Late June 2008 I picked up a SixSixOne Core Cooler ( http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Moto.aspx?id=759672f6-8f2c-41b1-b819-4239bbb 3fa41&product=9b237fec-7ec0-4fee-b27b-5647681a773a ) from Mike Librik at easystreetrecumbents when I was riding the 150 miles along I35 from Helotes to Salado and back a couple of days later. Mike had pre-charged it with water and it was ready to go when I left Austin early afternoon. I found I had to turn the unit around backwards when lying down on the EM seat but it was easy to do with my front-zippered jersey and I could tuck my chin up under what was supposed to be the neck back to provide a pretty good little personal A/C unit the rest of the trip up and back.  It was well over 120F on the pavement between Georgetown and Jarrell that afternoon headed up there. I was actually a little worried my tires would fail in the extreme heat when I stopped at intersections. When I'd stop, the heat would just wash over me and I'd get a little light-headed from it until I could get rolling again and the Core Coller could start doing its job well again. It says it will last 5 days on a full charge but after 150 miles in the really hot South Tx sun (7:50 rolling time each way) it was still working but starting to dry out a little so one day in the sun on a bent is probably all it is good for. But it did work and I've used it a number of times since, though I find I don't normally need it as I've somewhat gotten used to riding all day long in 100+ temps somehow... If I'm doing another ride like that Salado ride again, it's coming along though.
 
I loaned it to Greg when he came down a few weeks ago to let him try it out so maybe get with him if you want to check it out. You need to follow the directions for charging it to get the most effective use of it. It doesn't need to be wet to cool and seems to actually do better when its not. I think having the thing just cover the upper front of my torso is far better than anything else I've seen. If it went down further I doubt it could get enough airflow underneath it (through your shirt) to be effective. It is worth the effort? If you plan on being out all day in 100+F temps, you may want to consider it. I see the catalog url says youth sizes only... I don't know what happened to adult sizes.
 

Applying ice or water during heavy exercise tends to trick your body into not sweating so it usually worsens the ability to remove heat from your core and brain. If you do it, do it at the end of your ride, not during it, and continue it until you are completely cooled down.  That's why even these core coolers say to not have them wet during use. They are designed to improve sweat evaporation, not cool you by making you wet.

Paul I've heard of things like this but I've never tried any of them . But since I don't perspire, something like this might help me on some of the 100 degree rides. I've done pretty well managing the heat this year. I had one or two tough rides due to heat this year. I may look at getting one before next summer.  
                                                for posting this.
                                                            Pedlain Peggy

Quote from AustinSkater on Sep 13^th, 2009, 7:55am:
Sure, if you are near water, you have a better chance of using it to replace sweating for cooling or if you are in 100% humidity where sweating doesn't work, but it's usually much better to help your body do what it is built to do. This is an issue that has been very well researched for a very long time.

My thinking is, of course, to use it in the potential heat of the afternoon...  Since my event is from noon to 6PM (or longer for a prorated lap), the 6-hour event sounded like a good one to try it on.  But I would obviously try it out beforehand, to make sure it didn't cause problems.
 
DJ has also reported nice cooling results with the chamois-like towel that he posted about, elsewhere...

I got a couple of the cooling vests from TiMountain...  and used one during all three laps of my TTTT run.
 
The vest, again, is made of a lightweight blue spandex-type fabric, that has "bands" of black felt-like material sewn into it in strips, that contain water-absorbing gel particles.  The concept is that you soak it for a few minutes to allow the gel to absorb water, wring the excess out, and wear it under your jersey, against your skin.  The black fabric stays moist, against your skin, helping to cool you through evaporative cooling effects, for several hours.
 
Here is how the vest fits the torso, snugged by four straps, two on each side:
 

 

 
I soaked one of the vests, and went out for a test ride last week -- and discovered that there was apparently a significant amount of the gel "dust" that hadn't been removed after sewing it into the strips... and now it was all at the edges of the seams, and on my torso as well...
 

 

 
Guess you're supposed to hand wash it, first, to help remove this...  DUUUhhhhhhhhh...    (but this should be something that THEY do, prior to shipment, IMHO!!!)  SOOOO, I hand washed it, and even put it in the washer on gentle for a couple of cycles, and that took care of most of the residual gel.  
 
Riding around the neighborhood, it seemed to do a bit of cooling, as advertised, but I didn't give it an extended test, and it wasn't very hot out at the time.  The vest weighed about a pound and a half, wet.  It felt a bit heavy against my chest, and clammy, but it didn't itch, and didn't seem to irritate the skin against my back, so it wasn't disturbing enough to prevent me from wanting to try it out during my TTTT race, since it would potentially be during the heat of Saturday afternoon...    
 
Saturday of TTTT came, and sure enough, it was full sunshine, and about 90 degrees...  so I soaked the vest, and prepared for battle!!!
 

 
I wore the vest the entire time of my 6-hour race.  It still felt a BIT heavy, but I could tell during my riding that the gel strips were, indeed, doing their thing -- I could feel the difference in coolness, especially when I would press with my hand against my torso, just as an additional test.
 
At the completion of each lap, I would douse the front of the vest with water, to "recharge" the gel...  I was also wearing my white "arm coolers", which I would douse as well, but these dried out within a few minutes of riding.  The vest held its coolness nicely, all through the hour-plus laps.
 
RESULT:
 
I can honestly say that at no time during my ride did I feel that I was overheating...  my legs were bonking for OTHER reasons, but severe fatigue from heat did not come into play, as far as I could tell.  The strips against my back were not irritating or uncomfortable at any time in my 4+ hours of riding time.  The cooling of the front strips was probably less than optimum, due to the reclined riding position on the Xstream, but I think they did their job.
 
It felt a little confining, but this is somewhat to be expected, wearing it under a semi-tight jersey.  I think this vest might be very nice for those 100 degree full-sun days that we encounter down here in Texas, especially for extended Rando 200K rides...  It might even be worth NOT wearing a jersey over it, to increase airflow...  (Well, maybe Peggy wouldn't...   )
 
Overall, I would consider it a successful test!!!!
 
 
Speaking of Peggy, she wore the other sample vest for a lap or two, starting at noon on Saturday as well...  (GREAT pose, Peggy!)  
 

 
However, just anecdotally, she didn't feel that it did much for her, and simply felt heavy... I think she removed it after one or two laps.  I've asked her to write up a short report, with a bit more detail.
 
 
I'll bring the vest with me on Sunday, to the RBENT picnic.
 
Paul