Cool Shirt Systems - which brand?

[MikeP99Z]

Looking for info from folks who run a cool shirt system. Post here - what brand, value, effectiveness, ease of use/installation, weight, etc. Coolshirt, FAST, Momo? Let me know. Thanks.

[marshall_mosty]

I built my own out of a 12 quart Coleman cooler, $15 bilge pump, some PCV pipe, and some brass fittings. Maybe have $50 in the "cooler" side and then just bought the shirt and quick disconnect fittings.

The 12-quart is plenty for a 45 minute race.

[ShadowBolt]

Looking for info from folks who run a cool shirt system. Post here - what brand, value, effectiveness, ease of use/installation, weight, etc. Coolshirt, FAST, Momo? Let me know. Thanks.

I'm on my first system and it is a Coolshirt. I have no idea on the others. Works really nice but I don't notice it during a race but it sure is nice after. I know one of the companies has a shirt with a hood with cooling tubes in the hood part. That would really be great but I'm sure you would have to have a summer helmet.

JJ

[Supercharged111]

I bought the Momo shirt and have yet to build the mount and plumb my 18qt cooler. Gonna hate myself again this 4th of July weekend. The Momo shirt uses medical bladders instead of tubes. At the time I'd sold a grip of parts and had the money so I sprung for it.

[Pranav]

I bought a FAST CarbonX shirt and built my own coolsuit box out of an Engel dry box cooler:

http://rallynotes.com/2012/08/cool-suits-revisited/

The guide specs some quick disconnect fittings that match those on a typical coolsuit/FAST shirt, however I do not like them as debris clogs them up and/or they don't properly engage and flow correctly.

I will spend some time on it and figure out what is going on with the fittings, but everything else on the guide is solid. Your best bet is to buy a premade FAST or Cool-Shirt shirt, and make your own cooler box. Sam Crumpacker also has a lot of experience in this area so hit him up.

[AllZWay]

I had bought a medical cooler like this one. http://www.ebay.com/itm/DONJOY-ICEMAN-THERAPY-COOLING-UNIT-USED-ACTUAL-SHIPPING-1100-/311638063240?hash=item488f137888:g:DigAAOSwc1FXZc0 T

Then I bought a CoolShirt and quick release ends and extended the plastic tubing. It always worked well.

Like was mentioned.. while racing you notice it that much, but sitting on grid and in tech it sure was nice and you aren't as physically worn out after a race.

[chris-CMC#35]

Just my opinion, but I think the hassle and aggravation of building your own cool-suit system is nowhere near worth it. I bought a Cool-Shirt shirt, and their cooler box, and then an extra set of fittings so that I could easily drain the shirt tubes after the race. Leaving the water in the tubes can result in mold/etc, even if you use the treatment stuff in the cooler.

[BADVENM]

My teammate built a homemade cool suit system, works pretty well. We had a few occasions where we put too much ice in the cooler and the water froze in the lines so it didn't transfer through the shirt.

I decided I wanted the cooling focused more on my front and back and something that should I need to evacuate out of the car QUICKLY I didn't have to worry about disconnecting from. So I went with a cool vest. 4 gel packs that you put in ice water for 20 minutes and stay at a constant 59 degrees or so for up to a few hours. I really like it.

http://store.coolvest.com/

[MikeP99Z]

Home built system is out. I don't have the time or patience to deal with that. Coolvest is interesting, but seems no better than my redneck version of ice in double ziplock bags.