If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best cooling vest is, then I’d recommend the TechNiche International Adult HyperKewl Cooling Sport Vest as the best one.
When the heat gets too much, but you still want to exercise, you need the best cooling vest to keep your temperature regulated and safe.
We’re here to save you some time, and help you cool down, by reviewing five top-selling products so you find the right vest for you.
Here are the top cooling vests we’ll be reviewing:
- Ergodyne Chill-Its 6665 Evaporative Cooling Vest
- FlexiFreeze Ice Vest
- The Coldest Water Flexible Gel Ice Pack and Wrap
- TechKewl 6626-RB-L/XL Phase Change Cooling Vest
- TechNiche International Adult HyperKewl Cooling Sport Vest
Cooling Vest for Outdoor Workouts – Buyer’s Guide
We all know how dangerous overheating is during a workout, so having a cooling vest when you know you’re going to exercise outdoors under the sun is the best way to stay safe and healthy.
The following guide aims to teach you more about these vests so you have enough information to choose the best cooling vest to add to your workout arsenal.
Importance of Staying Cool
It’s normal for your body to warm up while you train.
Once you take that exercise routine outdoors, especially in warmer weather, you run the risk of your body getting too hot.
Without a proper regulation of your core temperature, you increase your likelihood of suffering from the likes of dehydration and heat stroke.
A quality cooling vest can counteract all of that even under extreme heat conditions.
What are Cooling Vests?
In short, cooling vests are what they’re name implies: they’re vests designed to cool the body down.
To regulate your body’s core, a these vests rely on various methods so that they remain cool for hours at a time.
You can find cooling vests designed in different styles. Some are neutral enough that you can wear them on their own.
Others may look better worn underneath your clothes.
Types of Cooling Vests
There are several different types of cooling vests available. Though they all aim for the same end result, they sometimes have different approaches to it.
Also, some may better serve specific climates.
Let’s take a look at some of the more common types of cooling vests:
Evaporative Cooling
This type is easy to use alongside being reusable, which allows this to be more cost-effective in the long run.
They’re simple in appearance, and all you have to do is soak it in water, wring out the excess liquid, and put the vest on.
The effect is instant. However, this vest is only beneficial in dry climates. As it relies on evaporation, high humidity will render the vest basically useless.
Cold Pack Cooling
Using ice packs, this vest comes with a number of pockets for the packs, so it may appear bulkier compared to other cooling vests.
You can take the pouches out and place them right in the freezer, making this an easy-to-reuse vest that may last you quite some time.
They do work well in humid climates, but the vest isn’t the best choice if you need something quick as the packs take time to freeze.
Phase Changing Cooling
These are touch more sophisticated than other cooling vest as the technology relies on a controlled release of low temperatures.
You’ll place the cold packs either in a freezer or just ice water and insert the frozen packs into the pockets of the vest.
They closely resemble cold pack vests, but one of the main differences is that these tend to freeze faster.
The phase changing vests are just as bulky though, and they may be more expensive.
Active Cooling
An active cooling vest may be one of the more effective ways when it comes to deep cooling.
However, their biggest downfall is the fact that they’re not the most practical means of cooling down while workout out.
This is because they need both power and an ice water reservoir.
Some of these do run on batteries, but even still, the water reservoir is needed. It can provide you with many hours of cooling though before you need to recharge.
Importance of Fit
Just as cooling vests come in different types, not all of them look the same. One of the major differences is weight.
Since you’ll be adding a cooling vest to your exercise routine, lightweight may be the better choice. It won’t weigh you down by causing any unnecessary stress.
Beyond weight, you’ll want to consider size. Some are one-size-fit-all, which may or may not be of use to you depending on your own size.
In addition, it can help to find vests that offer a good amount of stretch.
This may better serve various body types, giving you a good fit without being too constricting or too loose.
Adjustability can help your vest last longer in the event that your weight fluctuates or more than one person uses it.
Ease of Use
We understand you want to get to your training as soon as possible, so who wants to struggle with properly applying the cooling vest?
Adjusting should be simple and quick, while the vests that lie against the skin should feature material that doesn’t irritate so you’re not busy fidgeting or around with it.
The best vests are easy and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
Top 5 Best Cooling Vest – Reviewed
Ergodyne Chill-Its 6665 Evaporative Cooling Vest
The Ergodyne Chill-Its Evaporative Cooling Vest features a soaking method that only requires you to submerge the vest for less than five minutes before it’s cool and ready to use.
It should last a couple of hours or so before you have to re-soak it to get the cooling affect back.
It features high-quality nylon as well as a water-repellent liner even though water can go down on the vest and dampen your pants.
The material is still lightweight and easy to wear. There’s even a good deal of ventilation thanks to its short length and mesh side panels.
The vest is available in sizes that range from medium to XXX-large. However, the vest naturally seems to run large, so it’s important to keep that in mind when getting it.
Pros
- Takes little time to soak up and get cold
- Manages to stay in place well under heavy movement
- Material feels high in quality
Cons
- High probability of your pants or shorts getting wet
- Sizing can get difficult as the vest runs large
FlexiFreeze Ice Vest
The FlexiFreeze Ice Vest uses 96 pure water ice cubes to keep your core temperature down and regulated.
Although it is generally lightweight, only weighing 3.5lbs, it does have a bulky appearance. It may not be the easiest vest to wear underneath your clothes.
Even so, this is at the top of the list as the best cooling vest designed to give you full range of motion.
It shouldn’t hinder any of your exercises, so you can truly push yourself outside, getting in a full, comfortable workout.
You can easily swap out the ice cubes, so the vest is intended to last you for some time.
However, they may take long to freeze, so it can help to plan early in advance so they’re ready for your workout.
Pros
- Starts to cool you down fast
- Machine-washable so it’s easy to maintain
- Allows you to keep full range of motion
Cons
- Can take some time to re-freeze the packs
- Has a bulky appearance
The Coldest Water Flexible Gel Ice Pack and Wrap
The Coldest Water Flexible Gel Ice Pack and Wrap is a unique way to stay cool during your workout.
Because of its design, it can fit as well wrapped around your chest and back to serve as a vest as it can used around your legs.
It’s a versatile ice wrap that can keep you cool and handle any workout soreness.
This stays in place well also.
The Velcro straps are durable and secure, and the wrap itself molds to your body so that there is little worry of it slipping down even under some intense exercises.
It takes a good deal of time to freeze, but it manages to get cold enough for proper body temperature regulation.
Since it’s mainly an ice wrap, it doesn’t stay cold long, so you may only get half an hour or so worth of training with it on.
Pros
- Straps are easy to adjust and stay in place well
- Offers versatility in how you wear it
- Flexible enough to mold along with your body
Cons
- One strap appears longer than the other
- Can have some trouble staying cold long
TechKewl 6626-RB-L/XL Phase Change Cooling Vest
The TechKewl Phase Change Cooling Vest may be one of the more expensive options due to its cooling method, but it is effective.
It works well in spite of the outside temperature being too hot or humid.
The freezer packs are quick to cool, and the vest manages to hold a rather stable temperature for hours at a time.
To aid you in reactivating it no matter where you’re at, it includes a protective cooler bag. It takes little to maintain this also as the outer vest is washable.
As for the fit, it is customizable and simple to adjust.
The vest does get rather heavy though, and with the material being 100% cotton, it can lack some much-needed breathability.
So, it may help to wear something looser underneath the vest.
Pros
- Easy to maintain and wash outer vest
- Keeps a stable and cool temperature for well over an hour
- Freezer packs take little time to completely freeze
Cons
- Feels rather heavy
- Material doesn’t have much breathability
TechNiche International Adult HyperKewl Cooling Sport Vest
The TechNiche International Adult HyperKewl Cooling Sport Vest is a comfortable vest that has a v-neck design with a quality zipper that makes it easy to put it on and take it off.
The nylon isn’t known to irritate the skin either.
It manages to hold water well enough to provide hours worth of cooling.
However, it is easy to over-soak the vest, and when it has too much water, it can drip out from the bottom and wet your pants.
Also, the water can make the vest feel heavy, but when you wear it, the weight is distributed well enough.
The vest is intended to fit well too, and there are several sizes to benefit a variety of people. It also should be worn over clothing, but it may help you more if you wear something thin.
Pros
- Can last for at least a couple of hours
- Weight of the vest is evenly distributed while wearing it
- Zipper is well made and makes it quick to get the vest on and off
Cons
- Velcro may fray the vest material over time
- Water might drip from the bottom and onto your pants
Final Thoughts
It’s far too easy to overheat while exercising outdoors, so keep yourself safe with a high-quality cooling vest.
Although all the products on our list will serve you well, we lean more towards the TechNiche International Adult HyperKewl Cooling Sport Vest to be the best cooling vest.
This affordable vest doesn’t take much time to soak, and once you wring it out and put it on, you should feel relief that lasts a couple of hours.
It may feel heavy at first after soaking, but the weight is distributed well to give it an overall lightweight feel that won’t drag you down during your exercises.
With it using evaporative cooling, it can work exceptionally well in dry climates, and if you’re workout routine involves some fast movement such as running or biking, it may evaporate quicker so you feel the cooling effects faster.
