Cooling gear

[ThomWill_imp]

95 in these parts today. Broke out the evaporative vests, and neck towels. What do you do to stay cool in the heat when riding?

 

[emptysea]

Great topic. I'd love to hear what gear works best for people. On my ride home from Chattanooga recently, it was in the 90s and I was HOT. I soaked a Buff and my dritech shirt in water at rest stops and that helped a lot, but only for an hour or so.

 

[the Ferret]

Rode yesterday. It was 93, but with humidity felt like 103. I dressed down for the occasion. 3/4 helmet, mesh jacket, no gloves, jeans, and gymmers. As long as I can feel air I'm ok.

When it gets really hot I ride first thing in the morning, or venture out 2 hours before dark...... And watch for deer.

On the Cali trip, I was fully geared and it was 95-100 everyday in the afternoon. I did what emptysea does, I'd drench my shirt with cold water and let evap keep me cool, but my head was never cool.

 

[redbirds_imp]

I try to make early morning rides only. A mesh jacket and vented gloves, canvas cargo pants. I pack a long sleeve poplin shirt just in case the vented jacket proves unbearable and take my chances. I need a good 3/4 helmet. Any suggestions?

 

[Lord Popgun]

I just bought an evaporative vest for a trip. Do they work? Any tips?

 

[emptysea]

I meant to include that the soaked Buff went either around my neck and pulled up over my chin or on my head like a do-rag. I found that using it around my neck worked better. Defiantly helped keep my head cooler

 

[ThomWill_imp]

Popgun... the lower the ambient humidity, the better they work, but yes they work great. In the CA desert I had to pull over so my wife could take hers off because it was too much.

We use the Frog-Togg chilly-towels as neck wraps. They also work best at slightly lower humidity but help some even at higher levels.

 

[CIP57_imp]

A few years ago my wife picked up these cooling wraps that you put in the freezer and they stay cool for hours. I use them when I play golf in NC in the summer and they last almost the whole round. I use to wet a towel every couple holes but these work great. They work great on the bike, they keep your neck cool and shirt dry. Not sure if these are the same ones but same idea.
http://www.hotheadz.net/codohenecowr.html?gclid=CO_OsaDipr8CFXMR7AodAR8Avw

Edit: these are a bit different, no freezer required, going to have to give them a try.

 

[the Ferret]

I try to make early morning rides only. A mesh jacket and vented gloves, canvas cargo pants. I pack a long sleeve poplin shirt just in case the vented jacket proves unbearable and take my chances. I need a good 3/4 helmet. Any suggestions?

Redbirds, I wear an HJC . The IS series has the built in sunshade, but a lot of people recommend the Bell Mag 9 helmet with built in sunshades and visors.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/19161/i/hjc-is-33-helmet

http://www.compacc.com/p/bell-mag-9...p2895938&gclid=CNShoMDlpr8CFVJefgodvykA8w

 

[ThomWill_imp]

Sunscreen too. Otherwise one gets strange fingerless glove tans and narrow neck burns.

 

[Pauley]

Hot dry climate here in the summer - but I can always venture 20 miles east toward the coast where it's usually 10-20 degrees cooler. When it's hot, I use an evaporative cooling vest under a mesh jacket, summer gloves (perforated leather/mesh), textile pants with a couple of air vents, and an evap cooling collar. I like to wet my helmet liner when I stop for a break. The vest is a godsend and the cooling effect lasts for a couple of hours and is very effective. The collar really helps a lot when it's really hot (I guess it cools the blood in the big arteries in the neck, whatever it does, it works!) The collar has the added benefit of protecting my neck from my biggest fear - bee stings - I'm very allergic to bees. I only have 1 pair of boots and my feet sweat when it's hot, but I can live with that.

 

[redbirds_imp]

I try to make early morning rides only. A mesh jacket and vented gloves, canvas cargo pants. I pack a long sleeve poplin shirt just in case the vented jacket proves unbearable and take my chances. I need a good 3/4 helmet. Any suggestions?

Redbirds, I wear an HJC . The IS series has the built in sunshade, but a lot of people recommend the Bell Mag 9 helmet with built in sunshades and visors.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/19161/i/hjc-is-33-helmet

http://www.compacc.com/p/bell-mag-9...p2895938&gclid=CNShoMDlpr8CFVJefgodvykA8w

Redbirds, I wear an HJC . The IS series has the built in sunshade, but a lot of people recommend the Bell Mag 9 helmet with built in sunshades and visors.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/19161/i/hjc-is-33-helmet

http://www.compacc.com/p/bell-mag-9...p2895938&gclid=CNShoMDlpr8CFVJefgodvykA8w
Thanks Mickey.

 

[The Spaceman_imp]

Mesh jacket by Technic. Mesh pants by Alpinestars. "Air" boots by Sidi. Cotton tee, cotton socks, and a silky thong for underneath. My N-104 vents quite well. (Ok...the socks are a blend.)

I've tried a few of the so-called "cooling" apparel, and so far they've all been a big letdown. Getting air over your skin is how humans stay cool. Good mesh gear does that.

Or, if you have an extra $1,500 lying around, you could give this a try:

Motorcycle Air Conditioning by EntroSys

http://www.bikeairusa.com

The worldwide distributor is just up the road from me. Maybe I can get an eval unit and do a write up for y'all.

 

[Pauley]

Spaceman - Evap cooling is much more effective in dry climate than humid. I can see it being not much help when it's humid out. Haven't had the pleasure of riding any place but within 150 miles of my home.

Silky thong? TMI.

 

[ThomWill_imp]

Cooling vests worked pretty good today on the way home from Atlanta. As noted, not nearly as well as when we were out west in the dry, but enough to be very glad to have them. I have seen days here when the humidity was so high that they just made you feel clamming and not cool.

We were on the Big Yamaha today with the wind screen off, but with summer upon us I am sure that soon enough I will get a chance to try it on the CB.