Cool Wings - product review

[ny biker]

I have Cool Wings and have used them twice on hot afternoon rides. I had the same issue as OP with a little gap in the front between the jacket and the sleeveless jersey, but it didn't make any difference when I was riding.

Yeah, for me that little gap was a style thing, not a functional issue. Every time I stopped I checked to make sure it had not ridden up in back, and it was okay each time.

[KathiCville]

I bought the Cool Wings from TE about three weeks ago in anticipation of the local MS150 ride, where I knew I'd be out in the sun pretty much all day long.

I ordered a Small, but quickly returned it for a Medium. (Thank you, TE, for your usual super-fast shipping.) I wear XS or S in most cycling clothes, but decided I'd rather size up and wear something a little less constricting.

That being said, I LOVE them! I definitely stayed cooler wearing the Cool Wings, and because I was wearing a roomier size, I barely noticed the added layer. Great addition to my cycling duds!

[Tri Girl]

I have mixed feelings about my cool wings.
The first time I wore them, my jersey (not new by any means) somehow bled onto the cool wings and stained them in a couple places on my back (have NO idea how/why that happened). I didn't wash the cool wings first, so maybe the newness of the fabric had something to do with it??? Who knows. Now they're mostly white with pink spots.
I still have to wear sunscreen underneath them. The first few times I wore them I didn't and still burned (I burn fairly easily, tho). I think when it's very warm outside (80-90's) they are cool and quite nice to wear. When it's blazing hot (100's) they are too hot for me. Even with pouring water on the arms to keep them cool, they are too hot for me when the temp gets near 100. I prefer to be sleeveless then.
Overall, I really like them. Don't wear them as much as I'd like because I don't have lots of sleeveless jerseys and don't like them paired with my short sleeve jerseys.

[OakLeaf]

Well, my arm coolers came today and they're too small.

I flexed my bicep as big as I could, measured the biggest part, subtracted an inch, ordered a small.

Which I'm a small or a medium in most athletic tops.

They're too snug all the way up. At least they fit uniformly. I hate things that are made for women without muscles - tops that you have to buy enormous if you want your biceps or delts to fit in, sleeves that fit the biceps but bind the forearms. They're made for someone with arms the shape of mine, for sure, but I definitely need a medium.

Oh well. I'll report back next week.

[Biciclista]

oh sorry oakleaf!!

what a bummer!

and Trigirl, that is BIZARRE! (i don't burn easily and i live in the rainforest)

[Biciclista]

today was a hot day- low 80s from noon on, (it's 83 now)
I wore my arm coolers today;

I was out in the sun from 11am until 5pm with those things on. The first hour was cycling, 1 hour of sitting around, and 3 hours of walking up and down hills on a street scramble. (Ah the hills of Seattle!)

I decided that by 5 that the sun would be cool enough to take them off - so I did. To my surprise, the sun felt so much hotter on my skin that I put them back on. They do really work!
I didn't have to put sunscreen on all day and I am not burnt. Of course it's only SPF 30 so if you're sensitive, you might still need sunscreen.

[witeowl]

I didn't have to put sunscreen on all day and I am not burnt. Of course it's only SPF 30 so if you're sensitive, you might still need sunscreen.

Doesn't the product description even say to wear sunscreen? If you have a thin jersey, you should wear it underneath, as well. Remember that a bad sunburn is not the worst thing you can get from too much sun exposure.

[supercutie]

I just bought the De Soto Cool Wings - it was either Cool Wings or the Canari Cool Max Long sleeve jersey - but I decided the wings would give me more options, in the event I wanted to lose the extra layer I could just stuff it in a pocket. Plus the Bolero styling looked a lot more comfortable than the arm tube styling of Arm Coolers.
I'm in southern AZ where the temps are a 'chilly' 80 over night and 100-107 daytime, plus it's Monsoon Season so we have humidity ( 20-35%). When I got the Cool Wings I modeled them for my husband, we were standing outside at the time (106 in the shade), and as soon as I put them on they cooled my arm. (even my husband, who had to try them too, noticed a difference) I wore them this past Sunday on a 36 mile ride that took us 3 hours to complete, hole in tire = changing tube and repairing tire. They WORKED! The only time I thought they might not be 'all that' was while climbing a challenging hill in open desert. But once I was over the strenuous bit I was fine and figured I'd be feeling the heat no mater what I wore.
As for size... I decided on a medium. I have tiny wrists and the well developed upper arms of a 47 yr old woman who is also living with the reality of saggage.
I wore the Wings over a sleeveless jersey and had no issues with gaping at all. I did have a bit of skin showing at the glove line but that is only because I can't stand anything around that part of my wrists. All in all, a hit. Now I'm thinking about that Canari jersey again... any input on that?