Cool Bandanas

Has anyone ever used those cool bandana's to help combate high heat climates?

http://www.coolbandanas.com/

I was given one as a freebie several years ago and didn't find it very useful in Florida summers - but that could have been because they were a new technology then?

I was thinking about getting some as a way to help combat the heat of Grand Canyon in June.

Yep, I bought my wife the bandana version in Zion N.P. a couple of years ago during a heat wave.

They do absorb an amazing amount of moisture and they release it very slowly. They do feel very cool against the skin. The one downside is that they take time to absorb the water. They have to remain immersed for some time. The website says 10 minutes but I think it's more than that. When they do start to dry out you can't just dip them in a stream for a moment like a regular bandana. They have to soak in order to employ their full advantage over a plain bandana. And you'll need a container to dip them in. I would not drink water that they have been in contact with. The fabric is porous. But the good news is that they remain moist for a long time too.

Honestly, given the environment you'll be in and the shortage of water to hydrate these things, I'd personally go with a regular bandana. I'd rather drink the water. But they are great for car camping or areas where water is plentiful.

These work fine in lower humidity climates. Down here where the dewpoint in the summer hovers around 75° if you're lucky and the air is as still as death, they just make you even wetter and more miserable, unfortunately.

I have a couple of bandanas from this company that I wear during the summer....

http://blubandoo.com/

they do soak up extra sweat, so it doesn't run into your eyes. I don't know how "cooling" they are, but they work pretty well overall.

I sometimes use a headband like that (got it as a freebe somewhere) It's really cooling, but I hate the contact and slightly gooey feeling on skin.

CnB
I'm not familiar with the brand you mention but we used Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad Towel this summer at camp and also on a trip to SE Oklahoma in August when it was 102F and these towels really helped. We dipped them in cold water and then just draped them around our necks. They really helped.
http://www.chillypad.com/

I like the chilly pads and have used them before. And now that someone else mentioned the bandanas require soaking time to refill - I might just plan to stick with the chilly pads and regular bandanas instead of the extra cool bandanas.

I've had the same experience with Kool-ties. In Wyoming, while mountain biking, they were phenomenal. In Tennessee, with high humidity, they just weren't worth the weight (which was a good 5 or 6 ounces when the crystals were fully inflated).

I often say "Cool Beans" but now I'm going to have to change it to "Cool Bananas" because that's what I see everytime I see the subject line for this thread!

MNS (who doesn't live somewhere hot enough to require a cool bandana - well, not most of the time anyway)

Cool Bananas! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yeah! I just dehydrated some and they are cooling. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Wow - I haven't heard someone say "cool beans" since I was a kid! You've just brought back some cool memories.

I tried one and gave it away.

Once the water got warm from my body heat it felt like I had a hot water bottle around my neck. It was warming me, not cooling me.

Once wet they stay wet for a long time. With a simple cotton handkerchief I can count on it drying up in a reasonable amount of time so I can pack it away until I want to use it again.

They add a little bit of weight to my load because they absorb more water than a handkerchief.

I too tried one and gave it away (to the trash bin).

PLUS: Holds a lot of water.

MINUS: It appears to allow slow evaporation of the water, too slow to be a good coolant.

The plain cotton bandanna doesn't hold as much water, but in an hour or two is ready for a refill. So, it might be that you rewet the bandanna five or six times a day.

The hydrated polymer bandanna I used was still holding a lot of water at the end of the day.

I live in Oregon and where I'm at there's usually plenty of water... I keep one of those bandanas handy in case I want to use it, but I wear a cotton cap and dunk it in the creek. It doesn't last that long but it sure works well for me. That being said, I'm usually hiking up a creek or a river.

humid areas - wouldn't use.

arid, hot areas - would use.

we have one for each family member and for our dry coastal/desert area they are quite nice. regular bandannas dry out too quickly, even if they are cooler than the "cool bandannas."