Phase Change Cooling Vest

[PitBull]

Anyone on here have one of these?
http://www.motoliberty.com/prod_detail.asp?Prod_ID=784

With temps already near 100 here in TX I've seriously been considering buying one of these.

[austexjg]

I don't know about this one, but several guys I know use similar ones under track suits. The heat here in Central Texas is too much - a cooling vest would be a good idea.

[camaroz1985]

Could have used that this past weekend doing the 24 Hours of Lemons. Air temps were 95, don't even want to know what it was in the car in the nomex.

[PitBull]

If I end up getting one of these I will post a review.

[KJohnson21]

Yes. My wife and I have been using them for a few years and they make all the difference!!

In our area the temps stay above 100º for at least three months of the year. It can be very challenging to stay out for any length of time without approaching the conditions for heat prostration. Having these vests allows us to stay ATGATT in comfort.

There are a number of web sites that sell phase change vests, you just gotta know what to search for.

[Seattle_Chris]

Those phase changers DO look pretty awesome! Not to hijack the thread, BUT. . . .

Anyone have any experience with the evaporative vests? I'm gonna be on the road for a couple weeks, so won't have a way to recharge the phase changers, so I got one of the Evaporative vests. Do these even hold a candle to the Phase Change vests? Are they helpful at ALL in high heat?

Mine just arrived today, but it's like 55 degrees and threatening to rain here, so I can't really test it until I get down south in a week.

[PitBull]

I have a friend that uses one of the evaporative vests. It seems to work for her but she doesn't wear a riding jacket. Plus the clothes she wears under the vest get wet.

It's my understanding that the inserts for the phase change vest can be recharged by putting them in ice water for 20 minutes or the freezer for about 30. I'm thinking if I'm traveling, I could just carry a small collapsible cooler and when I make rest stops I could just get some ice at the convenience store and recharge them while I take a break.

[KJohnson21]

We used to ride with some folks that used evaporative vests and the characteristics that I recall are:

1. They're usually only good for 30 minutes or so. Not bad if you're only doing short rides.
2. They need air movement. If you're stuck in traffic, not moving fast enough to get good air movement, you won't be getting a cooling effect. You can use one under a mesh jacket or a jacket with really good vents, but the jacket can't be tight.
3. You and your clothes are going to get wet. It relies on evaporation and something has to be wet for evaporation to occur.
4. If it's really humid, they have little affect. Once again, it relies on evaporation. With high humidity you get little evaporation.
5. It's usually pretty easy to find water to "recharge".

The phase change vests have these characteristics:

1. They stay cold for at least two hours. It doesn't depend on anything else for it to stay cold. If it's not outrageously hot, they'll last longer.
2. You can wear it under full leathers. No air circulation is needed at all, just a little extra room so they fit inside with you. (I think one of our "track guys" uses these.)
3. You have to find ice or a refrigerator to recharge the inserts. What PitBull suggested with the collapsible cooler would work great. I've done it at Denny's by asking the waitress for an extra pitcher of ice.
4. If you have a spare set of inserts, you're good for another few hours by just swapping out.

My normal schedule is to work during the week in LA, drive home to the desert first thing Saturday, and then drive back to LA Sunday evening. It's a 300 mile round-trip, so it takes about three hours each direction. During the summer it can get pretty challenging, but since I started using my phase change vest it's not a big deal.

[Seattle_Chris]

"4. If you have a spare set of inserts, you're good for another few hours by just swapping out."

Aren't they always on? Like if you have the pack in your vest, and a spare, doesn't the spare just discharge at the same rate as your vest? Or do you activate the packs somehow? I haven't seen anything about activating them on the web anywhere.

[KJohnson21]

Originally Posted by Seattle_Chris

"4. If you have a spare set of inserts, you're good for another few hours by just swapping out."

Aren't they always on? Like if you have the pack in your vest, and a spare, doesn't the spare just discharge at the same rate as your vest? Or do you activate the packs somehow? I haven't seen anything about activating them on the web anywhere.

Good catch. Yes, they are always on. If you've got a spare set you need to insulate them. I've had my spare set stay fully solid for the whole day inside of an insulated bag.

[Seattle_Chris]

And that's all the more insulation you need for it huh? That aint bad!

[Daeldren]

Couldn't you just tape or place lunchbox gel coolers under your jacket?

[Seattle_Chris]

Hmm, or dry ice maybe.

[KJohnson21]

Originally Posted by Daeldren

Couldn't you just tape or place lunchbox gel coolers under your jacket?

I don't know about lunch box gel coolers.

The "magic" for phase change vests is not the vest. It's the inserts. The vest is just a convenient way of handling them.

Originally Posted by Seattle_Chris

Hmm, or dry ice maybe.

Part of the "magic" of phase change is the temperature. The inserts hold consistently at 55ºF to 58ºF until they start to warm up. Your body can handle that temperature with no problems.

Dry ice is below -100ºF. (Yes, that's a minus sign in front of the number!) Which is why there's all kinds of silly warnings about handling dry ice. Causes physical damage to your skin & stuff.

[revstriker]

I have an evaporator vest. It was pretty cheap, so I bought it to test it out. It does actually work pretty well. Soak it in cold water and wring it out well and it's ready to go. It will stay cold for at least two hours. When you first put it on, it is really cold and wet. I've only worn it over a tee shirt and under a mesh jacket. What I don't like about it is that it blocks the breeze. Even though it is cool, I still think the breeze feels better when you're moving.

[revstriker]

Originally Posted by KJohnson21

We used to ride with some folks that used evaporative vests and the characteristics that I recall are:

1. They're usually only good for 30 minutes or so. Not bad if you're only doing short rides.
2. They need air movement. If you're stuck in traffic, not moving fast enough to get good air movement, you won't be getting a cooling effect. You can use one under a mesh jacket or a jacket with really good vents, but the jacket can't be tight.
3. You and your clothes are going to get wet. It relies on evaporation and something has to be wet for evaporation to occur.
4. If it's really humid, they have little affect. Once again, it relies on evaporation. With high humidity you get little evaporation.
5. It's usually pretty easy to find water to "recharge".

I agree that it will get your cloths wet if you wear it. But the cheap one I have will stay cold for hours, and it is actually better for rides where you are either going slow, or going stop and go. Without the vest, if you are at a stop light, you feel like you are cooking. The vest keeps you much cooler.