Cool Suit alternative, HyperKewl Vest
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From: San Rafael, CA
Cool Suit alternative, HyperKewl Vest
I ran into a guy at the track that was using this instead of a cool suit. He claims it's good for 45 mins+. After each session he just stores it in an ice chest. Thoughts?
HyperKewl Deluxe Evaporative Cooling Vest - Deluxe 6530 - My Cooling Store
HyperKewl Deluxe Evaporative Cooling Vest - Deluxe 6530 - My Cooling Store
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It will work like the do-rag things made of the same material. If you in a high evaporation situation (low humidity some wind) It will work well. if you are in a low evaporation situation (high humidity) it will do nothing. IMO
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Elite Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,285
Total Cats: 883
From: Santa Clara, CA
I would guess the guy at the track wasn't wearing a fire suit. It would only work if you wore it on the outside and that's made of nylon, which is going to wreck the SFI rating.
Might work OK for wearing around the paddock though.
--Ian
Might work OK for wearing around the paddock though.
--Ian
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Winding Road sells something similar, they market it towards formula and sports racer drivers who don't have room for a cool suit system.
https://store.windingroad.com/mobile...eid=514b6538bd
Doesn't appear to be especially fire retardant?
https://store.windingroad.com/mobile...eid=514b6538bd
Doesn't appear to be especially fire retardant?
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Elite Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,285
Total Cats: 883
From: Santa Clara, CA
Winding Road sells something similar, they market it towards formula and sports racer drivers who don't have room for a cool suit system.
https://store.windingroad.com/mobile...eid=514b6538bd
Doesn't appear to be especially fire retardant?
https://store.windingroad.com/mobile...eid=514b6538bd
Doesn't appear to be especially fire retardant?
--Ian
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 86
Total Cats: 19
From: Redondo Beach, CA
It does use evap in addition to the ice packs (which are chemical coolant packs that freeze at 58 degrees). In fact, it uses the same HyperKewl liner that the first vest from the OP uses.
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I bought this vest last summer and love it so far:
https://www.glaciertek.com/flex-vest-black/
Cooling is as good or better than the cool shirt I tried a while ago. Only weighs 5-6lb fully loaded. Doesn't require an in-car cooler or power source, so you get cooling all day, inside or outside of the car, and in students' cars too while instructing. It looks a little weird but is kinda acceptable as an outer layer, and is totally hidden under a loose cotton button up. It just makes you look like you put on 20 or 30lb. The packs start out solid but start softening after about 10 minutes so they're rarely uncomfortable on track.
The biggest/only downside is that it can get expensive if you want to have enough packs to last 2-3 days. The packs only last about an hour when used in a hot car. The group I instruct with does 3 30-min run groups in order of red, yellow, green, repeat. The vest works best when I put fresh packs in right before each green group session. That way I get really good cooling in the loose stock seat in my student's car, really good cooling while driving in red group (when the packs are starting to lose their cool but the race seat and harness push them tight against my skin), and then the packs are just about dead after that. I currently have 24 packs and can't get through a full 2 day instructing weekend without rationing packs. They can be fully recharged in a cooler with ice, but since they freeze solid, you really need a way to lay them totally flat while they're freezing or they end up lumpy and uncomfortable under your back. I always pre-freeze them in the freezer at home before the weekend and they work great on the first day.
Reviews of a bunch of different vests:
ActiveMSers: Staying Active With Multiple Sclerosis
https://www.glaciertek.com/flex-vest-black/
Cooling is as good or better than the cool shirt I tried a while ago. Only weighs 5-6lb fully loaded. Doesn't require an in-car cooler or power source, so you get cooling all day, inside or outside of the car, and in students' cars too while instructing. It looks a little weird but is kinda acceptable as an outer layer, and is totally hidden under a loose cotton button up. It just makes you look like you put on 20 or 30lb. The packs start out solid but start softening after about 10 minutes so they're rarely uncomfortable on track.
The biggest/only downside is that it can get expensive if you want to have enough packs to last 2-3 days. The packs only last about an hour when used in a hot car. The group I instruct with does 3 30-min run groups in order of red, yellow, green, repeat. The vest works best when I put fresh packs in right before each green group session. That way I get really good cooling in the loose stock seat in my student's car, really good cooling while driving in red group (when the packs are starting to lose their cool but the race seat and harness push them tight against my skin), and then the packs are just about dead after that. I currently have 24 packs and can't get through a full 2 day instructing weekend without rationing packs. They can be fully recharged in a cooler with ice, but since they freeze solid, you really need a way to lay them totally flat while they're freezing or they end up lumpy and uncomfortable under your back. I always pre-freeze them in the freezer at home before the weekend and they work great on the first day.
Reviews of a bunch of different vests:
ActiveMSers: Staying Active With Multiple Sclerosis
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I was desperate one hot day at Buttonwillow and tried a vest like this. Instead of being in the desert, I was transported to another hell. It felt like Florida, only 120* and humid. The vests with the medical grade ice packs look like an interesting option.
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^ hahah
guys down by us tried these vests. nobody was impressed with the in-car performance. some still use them after they get out of the car. stuff them in the cooler during the run.
guys down by us tried these vests. nobody was impressed with the in-car performance. some still use them after they get out of the car. stuff them in the cooler during the run.
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OG Racing
Your Source For Motorsports Safety Equipment
WWW.OGRACING.COM
800.934.9112
703.430.3303
info@ogracing.com
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 488
Total Cats: 17
From: Grants Pass, OR.
I bought this vest last summer and love it so far:
https://www.glaciertek.com/flex-vest-black/
Cooling is as good or better than the cool shirt I tried a while ago. Only weighs 5-6lb fully loaded. Doesn't require an in-car cooler or power source, so you get cooling all day, inside or outside of the car, and in students' cars too while instructing. It looks a little weird but is kinda acceptable as an outer layer, and is totally hidden under a loose cotton button up. It just makes you look like you put on 20 or 30lb. The packs start out solid but start softening after about 10 minutes so they're rarely uncomfortable on track.
The biggest/only downside is that it can get expensive if you want to have enough packs to last 2-3 days. The packs only last about an hour when used in a hot car. The group I instruct with does 3 30-min run groups in order of red, yellow, green, repeat. The vest works best when I put fresh packs in right before each green group session. That way I get really good cooling in the loose stock seat in my student's car, really good cooling while driving in red group (when the packs are starting to lose their cool but the race seat and harness push them tight against my skin), and then the packs are just about dead after that. I currently have 24 packs and can't get through a full 2 day instructing weekend without rationing packs. They can be fully recharged in a cooler with ice, but since they freeze solid, you really need a way to lay them totally flat while they're freezing or they end up lumpy and uncomfortable under your back. I always pre-freeze them in the freezer at home before the weekend and they work great on the first day.
Reviews of a bunch of different vests:
[[url=http://activemsers.org/gear/reviewcoolingvest.html]ActiveMSers: Staying Active With Multiple Sclerosis]
https://www.glaciertek.com/flex-vest-black/
Cooling is as good or better than the cool shirt I tried a while ago. Only weighs 5-6lb fully loaded. Doesn't require an in-car cooler or power source, so you get cooling all day, inside or outside of the car, and in students' cars too while instructing. It looks a little weird but is kinda acceptable as an outer layer, and is totally hidden under a loose cotton button up. It just makes you look like you put on 20 or 30lb. The packs start out solid but start softening after about 10 minutes so they're rarely uncomfortable on track.
The biggest/only downside is that it can get expensive if you want to have enough packs to last 2-3 days. The packs only last about an hour when used in a hot car. The group I instruct with does 3 30-min run groups in order of red, yellow, green, repeat. The vest works best when I put fresh packs in right before each green group session. That way I get really good cooling in the loose stock seat in my student's car, really good cooling while driving in red group (when the packs are starting to lose their cool but the race seat and harness push them tight against my skin), and then the packs are just about dead after that. I currently have 24 packs and can't get through a full 2 day instructing weekend without rationing packs. They can be fully recharged in a cooler with ice, but since they freeze solid, you really need a way to lay them totally flat while they're freezing or they end up lumpy and uncomfortable under your back. I always pre-freeze them in the freezer at home before the weekend and they work great on the first day.
Reviews of a bunch of different vests:
[[url=http://activemsers.org/gear/reviewcoolingvest.html]ActiveMSers: Staying Active With Multiple Sclerosis]
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