Ice/Cooling Vests: Hypermilers Dream Come True

[Arminius]

Summer is almost here. Those of you who read a lot about hypermiling have inevitably read about people (one of whom lives near me in Madison, WI) who wear cooling vests so that they don't have to use the AC. I thought I'd start a thread on the topic. Perhaps we'll get some people interested enough to try it out if we start talking about it.

I'm researching models and prices right now.

[ankit]

That's a little extreme for me but we will see what I do this summer. I haven't really tried to hypermile in the summer just yet.

Good luck and please post reactions.

[diesel_john]

sounds like a great idea since I took out the condensor coils a while back.

whoops, might have to put the coils back in to run water thur them.

[Arminius]

The price of the vests is too expensive to justify the cost, for me. $150+ However, many professions use them, so perhaps some nut like me might use one.

[LostCause]

I'm interested in what you find. A black car in summer heat is brutal. I was planning on just bringing an ice cooler and sucking on ice. To keep things cool while parked, I'm thinking of getting a white Tyvek car cover.

I've heard about vests stunt drivers use that works as a mini cooling loop. A small radiator cools water lines that are snaked through the driver's vest. It looks like it keeps them cool, but not uncomfortably cold like an ice vest might. Probably expensive, but cool.

- LostCause

[Arminius]

Should be easy enough to make. But how far is too far....?

[DifferentPointofView]

Just ghetto rig it and grab some ice packs from the freezer and strap them to yourselves lol. have a cooler with ice to put in the car to keep the packs in while your in the store or whatever, and then take them out and strap them back when you get back in... problem is that ice melts

[Lazarus]

I used to have a 66 Mustange coupe and I would just put an ice tray with a fan blowing over the top of it. Worked like a champ.

[Arminius]

I had a friend who worked outdoors a lot and he would put his shoes in the freezer.

[thebrad]

http://www.stockcarracing.com/techar...gue/index.html

I'd try the hydration plan in the article above and a moist cloth around the neck while driving before shelling over $400 the FAST system, but it ultimately the solution for prolonged heat exposure.

I've just been drinking a lot of water before and after my afternoon drives, works okay for me.