Staying Cool in summer heat

[Veronica]

I don't use insulated bottles because I don't want to have to clean them.

Dishwasher? I don't care what the manufacturer says - mine go through the dishwasher.

I freeze my insulated bottles and they will stay cold for quite awhile. I have some that I put nothing but water in and some that are for my drink of the week - Gu Brew or Heed.

Camelbak has the Podium Ice Bottle which is the bottle I take back and forth to work. If it is fully frozen in the morning, I still have cold water at the end of the work day.

I have started fully covering my upper body when I ride or run. DeSoto's arm coolers and bike jersey really do seem to keep you cooler when you are moving. I have to resist the urge to pull off the sleeves when I stop.

For running I've been wearing some long sleeve tops that I got from Athleta. I did an afternoon run while in Glacier, about 85 degrees and humidity so low my mouth was completely dry after 1/2 a mile. The top worked great! Okay, so I practically lived in them for the last two weeks, hiking at Glacier and whitewater rafting Hell's Canyon.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Dishwasher?

You must have a better dishwasher than I do!

If it is fully frozen in the morning, I still have cold water at the end of the work day.

But at school, it's not in the hot sun the way it would be on the bike, right?

[Veronica]

No, the classroom temp is kept at 78. It keeps it cold longer in the classroom than the Polars do though. I'm waiting for my Polars to die so I can justify buying more. I have a whole cupboard full of Polars though.

I haven't tested it on the bike, so can't give numbers there. It's the bottle I leave in the car cooler so I have cold water AFTER the ride.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

My Polar bottles would keep water cool for about 2-3 hours on the bike in the NC summer heat. I fill the bottle 1/2 full, tip it partially on its side in the freezer (with no top on since the spout would freeze) overnight. The next day, I would fill it the remainder of the way with cold tap water (or fridge water) and that would keep cool for about 3 hours. It's almost too cold to drink for the first 30 minutes or so, so I'd usually only do this with one bottle and use the other one with just ice water.

I have also heard that the Podium bottles insulate better but I haven't tried them yet. Living where I do now, if it's ever too hot to ride, I just wait a day and it cools off.

I also like the DeSoto arm coolers (I have the Coolwings) here in Oregon quite a bit. I actually wear them in the garden as well because the white fabric is cooler than my brown arms without trapping heat like regular long sleeves can do. They did NOT work for me at all when I lived in NC though. I think it was because it was so fricken humid that the cooling effect was unnoticeable.

[Owlie]

I find soaking the sleeves and shoulders of my jersey to help enormously.

[nscrbug]

No, the classroom temp is kept at 78. It keeps it cold longer in the classroom than the Polars do though. I'm waiting for my Polars to die so I can justify buying more. I have a whole cupboard full of Polars though.

I haven't tested it on the bike, so can't give numbers there. It's the bottle I leave in the car cooler so I have cold water AFTER the ride.

Veronica

Well...I have a Podium Ice bottle and HAVE tested it on the bike in 90+ degree temps...guess what? It doesn't work. No big surprise there. I had it filled to the rim with ice and then topped it off with plain water. Within 30 minutes, the ice was completely melted and within 1 hour, the water was unrefreshingly warm. But it's the best of all the bottles I own, so I'll continue to use it until something better comes along. I've also tried freezing it overnight. This worked only slightly better, but the temps weren't in the 90's when I tried it that way. I'll freeze it for my Saturday morning ride and see how long it lasts.

[GLC1968]

I'll freeze it for my Saturday morning ride and see how long it lasts.

Yeah, I'll be curious to see if this works for you. Solid ice keeps frozen longer than cubes (less surface area), so it should help. I also just remembered that when I got the best results, I had a half frozen solid mass in there WITH ice cubes to the top and then filled in with fridge-cold water. Kind of a PITA, but better than drinking hot water.

[Veronica]

I usually freeze mine filled nearly to the top - maybe with an inch or less free to add water from the frig.

Veronica

[jlnc]

Veronica, the Hopkinton Athleta top you mentioned is so cute! Would you describe the fit as slim fitting? (I don't like my tops too snug.) Is the white see through?

[Sky King]

[/quote]I have started fully covering my upper body when I ride or run. DeSoto's arm coolers and bike jersey really do seem to keep you cooler when you are moving. I have to resist the urge to pull off the sleeves when I stop.

For running I've been wearing some long sleeve tops that I got from Athleta. I did an afternoon run while in Glacier, about 85 degrees and humidity so low my mouth was completely dry after 1/2 a mile. The top worked great! Okay, so I practically lived in them for the last two weeks, hiking at Glacier and whitewater rafting Hell's Canyon.

Veronica[/QUOTE]
oh man, that is a dangerous website, I think I want one of everything!

[Veronica]

They have some nice shorts too. I had to replace most of my summer wardrobe this year and pretty much everything I got came from Athleta.

Veronica

[Sky King]

Veronica,
I am in the market for some new shorts, how is the chamois? I do like by Terry Bella's. However, my newer pair are slightly shorter than my older pair, both in the rise and the leg. I like a 8 1/2 inseam.

[Veronica]

Sorry, I didn't get bike shorts - regular shorts.

I'm not a good one to ask about chamois. For me, less is better, I love my Orca tri shorts.

Veronica

[jlnc]

Just wanted to let you all know Athleta is having a sale right now! I just ordered some things, hope they fit!