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[SDCVO]

OK, i know this is crazy but last Xmas my family bought me a Vestkimo 9 qt cooling system. They are always complaining that I am impossible to buy a gift for because if I want something, I just buy it (definitely some truth to that..) so my son had found this thing while searching the internet one night after I came home and was whining about how hot is was and I was pissed because I could buy clothes to ride comfortably in super cold weather but there was nothing for when it got cold. I will admit when i opened the gift, I thought it was the dumbest thing I ever saw and I would never use it and wanted to return it. My wife and son both told me "don't even think about sending this back just because you didn't find it yourself and haven't even tried it". I was stuck! After seeing how much it cost, I was really frustrated and did try and figure out some way to return it without them finding g out but they were on to me so into the closet it went.. My son started asking me a couple of months ago if I tried it yet and I truthfully told him that it just wasn't hot enough to try it yet but I knew the first really hot day I was going to have to at least try it though it did kinda seem like a hassle to set it up and I was worried it would leak all over. I even tried to loan it to JC last week knowing he was going to have to deal with triple digit weather getting to the GTG in CO but I couldn't get him "to bite"..
Today I was out of excuses as it was going to be hot and my kid was asking me if I was riding today so I broke out the instructions and froze the water bottles last night and just figured I would try it and at least tell my family it was great and never have to mess with it again. I threw the cooler that held the water and frozen bottles behind the drivers backrest and was surprised that it fit perfect and I didn't have to worry about securing it as when I sat and leaned against the backrest, it locked the cooler in place and threw the vest in the TP. About 45 minutes into the ride it was crazy hot (mid the high 90's) so I thought I might as well try this da-- thing. I pulled over and plugged it in and put it on and started back up and for a minute didn't really feel anything (though I was glad it wasn't laking everywhere!) and than I stated to feel the cold water circulating through the vest under my shirt. It was amazing that I completely cooled down and I was completely shocked! Honestly I hate riding in really hot weather and wasn't planning on going that far. I ended up going over 200 miles (would have gone further but I had to work for a couple of hours) and at times was almost cold! at the end of the ride I headed to the coast and though it was still in the mid 80's, I had to turn it off because i absolutely was cold.
So my family gets major kudos for getting and forcing me to try this deal. Never leaked and by the end of the day, really wasn't a hassle at all.
Just thought I would share and now I can tell them that not only did I admit I was wrong, I actually "published it"..
here is the product.
http://www.veskimo.com/personal-cooling-system-9quart.html

[Royalroadie]

 I am sure that JC regrets have passed on the offer. He sounds like he is suffering from heat exposure.

[Fired00d]

Interesting... what power options did you use?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[FLSTFI Dave]

Wow, very interesting.  Might be worth looking into.  Too bad I do not have enough time to look into it before my trip this week. 

[SDCVO]

Interesting... what power options did you use?

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Sorry, just saw this. I have a power outlet in my tourpak that I just plug into.

[Fired00d]

Sorry, just saw this. I have a power outlet in my tourpak that I just plug into.

Kewl, thanks.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d

[JCZ]

Alan, I've been accused of being hard to buy for, also.  But you can tell your family I promise not to buy one before xmas.....so they can get me one, also! 

Seriously, I'd like to try that out on our next ride together.  I have the Silver Eagle Cool Vest.... http://www.coolweave.com.au/vests.htm   The down side is that you have to keep stopping to wet it again when it's 115F.  Greg said he wears a mesh over it so that he doesn't have to stop quite so often.

My most recent experience, for me, I learned that the Solumbra shirt (with vented mesh armpit to the shirt cuffs) used with a Cool Snake worked much better than the cool vest.  In tempretures of 112F-115F you just don't want something as heavy as the cool vest hanging on your body and pressed up against your skin to the point you get no air.

Spend some time studying this shirt.  It is rated SPF 100+   You're not going to win any fashion show but if you can get past that, it's unbelivably comfortable.  It's super light weight.  Has a large, loose mesh arm pit that tapers and goes all the way down to the wrist cuffs so you have constant air flow even though you're protected from the sun itself.

http://www.sunprecautions.com/product/12000

West Coast Russ also has this shirt.....maybe he'll chime in with his experience.

[Ironhorse]

I've thought about getting that, but the price dissuades me. So I use a hydro vest..

[Trapperdog]

The Vestkimo is great product. If I rode more summertimes in the southwest I think it would be a worthwhile investment. 
For now when needed, we use different wet vests with higher end,  fully armored mesh jackets over which keeps the vests wet longer. Camelbacks with ice and water and we are good to go.

[Para Bellum]

I seriously thought about getting this system for my wife, who gets close to heat stroke.  Part of the problem is that when 2-up, can't put it on the BSR seat, so have to use the TP rack.  I may get it yet, but I've found an emergency method of staying cool: buy a large bag or two of ice and carry it on the lap.  Yeah, it's not as effective and it's real redneck engineering (how do you think I came up with the idea?), but it works, it's easy, and it's cheap.

[SDCVO]

I just used it again today and it really is a game changer for me. I was born and raised in AZ so I absolutely hate to be hot but this thing stops me from being miserable. I rode out to Temecula and Lake Elsinore today which as pretty brutal but the vest was great. Just kinda a PIA to have to stop and refill with ice about every 4 hours. I did do the 2 big blocks like they recommend but still only made it that long (not the 6 hours they claim). Just stopped at a 7-11 and got a bag of ice and started all over but it was great when the new ice cold water started circulating!
Im not usually a "gadget" guy but this is cool (arr arr)

[Para Bellum]

Im not usually a "gadget" guy but this is cool (arr arr)