How to gear up to ride comfortably and safely in really hot weather?

[easysuper]

My wife and I use full mesh jackets with armor in the key areas, and combine that with cooling vests, which are a quilted vest that is made to soak up a lot of water. We have ridden in 100+ degree weather for hours at a time and kept cool enough to keep riding. or last big ride of 2,600 miles in nine days found us in Hell's Canyon at 104 degrees and we managed alright. I don't enjoy riding in that kind of temperatures but with the cooling vest we can. They last about two hours until we need to re-soak them down.

[UtahPete]

My wife and I use full mesh jackets with armor in the key areas, and combine that with cooling vests, which are a quilted vest that is made to soak up a lot of water. We have ridden in 100+ degree weather for hours at a time and kept cool enough to keep riding. or last big ride of 2,600 miles in nine days found us in Hell's Canyon at 104 degrees and we managed alright. I don't enjoy riding in that kind of temperatures but with the cooling vest we can. They last about two hours until we need to re-soak them down.

We do have those cooling vests and just haven't used them for some time. Thanks for the reminder.

[Bruisr]

I have the Dainese City Guard mesh.. great jacket.... looking at a Fly cooling vest .. any other vendor recommendations for a cooling vest?

[Pirate looks at --]

Vents open or closed. Depends on how hot it is. At 96 degrees the outside temperature is still cooler than your body temperature so in that case vents open and or mesh jacket and a cooling vest is really great to have. This is what we use https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...d-cooling-vest. I do find that it lasts longer if I don't wear the mesh jacket, but use my 4 season Jacket with vents open. Either way you can recharge them when you stop to get gas by soaking them again.

This summer we have done a lot of ryding in 105 to 106 degrees. Now science tell us that heat will always transfer from the hotter surface to the cooler surface. The laws of equilibrium tell us that if it is 106 outside and you are at 98.6, you want to keep that hot air out. This is where you would want to close vents (and yes even in your helmet) and keep the cooler 98.6 on the inside and the 106 on the outside. You will sweat, but that sweat will last longer and cool you longer if you can keep it from evaporating too quickly. You will still receive some benefit from the cooling vest in these conditions. A couple of reasons why the heat has a greater effect on your wife would be that she is probably smaller than you, so less surface area for the sweat to cool her, and her pores are smaller than yours and she just doesn't sweat as efficiently as you do. I have ryden in 106 for 4 hours completely closed up and kept pretty cool. Certainly I had no symptoms of heat sickness at all. Oh and drink at least a liter of water ( and only water ) for every hour on the road.

So key temperature is 99 degrees, below that temp open up ( but keep fully covered no tank tops, flip flops, cutoffs etc. Above 99 close up and lock in that cool 98.6. BTW if you are just taking a quick jaunt to the grocery store.........wear whatever you want!

[UtahPete]

Vents open or closed. Depends on how hot it is. At 96 degrees the outside temperature is still cooler than your body temperature so in that case vents open and or mesh jacket and a cooling vest is really great to have. This is what we use https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...d-cooling-vest. I do find that it lasts longer if I don't wear the mesh jacket, but use my 4 season Jacket with vents open. Either way you can recharge them when you stop to get gas by soaking them again. So key temperature is 99 degrees, below that temp open up ( but keep fully covered no tank tops, flip flops, cutoffs etc. Above 99 close up and lock in that cool 98.6. BTW if you are just taking a quick jaunt to the grocery store.........wear whatever you want!

Okay, so it sounds like a cooling vest is in order either way?

[Pirate looks at --]

Totally agree. You can get the same type of material for your neck and wrists. These are two areas of the body that have a lot f blood flow close to the surface and allow S for cooling of the blood stream.

[easysuper]

I forgot to add to my original reply that along with the mesh jacket and cooling vest we do stop and drink a lot of water. occasionally we drink a small bottle of power aide but mostly water. on our trip to Glacier Park last month on our way from Portland to Boise we rode in over the high 90's and arrived in Boise at 104 that night. We made many stops along the way to hydrate and rest.

[Easy Rider]

The laws of equilibrium tell us that if it is 106 outside and you are at 98.6, you want to keep that hot air out. This is where you would want to close vents (and yes even in your helmet) and keep the cooler 98.6 on the inside and the 106 on the outside.

That is faulty logic and is absolutely WRONG.

Your body creates heat all the time. If you block off the cooling air flow......no matter how hot it is.....your body temperature WILL continue to increase. Sweat cannot do any cooling without air flow.

Of course there absolutely IS a temperature where your body's natural cooling can't keep up.
That varies a bit from one person to another but 99 usually isn't it.....IF you keep some air flowing.

Your continuing to promote this dangerous notion is doing NOBODY any favors.

[jcthorne]

Vents open or closed. Depends on how hot it is. At 96 degrees the outside temperature is still cooler than your body temperature so in that case vents open and or mesh jacket and a cooling vest is really great to have. This is what we use https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...d-cooling-vest. I do find that it lasts longer if I don't wear the mesh jacket, but use my 4 season Jacket with vents open. Either way you can recharge them when you stop to get gas by soaking them again.

This summer we have done a lot of ryding in 105 to 106 degrees. Now science tell us that heat will always transfer from the hotter surface to the cooler surface. The laws of equilibrium tell us that if it is 106 outside and you are at 98.6, you want to keep that hot air out. This is where you would want to close vents (and yes even in your helmet) and keep the cooler 98.6 on the inside and the 106 on the outside. You will sweat, but that sweat will last longer and cool you longer if you can keep it from evaporating too quickly. You will still receive some benefit from the cooling vest in these conditions. A couple of reasons why the heat has a greater effect on your wife would be that she is probably smaller than you, so less surface area for the sweat to cool her, and her pores are smaller than yours and she just doesn't sweat as efficiently as you do. I have ryden in 106 for 4 hours completely closed up and kept pretty cool. Certainly I had no symptoms of heat sickness at all. Oh and drink at least a liter of water ( and only water ) for every hour on the road.

So key temperature is 99 degrees, below that temp open up ( but keep fully covered no tank tops, flip flops, cutoffs etc. Above 99 close up and lock in that cool 98.6. BTW if you are just taking a quick jaunt to the grocery store.........wear whatever you want!

This is completely wrong and dangerous mis-information.

You want your sweat to evaporate as quickly as possible. Its the evaporation that cools your body. 105 deg air at 30% relative humidity blowing over a wet surface that is 98.6 will drop the surface temp well below 80 deg. If you are hot, you want your skin covered from sun exposure but as much ventilation as is possible to evaporate your sweat (unless you get too cold).

[Easy Rider]

You want your sweat to evaporate as quickly as possible.

Well it is possible for it to disappear TOO fast.
If the wind is SO strong that your skin dries out (sweat evaporates almost before it appears), that isn't good either.

[Bob Denman]

Well it is possible for it to disappear TOO fast.
If the wind is SO strong that your skin dries out (sweat evaporates almost before it appears), that isn't good either.

You'd almost have to be in a sharknado...
You can always soak down a Tee-Shirt, and let the heat and airflow chew on that for a while.

[Peteoz]

This is completely wrong and dangerous mis-information.

You want your sweat to evaporate as quickly as possible. Its the evaporation that cools your body. 105 deg air at 30% relative humidity blowing over a wet surface that is 98.6 will drop the surface temp well below 80 deg. If you are hot, you want your skin covered from sun exposure but as much ventilation as is possible to evaporate your sweat (unless you get too cold).

Actually, JC, LD Comfort, who are a well known and reputable US manufacturer of cooling and heating gear agree with Pirate. They recommend you do NOT use a mesh jacket over their wet undergear, but use a normal jacket with a couple of vents open for the best cooling effect. I doubt they would leave themselves open to litigation by offering wrong and dangerous misinformation. The jury might still be out on that one.

Pete

[jcthorne]

Actually, JC, LD Comfort, who are a well known and reputable US manufacturer of cooling and heating gear agree with Pirate. They recommend you do NOT use a mesh jacket over their wet undergear, but use a normal jacket with a couple of vents open for the best cooling effect. I doubt they would leave themselves open to litigation by offering wrong and dangerous misinformation. The jury might still be out on that one.

Pete

That is WITH their wet undergear very different thing. They are trying to prevent over cooling and short duration of cooling effect. That has NOTHING to do with skin cooling. I stand by my statement.

[Easy Rider]

They recommend you do NOT use a mesh jacket over their wet undergear, but use a normal jacket with a couple of vents open for the best cooling effect.

No matter where it comes from, that is BAD advice.

Why.....because they can not know all the possible combinations of jackets and vents.
What is a "normal jacket" ??
Some vents may be large and flow good; others might be small and ineffective.

If and what kind of windshield/fairing you have.......on a regular bike......can be a factor too.

My RT in it's stock configuration doesn't have much airflow on the "driver" at all.

[Bob Denman]

You've been pretty much trashing all of the advice as bad: what gear do YOU use for riding in the heat?

[UtahPete]

No matter where it comes from, that is BAD advice. Why.....because they can not know all the possible combinations of jackets and vents.
What is a "normal jacket" ?? Some vents may be large and flow good; others might be small and ineffective. If and what kind of windshield/fairing you have.......on a regular bike......can be a factor too. My RT in it's stock configuration doesn't have much airflow on the "driver" at all.

Easy Rider, why are you so vehement on this topic? Do you have some related expertise that leads you to feel so strongly that there is only one way to address the issue of cooling the core when riding in hot weather?

[Peteoz]

No matter where it comes from, that is BAD advice.

Why.....because they can not know all the possible combinations of jackets and vents.
What is a "normal jacket" ??
Some vents may be large and flow good; others might be small and ineffective.

If and what kind of windshield/fairing you have.......on a regular bike......can be a factor too.

My RT in it's stock configuration doesn't have much airflow on the "driver" at all.

Tell you what, Easy Rider. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is, and challenge LD Comfort that they are providing BAD advice. I'm sure they have put a great deal of research into their instructions to customers, perhaps even more than you have. Let us know how you get on.



Pete

[UtahPete]

Actually, JC, LD Comfort, who are a well known and reputable US manufacturer of cooling and heating gear agree with Pirate. They recommend you do NOT use a mesh jacket over their wet undergear, but use a normal jacket with a couple of vents open for the best cooling effect. I doubt they would leave themselves open to litigation by offering wrong and dangerous misinformation. The jury might still be out on that one. Pete

This is the PDF PeteOz refers to for LD Comfort's explanation of the science behind their clothing. http://www.ldcomfort.com/pdf/LDComfortOnePage2013.pdf

[spyderyderjim]

This is the PDF PeteOz refers to for LD Comfort's explanation of the science behind their clothing. http://www.ldcomfort.com/pdf/LDComfortOnePage2013.pdf

Pete,
Sounds like your fishing shirts worked in extreme Arizona heat 100+ you & wife got caught ryding in.
I have used LDcomfort Men's long sleeve mock turtleneck & LD comforts Men's Long riding tights year round for many years as undergarments.
I also use Glacer Tek Sports Cool Vest in over 80+ deg Tucson/Phoenix, Arizona heat.
The Cool Vest packets keeps core body temperatures down for about 2/12 to 3 hours.
I only use the 2 front Cool Vest cold packets (because I am skinny), but most people will also use the other 2 cold packets in back of vest.
(I also carry in soft ice chest a spare set of cold packets, with Blue Ice to keep them cold).
https://www.glaciertek.com/
I use Fieldsheer jacket year round, Fieldsheer pants.
Of course stop often for Poweraid Zero & water to drink.
I am sure a lot of Spyder ryders on here use what works for them in extreme summer heat.
I am just sharing what has worked for me for many, many years.
Enjoy your rydes.
Jim
IMG_3994.jpgCoolVest Tourmaster Transition jacket IMG_3992.jpgCoolVest IMG_3989.jpg

[wyliec]

Actually, JC, LD Comfort, who are a well known and reputable US manufacturer of cooling and heating gear agree with Pirate. They recommend you do NOT use a mesh jacket over their wet undergear, but use a normal jacket with a couple of vents open for the best cooling effect. I doubt they would leave themselves open to litigation by offering wrong and dangerous misinformation. The jury might still be out on that one.

Pete

I looked at their picture depiction (LD Comfort) and they are counting on the air up the sleeves of your jacket to carry the heat away. That would be nice, but on my textile jacket the sleeve cuffs are tight. Without that air, the cooling effect will be much less. I can agree with a mesh jacket causing the evaporation process to be quicker in regards to drying out the shirt, and requiring more wetting of the shirt. But, toward the beginning of this thread, it was mentioned to be all zipped up, which is what I disagreed with.

[Pirate looks at --]

Actually, JC, LD Comfort, who are a well known and reputable US manufacturer of cooling and heating gear agree with Pirate. They recommend you do NOT use a mesh jacket over their wet undergear, but use a normal jacket with a couple of vents open for the best cooling effect. I doubt they would leave themselves open to litigation by offering wrong and dangerous misinformation. The jury might still be out on that one.

Pete

That is the great thing about science, you may not agree with it, but it is still right!

[Lew L]

My method is:

1. lighter colored jacket and vented gloves
2. WATER at the handle bar to sip often
3. stop about each hour to fill up water and get some shade
4. a cooling vest , refreshed at the stops
5. Always have extra water!!!!!!
6. A vented windshield ( with adjustable vent control)


Seems like all our riding is done in the summer out west so the above steps work GREAT for us.



I'll use the above when I visit UtahPete and tour the south west this summer. Used it last summer and it worked perfect .

Lew L

[Arion]

My wife and I use full mesh jackets with armor in the key areas, and combine that with cooling vests, which are a quilted vest that is made to soak up a lot of water. We have ridden in 100+ degree weather for hours at a time and kept cool enough to keep riding. or last big ride of 2,600 miles in nine days found us in Hell's Canyon at 104 degrees and we managed alright. I don't enjoy riding in that kind of temperatures but with the cooling vest we can. They last about two hours until we need to re-soak them down.

What easysuper said - except for the Hell's Canyon bit (doesn't sound very pleasant at all).