Cool Tools for Keeping Cool

Keeping cool working in the hot sun is best left to a very brisk, cool, dry breeze. That’s not going to happen. But there are some products that can help out.

As you might expect, there are many options for keeping a cool head. Erogodyne Cooling Products has some interesting ones with no moving parts. The company claims its bandanas and headbands, triangle hats and hardhat inserts use evaporative cooling to tame the heat for 24 to 48 hours. There are also cooling vests, wrist sweatbands, hydration packs and an item called a High Performance Cap that will also fit under a hardhat. The company’s Evaporative Cooling Bandannas are available through Amazon.

Here are other products from other companies that have gotten good reviews.

The Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad Evaporative, Cooling, Snap Towel absorbs eight times its weight in water, so it has longer evaporation times than other towels. Wet it and wrap around your neck or put it over your head. Rewet as needed.

Stay hydrated too with the Cool Gear 32 oz. EZ-Freeze water bottle. Free of BPA, PVC and Phthalates. It has a flip-up drinking straw, carry loop and a gel-filled freezer stick that keeps the liquid cold.

Feet need to stay cool too, and Thorlo Men’s Coolmax Lt. Hiker Crew Socks get the thumbs-up in that department. Cushioning in the ball and heel helps with shock while the ventilation panel helps keep moisture down. Money back guarantee too.

The Hanes Men’s 2 Pack Short Sleeve Cool Dri T-Shirt adds UV protection to its moisture-wicking abilities. Tough stitching at the neck, sleeve and bottom hem makes it a durable partner on the job site.

As temperatures soar, keeping cool on a construction job can be challenging. Things get really hot under a hardhat. Harvard Medical School says 30 per cent of a person’s body heat is attributable to the head. A company called Salisbury has a lithium-powered fan for hardhats. The device has a computer chip that controls timed released bursts of air into the cavity space of the hat. The unit operates for one minute on and four off. There is also a glove-friendly manual switch for those times when you want to be in charge of the cooling.

Duane Craig runs the online blog Construction Informer, a place to find information and participate in discussions about building structures and the things that make up the built environment.