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Cooling vest recommendation

brucepatt

New member
I live in California's Sacramento Valley (90-95 all summer) and tour the western states, mostly. Long rides on my 1150RT with Aerostich Roadcrafter get warm. I do the evaporative cooling tricks (wet underclothes, close most vents, etc) but have wondered how fellow riders fare with one of those "cooling vests." If you ride a bike with an effective fairing, your response will be most relevant to me. (I also have a mesh outfit, but I get more ventilation walking down the street in them than I ever feel riding.
 
I ride a 2014 RT (effective fairing). An evaporative cooling vest works best with a non perforated jacket zipped up tight. I do sometimes loosen my cuffs and adjust my grip on the bars as wide as possible to get a breeze up my sleeves. My opinion is that all of these vests are more or less equal so l would just look for the lowest price.
 
I bought a MACNA cooling vest at the rally in Salem where you add about a liter of water and then scrunch it up before putting it on. It works best WITH a mesh-type jacket as it doesn't sweat but just cools. Worked great crossing the northern desert of NV and UT in 109 heat. No wetness. I think I paid a little over $100.
 
I bought a MACNA cooling vest at the rally in Salem where you add about a liter of water and then scrunch it up before putting it on. It works best WITH a mesh-type jacket as it doesn't sweat but just cools. Worked great crossing the northern desert of NV and UT in 109 heat. No wetness. I think I paid a little over $100.

The price is up to $195: must be related to the time of the year!

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/macna-dry-cooling-vest

Harry
 
I was about to post a thread and ask about those having seen them advertized in a catalog I was going through. It was damn hot in Germany and Austria last month.

So who all makes these? I'd appreciate it if you would list brand name that I can then do a search on?
 
Cyclegear sells an evaporative vest for $49. I wet it and keep it in the fridge overnight in a plastic zip lock, then carry the zip lock it in a insulated sandwich bag on the bike till I need it. Used it with any jacket, I have used it with several different types including a BMW Rally 3, just keep it just under dripping wet the wetter it is the better.
Anytime you stop wet it down in the bathroom. One thing you need to be aware of if the temperture drops 60f or below you need to take the vest off. I rode from Death Valley to Santa Monica CA from 110f - 65f and was chilled to the bone by the time I arrive home took several cups of hot cocoa to get the chill out of my bones. There are a lot more fancy and expensive ones but the principle is the same. They really work :dance
 
They work if the humidity is low - not so much when it is high.

I got my "cooling vest" from a thrift store for $2. This garment was a heavy cotton sweat shirt with long sleeves when I bought it. Also has material all the way up the neck and a zipper from top of neck to mid-chest. I amputated the sleeves and also the lower fabric at belly button level. The drill is to remove your riding jacket, soak the shirt in a river or sink in a restroom, wring out a little water so it is not dripping, then put it on over your bare chest. Cooling your neck as well as torso seems to help a lot. I've gotten over 3 hours of quite pleasant riding in 95 F before I had to repeat the process.
 
Thanks for all your suggestions for keeping cool. Now, having just completed a 3,600 mile loop from Northern California across Nevada to Idaho, the Tetons, Yellowstone, the Beartooth Highway, and westward across Montana toward Washington during one of this summer's heat waves (90+ everywhere but the high mountains), I can attest to the utility of my new Aerostich Roadcrafter suit and a water-soaked LD Comfort shirt. And, probably a wet sweatshirt would work, too. As has been reported often, the cooling effect is more moderate and lasts much longer with a few vents open just enough to let cross-ventilation occur. Must say that, despite all the claims, I was surprised that it worked so well. So, is there anyone out there who has compared "cooling" vest with this experience?
 
My Marsee cooling vest worked great riding cross-US and back this spring. Unfortunately - they no longer off this vest AFAIK. It uses hollow core fiber material, which absorbs water up the hollow core via capillary action, then slowly releases it evaporatively, cooling as it does so.

I was at a BMW dealer (Engles in Kansas City MO), and saw BMW offers one that works on the same principle. For these to work, the initial "charge" should be done for several hours of soaking in a sink. It's then good for about 5 hours of 100F+ temps. To recharge it, I found putting it in a vacuum packing bag with about 1/2 quart of water, and rolling up the bag to get all the air out - it recharges in about 30 minutes, so I made a habit of doing this at lunch stops. When I didn't need it - I left it packed in the vacuum bag ready to go. Took up very little room on the bike that way.
 
I have a Silver Eagle 2X cooling vest that is a size too large for me but worked okay in low humidity. I no longer use is as I travel with my dog and want to know when he is uncomfortably hot. I wet his fur and my LD Comfort shirt; both dry at about the same rate and so I know when I feel the heat so does he.

If that size works for anybody how about 10 bucks to cover shipping and it's yours.

Pete
 
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