Does this technology work?

Triathlon Forum
1

Anyone tried one of these before? Sounds like the usual sales hype to me.

http://www.hammacher.com/publish/71245.asp#

Keep-A-Cool-Head Cap
Our revolutionary evaporative cooling hat uses a patented Hydroweave® system that actually uses the sun’s energy to cause evaporation that draws heat away from your head. You charge the hat by running it under cool water; after its excess water is wrung out, the hat keeps your head up to 30º cooler than the outside air temperature while keeping you dry and comfortable. The Hydroweave system combines hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-rejecting) fibers in a three-layer fabric that conducts body heat upwards, while retaining the cool water and releasing it slowly through evaporation; even while the middle layer holds onto water, your head remains cool and dry thanks to an inner lining that water can’t permeate. The end resu lt is a hat that actually cools you more effectively the hotter the air temperature. Cotton and polyfiber blend.

http://images.hammacher.com/prepped/71245_water.eps.fpx?wid=130&cvt=jpeg

2

I have something similar from CoolTek (www.HeatRelief.com). It works pretty well on dry days when the evaporation is greatest. For races, I usually soak it in water and freeze it, by the time I get to T2 it is thawed but still cool. As long as it’s wet and the humidity is low enough for evaporation, it seems to help. You can dump water into it at aid stations to “recharge” it. On really humid days it isn’t that great, just a heavy damp thing on your head. Seems like it would be ideal for Arizona or some other hot but dry climate.

3

Thanks for the info.

My original plan was to find a hat that I could really fill with ice in transition. I think I will stick with that idea as midwestern heat is definitely not a dry heat.