# Cooling Vests



## savvylr (Jan 8, 2016)

Hey guys! So I am going to be very involved in my barn this summer. A problem that I've combated my entire life was is my heat sensitivity. So I was looking into cooling vests. I live in NW Florida and it gets very hot and very humid in the summer. Does anyone have any experience with cooling vests? Please let me know the brand, the price range, its effectiveness, and your thoughts on the product  Thanks!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I don't know anything about cooling vests, but I would also like information.


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## savvylr (Jan 8, 2016)

@Celeste I guess they aren't as popular as I thought they might be? Haha. Anyway, I did some research and depending on the climate you're riding in (aka dry vs humid) will affect how much you will look at spending for something that works. For example, the cheaper option is known as evaporation cooling and that works great for dry climates, and they are fairly affordable; however they do not work at all in humid climates because when the humidity is too high, evaporation is not as effective. So for me, living in a humid climate, my only option is this thing called phase change cooling, which is considerably more expensive ($300 vs >$100 for evaporation cooling) and that is just not doable for me.

The advice I've been given on my facebook groups is ride at cooler hours of the day, take frequent breaks, drink lots of water, and carry migraine/headache meds on you at all times. Would rather have the vest, but I guess for now this will have to do. I may look at investing in one in the future when I get really into showing.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Thanks for the info. We are so humid here in Georgia, I doubt the affordable ones will work for me either.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

The cooling vests I bought were lightweight and made in the U.S.A. For construction workers - that meant they are nuclear yellow, lol. The company went out of business

I live in southern Middle Tennessee and our summer humidity has been Louisiana style the last few years. What I don't like about the cooling vests is the ice packs don't last long enough.

I imagine you could buy vests to where the ice packs lasted longer but the material would likely be heavier.

What works the best for me, when I'm mowing for several hours or bushogging is taking an XL white washcloth, wrapping ice in it and putting between the Girls. I will also wrap ice in a soaking wet oversized do-rag and tie it around my head.

I get wet for awhile and that may not work for you, if you're doing barn work at a boarding barn.

I wish I had something better to offer as I know all about being heat/ humidity sensitive. With me, it's the humidity much more than the heat. When I lived in SoCals Low Desert with 4% humidity, I didn't start whining until the temps hit 105, lollol


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes, the evaporative cooling does not work well in humid environments....but convection can work. I spray water from a mister on me. If I am *still*, I am counting on it evaporating to draw heat away from me. But, in a high humidity environment, nothing is evaporating. SO, if I start moving, as in the horse moving around, the moving air will cool the moisture on me ( it convects heat away). This really does help reduce your heat.

I am also extremely sensitive to heat and direct sun. I don't sweat very well and have actually gotten so feint, from the heat, that I have almost passed out while riding.

In the last couple of years, I have had a covered ring to teach in. Just being out of the direct sun, in the shade, has made things MUCH better. I haven't had a heat emergency since the covered ring was available.


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## savvylr (Jan 8, 2016)

It really is the humidity! Although another thing I did today was use this product called Nuun. The package holds ten large tablets and they provide b vitamins and electrolytes. I dissolved it in 16 oz of water and drank it an hour before my lesson and it really helped! Was I hot? Yes. Did I get the exhaustion and the migraine? Not so much  You can find them at Target .


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