Beat the heat with these cooling gadgets and wearables
Of course, cooling gear helps most when paired with basic and safe strategies against the heat: most importantly, hydration, shade, and rest. Stay out of extreme heat when possible and know the signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Yet these wearable wonders and breezy gadgets can offer some relief. They might look quirky, but when the AC struggles and the sidewalk feels like a stovetop, they can start to seem like must-haves.
When you're at home indoors, stay comfy with cool-feel sheets (like those with a silky finish or lightweight fibers), bed fans (where a nozzle inserted into the bed linens pumps a flow of air around you), or a cooling pillow or chill pad, which are filled with a gel that can stay cool for hours. Sleep-product brands include Serta, Sealy, Casper, Pluto, and Threshold. The chill pads can work for your own bed and the pet's bed too. There are chillable full-size mattresses (Chilipad, 8Sleep, and BedJet get good reviews from The Spruce) and smaller simple pads (CoolCare and Sharper Image among others).
Outdoor wearables: Clare Epstein, an employee safety expert with Vector Solutions in Tampa, Florida, works to reduce heat stress for at-risk employees in industries like construction, aviation, and agriculture. She recommends wearables like cooling scarves and evaporative cooling vests. 'By soaking the fabric in cold water at the beginning of the day, the vest slowly cools and keeps the wearer cool,' she says. Clothes made of phase change materials or PCMs contain gel capsules or pads that can help moderate body temperatures. Uline.com advertises a vest that stays under 60 degrees for a few hours, and AlphaCool offers a neck tube that performs similarly. Another feature of the tube, which is made of a polymer material, is that it doesn't get overly chilled, so it's safe for kids to use. Also for kids, there's a line of plush toys from Warmies that includes little critters of the farmyard, ocean, forest, and safari that can be popped in the freezer before a trip to the park or playground.
Wearable items that incorporate small fans or thermoelectric coolers are also good, Epstein says. And there are vests with tubed reservoirs you can fill with water or electrolytes so you can sip as you go. 'These encourage people to take more water breaks and stay hydrated,' says Epstein.
The wearables range is extensive. Along with cooling buffs, headbands, wristbands, socks, and scarves, there are cooling brimmed hats and ball caps. Brands include Mission, Ergodyne, and Sunday Afternoon. If you'd prefer a refreshing breeze, USB-chargeable handheld or wearable fans might do the job.
Chill advice: Lynn Campbell, co-founder of 10Adventures travel company in Calgary, Alberta, takes a lot of strenuous hiking and cycling trips with her husband Richard. They've developed some easy hacks for hot days. 'We'll wake up early so we're done by 10 or 11 a.m., or if we're out on the trails, split the day in two so we rest by water or in the shade over the hottest part of the day,' she says. Wear light colors and thin, breathable fabrics. And bring an umbrella. 'This is a game-changer,' Campbell says. 'Now we always pack ultralight, compact ones; they're incredible.' Also, pour cool water on your head and back. 'We freeze a few bottles of water so we can pour ice water on us to cool down,' Campbell says. Putting the bottles under the armpits, in the groin, or on the back of the neck can effectively cool a person down.
And Annita Katee, a contributing writer for Apartment Therapy, has another way to prep your bed on hot nights: 'Pop your sheets into the freezer at least two hours before bedtime, then pull them out right before you hit the sack,' she wrote in a recent post. She folds hers into a zipped plastic bag, flattens it, then sets it on a freezer shelf between ice packs. The result? A delightfully cool bed that feels like a refreshing oasis against the heat.
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