First Line Tech Cooling Vests

[Kash]

Long time member, first time poster here! I was diagnosed with MS about two years ago and other than bouts of fatigue and vision issues, am pretty active and functional. I'm a correctional officer in Florida and our warden recently approved for me to wear a cooling vest on the compound. With concealability being only second to cooling capability, I've decided to go with the First Line Tech cooling vest. My question is, based on the information I found on this site, those with MS should opt for the standard rather that the mesh version of the vest. What exactly is the difference between the two and would one be more concealed than the other under a uniform for 12 hours?

Thanks in advance,

Kash

[ActiveMSers]

Hey Kash, great to see you posting. Either vest should do fine. If you are going to wear it over clothes, I'd go with the standard (a bit more durable). Under clothes? Go with mesh (a touch lighter). Note that you'll get up to about 4 hours of relief, not much more, so you'll need to remove and recharge the cooling in some icy water or have multiple vests. Try one out and see how it goes before you go that route--it can get expensive--but I know folks who have done that. Good luck and stay cool!

[Kash]

Thanks for the response. Can the packs be regenerated in the fridge? I got approval to have one on my person each day, and will be allowed to have more sets of cooling packs. No access to ice water but there is a fridge in every dormitory. Being concealed under the uniform is a must so I guess I'll be going with the mesh.

Thanks again,

Kash

[ActiveMSers]

The packs can be regenerated at room temperature. It's all a matter of timing.

Room temp (slowest)
Fridge (slow)
Freezer (fastish)
Ice water (faster)
Salted ice water (fastest)

I don't know the regeneration times. 30 minutes in the fridge during a break might not be enough time. Now, if you had a small cooler packed with ice that you could add water and salt to, making a super cold slurry, those packs could be good to go in five minutes.

[ActiveMSers]

Got this e-mail from a member about FLT vests. Experiences are going to differ for everyone. - D

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Dave,
Thank you so much for your website and all of the helpful information. My husband is a very active 38 yr old guy that just got diagnosed with MS. He is a diesel mechanic that works on large equipment anything from cranes and bull dozers to over the road semi trucks. A lot of his work is done on job sites outside in the elements, specifically in the sun. He is so sensitive to the heat, he loses site in one eye and his legs and feet become very weak and numb. We had tried other methods of keeping him cool but they only partially worked. What used to take him an hour to do takes 3 hours to do in the heat until I read your article and got him the First Line cooling vest. He says he can't believe the difference and he is able to work like he used to. We got him a second vest so he could switch out every couple of hours and always have a freshly charged vest waiting. They have held up beautifully so far! He crawls around on the ground under trucks, in the gravel, he has had an oil pan plug come out on him while under a truck and spilled at least 2 gallons of oil on him and the vest before he could move. The vest was saturated with oil, so I took the inserts out, wrung the vest out and then washed it, couldn't believe how good it washed up! Washed it, hung it dry and it was ready to go the next morning. He has even been paint balling in it! My husband was afraid that he wasn't going to be able to do his job anymore and this vest has made it possible for him to keep doing what he loves. Just wanted you to know that without your website and your reviews we would not have gotten this vest that has literally helped keep my husband going. Thank you!

[ActiveMSers]

Speaking of different experiences, here's another, not as glowing. Would the experience have been the same with an ice vest? Dunno. -D

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I tested the vest again, on hot days. On my two tests, the same thing happened each time, when I started to get overheated I fell on my face. When I continued to wear the vest it helped me to cool off more quickly. My face could look better. I have two black eyes.

On cool days I had been able to walk enough to lower my pulse.

The vest fits unless I have just eaten, then the velcro tends to pop open. I am wearing a child's size.

When I first put the vest on it feels very comfortable, just slightly cool.

This is a mixed review.