Fighting The Heat!!!

I wear my vest every day.

One change I'm looking to make is to get rid of the velcro and put on a buckle strap, like a compression strap on a backpack. Having the gel packs snug against your body to pull the heat away makes a difference. It comes one size fits all, but if you're small like me there's barely enough velcro left to snug it up. Then you have these big wide sections of velcro sticking out to catch debris and chafe your arms.

Has anyone found a nice little cooler to carry the extra packs?
 
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  • #227
I just use an Igloo cooler, the larger one, with a big block of ice. Ice cubes don't last long enough.

Why don't you simply shorten the velcro strap?
 
Butch, have you tried using the ice packs that you can refreeze for your cooler? I assume that you have them there? It makes things a bit easier, just toss them in the freezer when you get home, use the nest morning. I don't know if it is water in those packs, maybe something else? I use them everyday. I imagine that if you stacked a few of them, they would last.
 
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  • #229
My way is better. The block of ice is 12" x 8" x 6" and lasts just about all day.
 
I guess I could cut all but an inch of the velcro and try that.

The blue ice packs don't work very well. Haven't tried a block of ice yet. Where do you get that? I've only seen crushed.
 
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  • #231
Don't cut the velcro - go behind it, to the non-velcro part and fold a tab of it up and sew it. In other words, just make it shorter.

I make the block of ice out of tupperware-type containers that I bought from walmart. It takes 30 to 40 hours to freeze solid, so I have two that I rotate.
 
I haven't had to wear mine since we had LA type weather up here for about a week and a half last month.

I keep all 8 packs in one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-MaxCold...&qid=1376087174&sr=8-64&keywords=igloo+cooler
and just dump a bunch of ice in there from the ice maker. That cooler will seriously keep ice for a couple days.

So far August up here has been more like Sept. 78-82 for a high everyday. Love it.
 
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  • #233
I use this. All eight fit just fine and it's easy to pack around.

Igloo.jpgcd42ed49-d560-4804-898d-4fb1571ab704Large.jpg
 
I stick t-shirts in the ice chest when there are clean and put them on when I start climbing :o Helps cool you down but not for long. I recently noticed when I walk at least a mile after work I feel like I have more energy the next. Also I drink a lot of water and Gatoraide at night and in the morning which helps too. Isolated thunder storms were in the vicinity today that helped cool things off.
 
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  • #238
The only problem is packing that cooler around, and all the preparations needed to do that. Plus, you've gotta actually take the time to STOP what you're doing every 90 to 120 minutes to replace the gelpacks in your vest.

For the payoff, it's worth it to me. :drink:
 
MasterBlaster said:
The only problem is packing that cooler around, and all the preparations needed to do that. Plus, you've gotta actually take the time to STOP what you're doing every 90 to 120 minutes to replace the gelpacks in your vest.

For the payoff, it's worth it to me. :drink:
Click to expand...

Gotta stop every 30 minutes or so to drink and cool off anyway? I am getting one when taxes come back next year or I am finding a climber for summer time: I will drink to that.
 
That cooler cant be that big of a headache Butch. If its that hot out you're bound to be tied to atleast one cooler anyhow. Or atleast a big jug. One of my past groundmen would kill 4 gallons of water on a hot day without thinking twice.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #242
Ahhh, Grasshopper... I carry THREE coolers to work every day during the hot season. One for my neck wraps, another for my cold drinks, and yet another for my cool vest gel packs. I love when it cools off and I'm tied to just one cooler. :drink:

Trust me - it's a PITA, but I can live with it. This is Louisiana!
 
Thought I better get an order in before the heat hits. Vest, protectors, and extra cool pacs on the way.

Thanks Butch and everyone for figuring this all out for us, I would not have spent this kind of money on a ‘luxury’ item (for me) without your testing and positive recommendations. That being said and even though I am usually in workable heat, I know there are at least a few days a year that I bag the day because it’s just too uncomfortable. With weather variations I’m concerned there may be additional days this year.

Also thanks to whoever posted the code to get a 10% discount.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #247
My only complaint is the stitching could better. Be sure to wash it on the gentle cycle and air dry!
 
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