I picked up a set of DeSoto arm coolers out of curiosity - looking for any edge I can at IMNY next month. I took them out for a test ride yesterday - mid-day heat and humidity (upper 90s). I heard they work best when wet so I soaked them down before heading out and sure enough I felt an immediate chilling effect as I rolled out. That only lasted a few min though. Even re-wetting them didn’t seem to produce any significant cooling riding in the 20-25mph range. On the positive side, they didn’t seem to make me feel any warmer, which was my biggest concern with adding any fabric on my skin. Something interesting is that I rolled one down to my elbow and my upper arm actually felt warmer with bare skin. So while I didn’t feel an active cooling effect that suggests I would have actually felt warmer without the sleeves. I’m not sold one way or the other at this point - need a couple more trials to decide if I want to race with them or not. Anyone try other brands of arm coolers and/or compare to DeSoto?
I have DeSoto and Pearl Izumi’s version. The DeSoto does work best wet and in 90+ temps, gets dry quickly but that’s probably true of anything. But re-wetting always makes it better for me, but relatively low humidity in northern California. The Pearl Izumis would seem to offer better UV protection as it’s solid material and not mesh as the DeSotos are. Find myself preferring the Pearl Izumi’s for my situation ( temperature range of 15-25 degrees on a ride ) but could see the DeSotos being more comfortable in a consistently hot location.
I have a Skins compression top that seems to work in a similar way. I made the mistake of wearing it on a chilly morning and my arms almost froze off.
It’s also pretty damn humid around here and could be humid at IMNY. I hear they work better in less humid conditions. If I can feel confident that they aren’t making me feel warmer I’ll probably roll with them at the race. On the run they have the benefit of being a place to stick some ice down the upper arm to cool the blood flowing through the brachial artery.
Nothing much will help in high humidity,might shield you from the sun but that is about it.
Decided just this past week to give the DeSoto arm coolers and LS shirt a try, myself. Ordered them a couple of days ago and plan to give both of them a go both biking and running, both wet and dry. We’ll see how it goes. Hoping I’ll experience the cooling effect that some report, but really, I’d be ok with them if they give a bit of sun protection and are no worse than bare skin when it comes to temperature. In any case, I’ll share my experiences in a couple of weeks after I give both a couple of tries…
I picked up a set of DeSoto arm coolers out of curiosity - looking for any edge I can at IMNY next month. I took them out for a test ride yesterday - mid-day heat and humidity (upper 90s). I heard they work best when wet so I soaked them down before heading out and sure enough I felt an immediate chilling effect as I rolled out. That only lasted a few min though. Even re-wetting them didn’t seem to produce any significant cooling riding in the 20-25mph range. On the positive side, they didn’t seem to make me feel any warmer, which was my biggest concern with adding any fabric on my skin. Something interesting is that I rolled one down to my elbow and my upper arm actually felt warmer with bare skin. So while I didn’t feel an active cooling effect that suggests I would have actually felt warmer without the sleeves. I’m not sold one way or the other at this point - need a couple more trials to decide if I want to race with them or not. Anyone try other brands of arm coolers and/or compare to DeSoto?
I used a set of arm coolers a few years ago at Eagleman. They definitely made me feel hotter. I squirted some water on them at the first few bike aid stations and the result was having a hot, wet and heavy sensation on my arms. On the run it was the same until I ditched them and then my arms felt much cooler and lighter. I’ll never use them again but people around Slowtwitch seem to rave about them.
I have had the ZOOT arm coolers since last year (full disclosure they are my sponsor) and have not had a lot of luck with them training here in the Arizona extreme dry heat. As you mentioned, they feel good soaking wet and with air moving over them but dry out in minutes and loose their efficacy and then just feel hot to me.
You only need a disclosure when you say something POSITIVE about a product you are sponsored by, but your integrity is welcome!
You only need a disclosure when you say something POSITIVE about a product you are sponsored by, but your integrity is welcome!
LOL! Thanks, I was having that very same thought as I was typing. 
They’re virtually worthless in high humidity conditions. Worked well at IMAZ though, i.e. low humidity.
I tested them a little differently than you. I put one on an arm, and left the other arm bare.
My verdict was that it’s a superior option than bare, and even better with water dumped on it.
But…like others have said, i live in a quite dry area, which is very likely their best use. I can’t speak to humid conditions
My 2€
(euros in honor of the tour)
I wore them last week on a 4hr ride - stupid humid. 100+ outside. At about 11am and two hours into a ride I took them off, felt cooler. That was all that was important at the time- it “felt” cooler.
But, the tan lines are cool.
I have two sets of arm coolers - and yes, jury is out.
One more thing, you are concerned about sun exposure, even the mesh DeSotos are better than bare armed but haven’t been on a ride sunny/long enough to get a mesh tan yet but have tan lines between glove line and arm cooler line.
I found one of the biggest benefits to be wearing them (any brand, though De Sotos for me) on the run and slipping ice cubes down to the bend of my elbow. . .great cooling action on large veins. On the bike it’s simple, each time you’re coming up to an aid station dump the remainder of your bottle on them, the effect will last for a while. I wore them at IMC last year in mid 90’s with dry heat and won’t do anything long distance in similar conditions without them. BTW. . .I have the black ones.
One more thing, you are concerned about sun exposure, even the mesh DeSotos are better than bare armed but haven’t been on a ride sunny/long enough to get a mesh tan yet but have tan lines between glove line and arm cooler line.
+1
.
Really couldn’t care less about sun protection factor. My only interest is managing heat. Like I said though - interesting that my aem felt warmer after I peeled one down to the elbow even though I didn’t feel any actual cooling effect with it up.
Reco Fit arm coolers are actually cold for me in Hawaii when I’m not in the sun. If it’s super sunny and humid, speed helps. I would not recommend running in them.
I’ll actually wear a skin tight long sleeve white top made from similar nylon base fabric (Sugoi’s compression top) on runs in the middle of the day. Soak it with water when i start and my run loop luckily goes past a bunch of water fountains and even too beach showers (gotta love Hawaii;) so I do quickee water/soak the top stops at a few points and I’m sure that it keeps me a lot cooler. That being said, if it dries out it doesn’t help at all and almost feels hotter. On the bike I sometimes feel like it’s actually hotter wearing skin cooler type sleeves if they aren’t kept wet and it’s hard to keep them wet in some conditions.
That being said, if anyone is interested I’m coming out with a very nicely done custom and semi-custom UV sleeve using IceFil fabric. Feels great on the skin, UPF 50+ and we’ll offer either logoing or full custom. Mainly targeted at clubs and shops. We won’t be pushing blank sales.
I’ve been riding with arm coolers or long sleeve under armour heat gear shirts for nearly 10 years. I’m positive I have much less sun damage on my arms because of it. They seem to work great at first and then not because you get used to the cooling effect. Take the cooling effect and add in the sun protection and you’ll finish every ride feeling way better. I did an 80 mile ride in 104 degree heat index just yesterday and finished feeling totally great. The brands will vary a little, but get something, anything, on your arms!