Cool Vest trial (test 1/2)

[cactusjack]

A couple of weeks ago, we had a new member join the forum at Trip's invitation. This gentleman works for a company that sells a Cool Vest product that does not work on the principle of evaporation, instead it is based on "phase change cooling".

He contacted me and offered to send me one of their vests for a 30-day trial, with no obligation. I'm guessing it's because of where I am located. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

The only "catch" is he wants me to post my honest comments, good or bad - in the forum. He obviously believes very strongly in his product, and I am curious about it myself. I have an evaporative vest so I know how one of those works. Hopefully, this will work better.

I received the vest today via UPS. I plan to put it through its first test tomorrow. I will post the results of my tests here over the next 30 days.

Here is the link to the product they sent me: http://store.coolvest.com/c-2-classic-cooling-vest.aspx

[mc88]

Looking forward to ur results. Especially based on how that member was recieved at first on the forum http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[cactusjack]

Looking forward to ur results. Especially based on how that member was recieved at first on the forum http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I was hoping to test it on the trip to Maggie Valley, but I decided to cancel due to health concerns. I guess I'll just have to test it here in the desert.

[Dave]

If it works good in your area, Scoot, It'll be worth every penny. We know you'll give an honest opinion beyond the royalty checks. :)

[mc88]

I guess I'll just have to test it here in the desert.

Haha, prob about the best place you could test it I would imagine http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[mc88]

Oh yeh I was going to ask, if after 30days you decide you like it, did you ask if they offer a discount on used products?

[cactusjack]

Oh yeh I was going to ask, if after 30days you decide you like it, did you ask if they offer a discount on used products?

Haha, I should ask. Hey, I don't want this one, it's used. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[Loafer]

Put it through hell and back. Maybe I could test the cold weather one they are working on. :)

[mc88]

haha, worth a shot ;)

[ringadingh]

Your certainly in a location to give it a good test, Im curious to see what you think of it.

[cactusjack]

Okay, I waited until it got good and hot today to try out the vest. I immersed the coolant packs in icy water for about 30 minutes. The yellowish, clear liquid in them turned white and hardened up.

At 1300 on Sat 04 June 2011

It was 100.4° in Chandler, AZ
Relative humidity 13%
Wind 0 mph

I rode SW to the town of Maricopa, then SE to Casa Grande, then back home. A total distance of about 75 miles. I was gone for 1.75 hours.

Right now, at 1519 in Chandler

Temp is 100.4°
Relative humidity 9%
Wind NNW 2 mph

####################################

The coolant packs are each about 12" long and 4" wide. They look like large Freeze Pops. There are 4 of them, and each pack fits into a pouch inside the vest. 2 in the back, 1 on each side in the front. The vest has a zipper closure in the front. The vest itself resembles a flak jacket.

I wore my Power Trip mesh jacket over the vest.

The vest seems to do its job. I felt very comfortable for most of the ride. The packs weren't ice cold, but maintain a temperature of around 59°. I did not feel overheated, by any means. By the time I returned home, the packs had returned to their clear, yellowish state and were no longer cool to the touch. At some point their cooling ability had depleted and they became insulation instead of coolant.

A couple of remarks about the design of the vest. The rear packs sit just a few inches above my belt. This interferes with my rider backrest, and adds an inch or so of thickness that I never did adjust with the backrest enough to make me comfortable.

Instead of having 4 12" packs, they should use 8 6" long packs with 2 rows of pockets. This way, the shorter packs would fit into a 6-pack cooler (easier to carry on the bike) and I could have removed the lower 2 packs in the rear in order to use my backrest while retaining some cooling ability on my upper back.

If I were going on a day ride here, I wouldn't need the vest until probably mid-day, when it starts to get really hot. I'd need some way to keep the packs cool for when I did need them. Gas stations can be few and far between and even a frozen bottle of water melts in around 30 minutes in a saddlebag or tourpak.

I was kind of disappointed that the packs only maintained their ability to cool for maybe 90 minutes at best before they warmed up. My evap vest is good for 4-6 hours easy. To recharge my evap vest, I only have to soak it in water for 10 minutes. Cold water, warm water - doesn't matter. I don't have to fiddle around with ice and coolers.

So there you have it, the first test of the vest. I'll give it another go as soon as I get more time to ride.

[ringadingh]

It doesn't sound like a very long length of time to keep the packs at an effective temperature. Frozen water would be almost as good. And 30 minutes to recharge them wouldn't work for me as I wouldn't have the patience to wait that long, maybe leaving from home but definately no way on the road.

[coacha]

We bought similar vests a couple years ago with the packs that you put in ice water or in the fridge/freezer. We used them twice and now they are simply gathering dust in the garage. Lasted all of 2 hours down here in Florida.

I felt they were bulky and like CJ said, pushed me forward from the backrest. I wore it inside my jacket and by itself. Just don't like it too much. Good idea but just not practical in my estimation.

[ringadingh]

Scott; perhaps if you wore a light windbreaker over the vest it will stay cold longer. It would help keep the hot air passing over it as quick and melting it down.

[cactusjack]

Yeah Steve, I plan to try different configurations as my testing continues. I hope I can get more than 90 minutes out of them, that's not enough time to get across the valley.

[desertdog]

I am interested in the results too. I use an evaporative vest which looks like it might get a real work out this next week as it looks like 2 PGR KIA missions coming up. It will be warm.

[macmac]

I had never heard of such a thing.. Seems to need more cool pacs than 4 and a way to keep the spares cool, and possible chil the used ones. Interesting idea.

[Loafer]

I had never heard of such a thing.. Seems to need more cool pacs than 4 and a way to keep the spares cool, and possible chil the used ones. Interesting idea.

Some times you have to leave the forest, and see the world for what it has. Mostly it's not a pretty sight, but you need to keep up. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[macmac]

I had never heard of such a thing.. Seems to need more cool pacs than 4 and a way to keep the spares cool, and possible chil the used ones. Interesting idea.

Some times you have to leave the forest, and see the world for what it has. Mostly it's not a pretty sight, but you need to keep up. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

No, and not even the Feds have enough horses to drag me away from here. I prefer these weeds called pine trees to most anything else.

[usranger74]

Scott

How would you compare it to your CO Cool Vest? cost and performance wise?

[cactusjack]

Scott

How would you compare it to your CO Cool Vest? cost and performance wise?

Costwise, it's about 3x as much. It did seem to work a little better than the Colorado Cool Vest, but it's bulkier and doesn't last as long.

[usranger74]

Scott

How would you compare it to your CO Cool Vest? cost and performance wise?

Costwise, it's about 3x as much. It did seem to work a little better than the Colorado Cool Vest, but it's bulkier and doesn't last as long.


I would also think that "recharging" the CO Cool Vest while on the road would be much easer.

[tjs5701]

Cool Vest manufacturer response to concerns, questions:

I had Cactus jack trial this vest because I knew that he was in Arizona and that area of the country has the least favorable conditions for the Coolvest. Because of the low humidity, there are other options, such as the evaporative vests. The vest was tested in 9% humidity which is pretty low. As humidity rises, evaporative vests tend to fail, the coolvest works equally well in both high and low humidity.

Comfort, there is a trade off for everything. The vest is designed to provide relief from the heat, and protection against the dangers of becoming overheated. the vests are adjustable at the shoulder and the waist, this may help with the comfort issues.

Keeping inserts cool: some of my customers use the baggie and ice at a gas station, others wrap the inserts in a towel and include one of those "blue ice" blocks that are encase in plastic. If the inserts are already charged, they should stay charged for a considerable amount of time. Others just use a small collapsable cooler with ice and water.

To anyone who would like the vest, we are offering a coupon code for KawaNow. the code is KawaNow-10 and extends a 10% disount on the vests and the inserts.

I appreciate the comments and reviews, and can be contacted at any time for additional questions.

[dogdoc]

Appear slightly pricey for what you get. I think I will stick with my evap vest for $40 IMHO.

[blowndodge]

I have an evap vest too and it does the job good enough. Too bad a jacket with mesh that "wicks" water couldn't be made and a water resevoir or bladder built in to the jacket to keep the mesh slight damp weren't invented?!! that could last all day.

Right now I have a long sleeve mesh undershirt with my evap vest under my mesh summer tourmaster jacket and it lasts for a good 2-4 hours with one soaking..

[dougster]

I think, from the testing, that this is just not the best product for motorcycle riding. The evap vest would work better simply because you don't have to use up space for coolers and such, and that you can just rewet the evap vest. The cost is a huge factor, as well.

I used an evaporative neck scarf last summer (where we have humidity) and it worked pretty good. I could tell a big difference.

[cactusjack]

I took the vest for another trial run on Saturday. It was about 106° and 6% humidity. It was also pretty windy. The results were pretty much the same as the first test. The packs lasted about 90 minutes and then turned to insulation, retaining my body heat.

Same deal as before, the packs in the rear of the vest are too long (are you listening, Mr. Vendor?) I cannot use my rider backrest with the vest on. As before, I suggest 2 rows of pockets at least in the back, and make the packs half as long, so the lower row can be removed while the upper row still provides cooling.

The vest works as the vendor says it does, but my personal assessment is that it is high-priced, too limited in cooling duration and not practical with the backrest - a big negative for many riders.

I'm on call this week and can't do much riding, so I don't know if I'll be able to get another test in before my trial is up.