Cool Vests

[RussJones]

I get really over-heated while racing (me that is, not my car), I've been putting off purchasing a cool vest for a long time. The technology in the cool packs has really improved and wondered if anyone had good experience with a particular product? Im not taliking about the cold water pumping system but the vest you wear that either maintains a temperature or you freeze then put it on. Im concerned with the freeze type, it will do just that, freeze (my chest and back) for the first 10 minutes then melt and be useless. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[spnkzss]

One day last year in August, my little brother got married on a Saturday. Sunday morning.... slightly hung over.... I decided I needed the points and borrowed a friends car (don't ask, long story) just to start from the back and race. Temps were in the high 90s with 135°F being read in the car. I went out there, did my race, got out of the car, and almost passed out from the heat. I understand that there are quite a few things involved in that situation, but I swore I would never do it again. I spent the money on the cool suit that pumps water. Best thing I could have done. Not only am I more comfortable, but I realized how much brain fade there is at the end of the race because I'm hot. No more. I'm just as crisp mentally (which doesn't say a lot) at the end as I was at the beginning.

Now I went to the extreme on this, but what I was doing before which works great, is use a vacuum food saver. I would take a 6"x10" section of vacuum bag, fill it with ice, seal it, microwave to melt, and re-freeze flat. I would use 2 of these. One on the small of my back and the other on the stomach all under the drivers suit. It helped tremendously. They melt in 15 mintues, but I promise it's better than nothing.

[m glassburner]

I bought a vest from a company called "steele"...the product is called steele vest. I drove at the july event at hallett (needless to say it was hot @ 90 degrees) the past 2 years.I can safely say there was a big difference with and without the vest. The only problem is keeping the packets frozen not just cold ! An option I have found is there are 12v powered freezers(expensive) : ( I am currently exploring a 12v powered a/c unit that hopefully when done will weight less than 25 lbs. about the size of a large shoe box and draw less than 30 amps...cost @ 2,000 $ I know that's a lot but, the current units used in nascar cost about 10,000$ Wish me luck ! mdg.

[JIgou]

Breg or Donjoy "cold therapy" cooler from Ebay: Roughly $50 plus shipping. Might be a bit more because I'm seeing a lot of conversations similar to this taking place right now.....

Extra coolshirt from your favorite race supplier (Mine came from Saferacer.com): $120

Few misc. chunks of angle iron and a couple of cheapo tie-down straps from Harbor Freight: $15 MAYBE

The FAST coolshirt from Saferacer plugs directly into my Breg PolarCare 500. Wired up a toggle switch in line with the power to the pump for the cooler.

Works like a dream, roughly $200 total investment (even better for me since I had a gift certificate for SafeRacer. )

Jarrod

[veeman]

Very interesting idea... One question though... How do you route the hoses going into the shirt. Do they snake down your back or something? When my driving suit is zipped up, there's no way for anything to get in or out...

How did you power the circulation unit? Did you have to put in some sort of 12V adapter to run the 110V power pack?

[dickita15]

is that a cool vest hose in your pocket or are you happy to see me?

[VW16VRacer]

I race with one of these. http://www.icevest.com/

Built by a racer for racers. Three packs, one on my back and two on my chest just before you get in the car will last almost 35 minutes in 90 plus weather. If you wet a t-shirt down under the ice-vest you will almost freeze your ass off on the warm up lap, then I don't know it is there until after the race. The packs will recharge (refreze) in a cooler with ice and water in it in about 20-30 minutes or in the motorhome frezer in about 15-20 minutes.

I highly recomend this vest.

Jon

[bldn10]

Those of you who have tried both shirts/vests and helmet coolers - which most helps you stay alert and focused?

[charrbq]

Repeat of a previous question...where do the hoses to the vest go. I can see how they work on a two piece suit, but what about a one piece? Do you unzip from the bottom and run the tubes next to the "jewels"? I've always wanted to ask driver's who use one that question, but, for some reason, it just seems embarassing to ask in person. My car is unbearably hot in the warmer months, and I've got to do something to cool me down other than put a clean, white T-shirt in the cooler before I put it on under my suit. That helps a bunch, but it's about 15 minutes before I can breath again!

[theweddingguy]

[CDS]

is that a cool vest hose in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
[/b]

That would be my guess. Cut a small opening in the inside of the pocket and run the hoses through that. Keeps you from having an opening on the outside of your suit.

[buldogge]

Yep... That's how I do it.

BTW...I did the same thing as Jarrod. Medical cooler/pump (ebay) and a FAST shirt...scrap aluminum bent into a tray. Biggest problem is sealing the cooler top and stopping the melted ice/water from exiting the cooler under braking. Someone recently suggested fabbing some baffles...I'm gonna try that at the next race (if I ever race again this year! )

That would be my guess. Cut a small opening in the inside of the pocket and run the hoses through that. Keeps you from having an opening on the outside of your suit.
[/b]

[charrbq]

WOW! I sure do hate to cut holes in a brand new $700 suit! That's a set of tires!

[dickita15]

sorry i was a smart a$$ in my previous answer chris, was going for funny, but yes just cut the stiching in the bottom of the pocket. It wont show, will give no path for fire and is easy to fix later if you want to. plus I have never seen tech check your pockets.

[JLawton]

plus I have never seen tech check your pockets.
[/b]

Boy, I'm glad about that!!!

[lateapex911]

..... plus I have never seen tech check your pockets.
[/b]

They know it's pointless.........the racing game has long since emptied them by the time tech gets there...

[charrbq]

Believe it or don't...I know a guy who built a GP Spitfire from scratch (ancient story). He left the ashtray and the lighter functional in the car so that, while sitting on the grid, he could reach in his driver's suit pocket, pull out a cigarette, and grab a smoke while waiting for the 5 minute warning. Having holes in my pocket would make better sense than a pack of cancer sticks!

I never did figure out how he managed to get the lighter in the car to work without killing the engine on a British car.

By the way, thanks for the advice on the cool vest. I've got to do something. It starts getting unreal down here from about April through October. I have to go north from June-August.

[JIgou]

Very interesting idea... One question though... How do you route the hoses going into the shirt. Do they snake down your back or something? When my driving suit is zipped up, there's no way for anything to get in or out...

How did you power the circulation unit? Did you have to put in some sort of 12V adapter to run the 110V power pack?
[/b]

The circulation pump in my particular unit is a 12vdc pump - the 110 power pack is merely a dv converter - so I wired it to the switched power lead from the factory radio (that is no longer there in my car). Put a toggle switch inline with it to switch it off if needed.

Other brands are different on the voltage front, which may require a dc-dc converter to step down the voltage; from what I've heard, other Breg models may have different pump configurations.

I've seen several people who have a small hole in their pocket for the tubes to run out. My suit has a zipper at the bottom as well as the top, so I just pull that up a bit, snake the hoses out, and pull the zipper back down tight.

Yes, it does place the hoses in an "interesting" location..... :P

Jarrod

[charrbq]

Okay...I'll say it..."Is that a cool shirt hose in your pocket, or are you glad to see me!"

[Knestis]

An alternate approach...

I got pissed off at my doctor about a year ago when he told me that it was time for Lipitor (yeah, the pusher recommended the brand name version) so I started biking. After discovering that I had to take a huge chunk out of my day to get meaningful exercise on a bike, I started running, doing more than a mile this past fall for the first time since I was in junior high school (aka a long freakin' time ago).

No question - it sucks.

Particularly here in NC where it's hot and sticky.

However, the 2 hr. ECR at CMP last month and two stints in the Golf at Summit this past weekend have made it abundantly clear that it IS making a difference in my endurance and resistance to heat. The most noticable thing is that I sweat more than I used to, and I don't feel sick when i drink water while exercising, as used to be the case.

Better on-track performance (and a female aquantance yesterday asking if I've lost weight) are great positive reinforcement. I also get a few brownie points at home for being healthier.

K