it was made locally, and I dunno. I had one of those bandana things which I believe have the same material inside, and it was OK. It loses it's charge fast, but this looks kind of like, a higher level of that.   However, that was only about fourteen or fifteen dollars, so, maybe these are ten to eleven times better than that. I would hope so.

You should buy one and let us know how that works for you.

[deathbydanish]

LOL I was expecting to be yelled at and told to use the search function  :lol:

But if I really am the first guy to try out a cooling vest in an airsoft capacity then I'm more than willing to give it a try. One of the other sites I've been looking at is GlacierTek, I think I saw their name mentioned in the latest U.S. Cavalry catalog and thought I'd give them a look.

http://store.coolvest.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=RWS&Product_Code=RCVC15TK-A&Category_Code=RCVN

Apparently the vest and its cooling packs are good for 2 hours and 30 minutes. That sounds like an ideal world estimate, in one of our games, say at Sycamore Creek during the summer time for example, I'd imagine that the vest would give out earlier than that.

I'll keep looking through google and I'll try to find a vest that a) lasts for 3-4 hours @ 60ºF +/- 5º and b) has removable cooling elements that can be replaced in the field.

[Fish]

It looks great but its alittle pricey. It should be worth if it works as well as they say. You can wear a BDU and a vest over it correct?

[deathbydanish]

For some of them yeah, the GlacierTek ones appear to be able to be worn under BDU shirts. Others are bigger and bulkier, those look like they need to be worn on the outside.

I'm trying to find out which ones U.S. servicemen use out in Iraq.

[HavHav]

Just drink water, drink drink drink drink. We're looking into those cooling vests at work, and we've heard nothing but negative feedback from other crews. Just stay hydrated. You can think clearer and have more stamina if you simply drink continuously. Your urine should be clear.

We routinly drink upwards of 2 gallons, sometimes more, when we are out at work.

[deathbydanish]

Just drink water, drink drink drink drink. We're looking into those cooling vests at work, and we've heard nothing but negative feedback from other crews. Just stay hydrated. You can think clearer and have more stamina if you simply drink continuously. Your urine should be clear.

We routinly drink upwards of 2 gallons, sometimes more, when we are out at work.

Were they using Glacier Tek vests or some other brand? Glacier Tek touts their credibility because of the various government/military testing that has been done with their vests.

I usually do drink 2 gallons or more, but when summer time comes around it will probably necessitate that I drink even more than that.

[Bagger]

I tried a cool vest about  2 yrs ago.  It operated on the concept of evaporation, used a fan to pull air through it.    Didn't seem to work, esp if the air was damp, and was heavy (I guess I was wearing a swamp cooler).  Maybe technology is improving though.
(not me)

[Ganef]

Unitll water cooled vests become availiable and inexpensive to buy I would stick with a good water supply and less gear. I have a vest that is exactly what I need nothing more. I have ran a mesh rig and recommend them for added cooling power.