Cooling vest inspired by "furries" or people in fuzzy mascot costumes

[ActiveMSers]

I haven't tested the vests from EZCOOLDOWN, but they check the right boxes, with phase change cooling packs, tight design, and a weight that is acceptable. They don't list a category for "medical" yet, but I expect they will when they start tracking where the additional traffic is coming from! Based on what I see, this would make my short list and compare favorably to Glacier Tek's vest. But at a glance, I might like this design even better. -D

The EZCooldown Performers vest is made out of thin yet durable polyester mesh which won’t add a thermal insulating layer to your outfit.

The four inside pockets can house four PCM inserts: two on your chest and two on your lower back. Changing the inserts for a set of fresh ones can be done in minutes. So while you are wearing one set you can keep a second set in your refrigerator or freezer or a bucket of ice water. This way you can stay cool forever! You can also store activated sets in a cooler or insulated bag. They’ll stay cold for up to 12 hours.

Our vests come in three sizes and can be easily adjusted with the six Velcro straps to fit each individual wearer perfectly. This snug fit makes the vest virtually invisible under costumes, adding only 2 3/16” of chest circumference when using the six-cell inserts and 2 1/2” when using the four-cell inserts.
https://www.ezcooldown.com/us/complete-performers-vest

Main website with other vests:
https://www.ezcooldown.com/us/

[ActiveMSers]

I discovered the vest from this story on The Daily Beast.

SEMPER FUR
How a Cooling Vest Invented by a Furry Made Its Way Into the U.S. Military

From a Navy site in Japan to an Air Force base in Washington state, an innovation from one of the internet’s quirkiest communities is making fans in surprising places.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-a-...he-us-military

[ActiveMSers]

The founders sent me a vest to test and review, so I've been taking it for a spin. In early testing it is getting decent marks. I like it but "love" would be too strong of a word. But it is a solid alternative. I'll have more in a bit....

[ActiveMSers]

So after testing this vest more, there are some significant plusses but also some significant drawbacks that give me pause.

Fit and Comfort: it's okay, but even the size of medium feels too big. The vest just didn't feel snug even with all the adjustments. The packs higher up infringe on arm movement more than I'd like. Not bad, but other vests are better.

Endurance: I used the 70-degree thin PCM packs (they offer thicker ones that last longer, but they lack the comfort). In 90-degree heat, it was totally depleted in under an hour and a half. Not bad, but not great.

Comfort: Mmm. These vest were designed to be worn under mascot uniforms. As such, they are designed for people who are standing; I use a wheelchair. The bottom bunched up on me, causing the chest area to lose contact, which lessens cooling.

Construction: the material is lightweight and is supposed to be durable. But I wasn't crazy about the Velcro straps. They come extremely long, and have to be trimmed. And I've discovered in testing that front zippers are meh in general, as it's the Velcro that gets things tight.

Overall: a decent performer, and probably ideal for "furries," but for MSers there are better options.