Cooling Vest???

[bayoudave]

Power Sports 4 Less has their FieldSheer Iceberg Cooling Vest on sale. I was thinking about ordering one but not sure if they are worth it. Any suggestions?

[Calman]

Got one last year for NC-CA-NC trip and it was worth the $$$$. Different brand. Used in last week's heatwave too. If I stopped to go in someplace I'd toss it in the ice chest to "rehydrate". That made the cooling last longer

[MarciaG]

I just bought a similar vest online and am waiting to receive it. I can tell you though, I KNOW it will be worth it!! I rode in the recent heatwave and it was horrible!! I wore a "neck chilly" that you soak in water and had that around my neck. Also, I wear an armored jacket and the thing that saved my life (since I didn't have the vest), was to remove the back armor. I slid into the jacket, an "osprey water bladder" which I filled with ice. It kept my back cool and I leaned against it, which also helped. I dumped the water every hour or so and re-filled with ice.

I think I am going to really get my money's worth with the cooling jacket. I'll never attempt 100+ degree weather again without one.

MarciaG

[Ozarkryder]

We have used the Hyperkewl eveporative vest by technique for a few years now. Well worth the money - hit 104° on the way accross Missouri going home from Maggie Valley. If it werent for the cooling vests we would have holed up in the day and traveled at night. 101° yesterday on the way home from work, was very happy to have it.

[Blondie Gal]

Found out (personal experience) that riding in 100+ heat is potentially life-threatening - we rode mostly at night on this last 'big trip,' both to Maggie Valley, on up thru Tennessee and West Virginia to Pittsburgh and back to Central Texas. We've tried 'cooling vests' and 'neck chillies' but found them uncomfortable. Much better when the sun goes down!!

[RdKnB]

I have a cooling vest and love it. Mine is the kind you have inserts for, a little bulky but great

[Big_Blue]

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[Ozarkryder]

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So they say that brevity is the soul of wit....

Bayoudave - did you ever order a cooling vest? If so, that kind and what do you think of it?

[RogueTrikeRider]

Power Sports 4 Less has their FieldSheer Iceberg Cooling Vest on sale. I was thinking about ordering one but not sure if they are worth it. Any suggestions?

I just bought one myself while traveling thru Cheyenne WY and picked one up at the High Country HD store. Haven't used it yet but I'm sure I will be with the heat we're getting here in Utah!
I'd like to hear some feedback also, but then again, I just might report back myself by this afternoon.
RogueTrikeRider

[Bob Witte]

Here's a helpful link that talks about several different technologies and sources:

Motorcycle Cool Vests and Heated Clothes

Now here's my question, do I assume correctly that these vests are "wet" when you put them on?? If so, I wouldn't care how hot it was, don't think I'd want to be dripping all over my $600 seat and having the pleasure of sitting on a wet wallet.

For anyone who has one, can you clarify?

Thanks.........

[Ozarkryder]

We have the Technique Hyperkewl evaporative vests. Soak in water for 2 - 3 minutes, then gently wring it out. I towel off the inner liner. It is damp, and will get your shirt a bit damp, and if you have a backrest it will get that wet. I used a plastic bag on the backrest, but the vest does not drip unless you leave it loaded with water. The cooling lasts from gas stop to gas stop - Gloria thought it stopped cooling, but she just got used to the coolness. She put her hand against her skin and found it much cooler than her skin not under the vest. (I put a thermometer under her shirt by her shoulder undwer the vest and it was 16° cooler than the air at 103°)

BTW - that link is very informative, but Widder went out of business in 2009.