How do evaporative cooling vests work?
Cooling clothing, such as cooling vests, has gained popularity in recent years. These items when used in hot environments effectively reduce core body temperature and negative exposure to heat stress. Due to increasing awareness of heat-related health dangers such as decreased concentration, fatigue, and illnesses like overheating or heat stroke, different types of cooling vests have been developed, including the evaporative cooling vest.
Evaporative Cooling Vests
These vests are typically worn close to the body, over the users’ clothing. The principle behind them is based on water evaporation, similar to how wet towels and other fabrics have been used for centuries. To activate the vest, it needs to be submerged in water for about 3-5 minutes. Once submerged, the polymer embedded fabric inner absorbs a high amount of water and can expand up to one hundred times its weight. When worn, the water starts evaporating, removing heat from the body, and cooling it in the process.
How Do Evaporative Cooling Vests Work?
The natural evaporation process removes heat by breaking the bonds that hold water molecules together. Once the bond is broken, evaporation can occur. When this process begins, the evaporating water removes heat and cools whatever the water was in contact with. This means that when the moisture in your evaporative cooling vest evaporates, it also pulls away some of your excess body heat.
Who Uses Evaporative Cooling Vests?
At Southland Supply Group, we offer evaporative cooling vests for a range of activities and uses including:
- Construction and manufacturing workers, grounds maintenance, traffic controllers, and anyone who works outside during the summer
- Military and emergency services personnel
- People suffering from medical conditions with heat sensitivity
- Anyone who wants to enjoy the summer without being overwhelmed by heat
How Long Will the Cooling Last?
The length of the cooling depends on various factors such as how wet the vest is, if it was worn properly, and how humid the climate is. For example, humid climates result in slow evaporation while dry climates result in fast evaporation. In a dry climate, your evaporative cooling vest may only last for about 45-60 minutes, while in a humid climate, it might last for 2-3 hours. Regardless, once it dries out, all you need to do to restart the process is to soak it again.
If you would like to know more about our range of cooling vests, click here to visit the product page. You may also reach us at 1800 77 22 91 to contact our sales team.