With the high heat and all that many are goiing through..

[wiggydotcom]

I was wondering if any of you have tried those cooling products such as Chill-its?
Last year, right before IZ, I knew Eureka Springs was going to be brutal for heat and therefore bought a couple of Chill-its neck towels. Of course I then forgot to pack them for IZ and they're still sitting in the boxes.

I'm getting ready to break them out and use them, but it's not hot in Illinois this weekend.

Any thoughts yea or nay by those who've used them?
If they do the trick, I'll have to remember to take them to Lacrosse.

Thanks,

[Valker]

They didn't work well for me. I found that rolling up ice cubes in my 27" bandanna then tying it around my neck helped far more. Lasts about 2 hours in 100* heat. I refill it at McDonald's.

[Oss]

I carry 2 zip lock bags with ice cubes in a collapsable cooler in either the trunk or side bag
when I get to a gas stop I take off the helmet, put it on the ground upside down and place one bag of ice in the helmet

That cools off the helmet nicely whilst I get gas use the bathroom and wash my face
and fill the other bag with fresh ice

My  doorag goes in the bag of ice - well sometimes its more icy water by then until I refill it and then goes on my head and it covers the back of my neck as well

It keeps me cool around an hour in blasting heat,  I stop every 70-120 miles depending on how hot I am
I start the ride with stops at 150 miles and it goes down as the day goes on

The evaporative vest also works around an hour or so before recharging by soaking in cold water

[R J]

Back  in my traveling days, I had a container in one saddle bag that I filled with ice every morning.

Last thing I did when leaving the room was take my shirt off, soak it in cold water, put it back on and hit the road.   If it was  real hot I rode till the wind dried out the shirt.    Pulled over, put that shirt in the ice water and pulled out the other one.   I went across Nebraska one year coming from IZ in Colorado, the temps on the bank indicators were running from 103* to 119*.   I staid fairly cool, it made it doable to ride and not get too hot.    I'm too old to try that now.

Another time in Florida, humidity up the arse, I could walk out of A/c into that weather and sweat would be running off of me like Niagara Falls.

I got a room, had to argue like hell for the front desk to give me a room.    Told here she could have it back as soon as it got dark.     Daughter and I checked out, she had her water gun loaded in case the fuel pump got hot and tried to vapor lock, when it did she sprayed the pump until it started running right.  We'd stop at the next exit and load her gun.

We went from Tallahassee, FL to Chillicothe, MO that night.   Stopped at the wife's sister's house, slept for about 7 hours and took off for home again.

[fudgie]

I have a water bottle that has a insulated cover I fill with ice every stop. I add very little water. The ice melts and stays cold. Always have ice/ water cold by my next stop. 100-120 miles between fill ups.  Fits right between the gauges.  I also use baby wipes at every stop or so. Takes the road off of you and feels cool as the wind blows across your arms/face. I wear a golf type visor when I ride and it keeps the sun out of my eyes. I wear my leather vest everywhere but will take it off when its 100 deg out, esp if my back starts sweating. Woolies help from the ass sweat.
Heat never really bothers me, as long its not humid. It was 105 when I crossed into SD last yr and 107 deg at the little big horn. I was comfy. 

[old2soon]

I freeze 1/2 gal and gal milk jugs not quite full of water. Even in the heat I have cold water for a couple of hours. Yesterday coming home the water in the saddle bags was hot. Poured it on my shirt and mesh jacket anyway and my doo rag. Soon as I started rolling the water started cooling me off. Frequent stops in air conditioned handi marts and Gator Ade wurk wonders.  RIDE SAFE.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Sweatshirt soaked in the Colorado river.125 deg. Yesterday

[sandy]

Camelback: 100 OZ and a 4" opening. Waitresses fill them with ice and water if I smile and tip a bit better. Have the tube draped down my left side and drink every 10-15 miles.

[Fudd]

I use a Cooling Vest that I bought at Cycle Gear. 

I keep a gallon size ziplock bag handy.  I dump 2 plastic bottles of water in it.  I then turn the vest upside down and submerse the portion of the vest from the shoulder area to about where my navel would be.  I don't soak the vest all the way to its bottom few inches, because when I put it on, gravity will distribute enough water down to that area.  I prefer not to have my waist, wallet or the top of my jeans wet, and using my method lessens the chance of that happening.

I typically wear a mesh jacket over the vest, but sometimes wear a reflective safety vest only, over the Cooling Vest.  As long as I can generate airflow by riding, evaporative cooling really works well.  It lasts for hours before needing to be rewetted.

[Oss]

my vest looks like this one

http://www.bikebandit.com/techniche-hyperkewl-evaporative-cooling-vest

[Jess from VA]

These are full of the crystals that retain water for days (stays wet, but not cool).

I have a few and keep them charged with water and in a ziplock in the fridge... take them with you and put on later (ice cold is a bit of a shock).

http://www.tuffrhino.com/Cooling_Bandanas_Headbands_s/46.htm

This do rag has water crystals across the forehead (top is just cotton), and can be squeezed into a half helmet if it's not too tight (the crystals must be below the helmet brow). (two solid colors beside the pictured wild print)
http://www.tuffrhino.com/MiraCool_Tie_Hat_p/hs1080.htm

[Fudd]

my vest looks like this one

http://www.bikebandit.com/techniche-hyperkewl-evaporative-cooling-vest

That looks identical to the vest they sell at Cycle Gear.  Same price too.

[F6Dave]

The lady checking me out at the local Big Lots store told me that when she rides with her boyfriend to Sturgis, they buy a big bag of ice when they fill up, punch holes in it, and tie it to the handlebars of his H-D.  She says the melting ice sprays them with ice cold water for many miles.  That would be worth a try if I didn't have a windshield.

[john]

the evaporative/evaporation vest works best with a dew point under 55 degrees ...
over 55 degrees .. not so much ...       
still ... better than nothing     
I have a vest ... not used much here in east texas..
easier to wet your self down now and then when ride'in in the heat ...
water over my head , around my neck and down my front and back , shirt sleeves ...
good to go ...
along with the a/c and gator aid at the quickstop   

[cookiedough]

I have two cupholders with foam inserts one on each handlebar and drink lots of liquids while riding no problems drinking and driving one hand each as long as is the non-alcoholic type of course.

I think packing a small cooler filled with ice and a few doo-rags (head wraps) or neck wraps of some kind keeping 1-2 extra in the small cooler filled with ice in plastic bags would do wonders on longer than say 200 mile trips.   Even lining the top of the helmet with an ice induced handerchief  on top of your head under the helmet would help. 

[donaldcc]

  an amazing 120* today.  I was off but did not ride.  went to movie and then air conditioned shooting range. 

  I have an evaporative vest but don't like it.   heavy, leaks water all over me.  and doesn't seem to work as good as just pouring water on my head and shirt when I stop.  water on clothing and head cools for about 20 minutes until it dries out.

[bogator]

Heres what I do-----long sleeve cotton shirt wrangler jeans ---nothing in the pockets---wet down all over--with hose at gas stops- last about 2 or 3 hours----in the wind feels like the ac is on, and you don't get fisherman itch either, try it .    GOD BLESS

[RP#62]

I've found that above 116° a completely saturated, dripping wet shirt will be bone dry in 10 minutes at highway speed.  I've also found that above 108°, you're cooler if you're not moving.
-RP

[rocketray]

humans cool by transpiration        our sweat evaporating cools us     so yes getting soaking wet as suites your taste is the way to go except as above

[YoungPUP]

I use these at work ( driving the trash truck) and on the bike.  Dunk it snap it and wear it.  I wear it headband style at work and pirate style under the helmet.  Don't dunk it in ice water as it'll nake your head hurt. http://www.lowes.com/pd_458087-49433-103155_0__?productId=4751325&Ntt=bandanna&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dbandanna&facetInfo=

[BobB]

I just purchased the Mission EnduraCool Towel at Lowes to add to my collection of cooling products.

Mission EnduraCool Towels

I have been using a cooling neck wrap and vest under a mesh touring jacket.  These worked fairly well last year getting to Inzane, going on to NC and returning to MN.  I have always carried plenty of water on board.  I have a leather bottle holder mounted on the front of the left saddle bag guard.  I may carry a soft sided six pack cooler in a saddle bag with frozen water bottles.  When camping, I have a large duffel bag across the rear fender.  It has two additional bottle holders, one on the front each side.  I continue to use the old bicycle bottles that allow you to squirt water on yourself without stopping.  The "bad chemicals" in them have not killed me yet, and a few years down the road some researcher will discover that those chemicals are actually good for us.   

[wiggydotcom]

Lots of good replies. Thanks all....I like the idea of a soft shell cooler filled with ice--either in a saddlebag or on top of the trunk rack perhaps. And then at gas stops, I can douse whatever form of cooling comfort clothing I have, including the neck coolers.

[Fudd]

  I have an evaporative vest but don't like it.   heavy, leaks water all over me. 

Have you tried wetting it in a bag, the way is was describing in an earlier reply?  I don't wet the bottom 4 to 6 inches of the vest.  Enough gets down there by means of gravity for the vest to do its job, without me getting wet around the belt line?