Has anyone here ever tried a cooling vest, or any of the other vest-like or shirt-like things that some MSers use to keep cool in the summer time??

What's a good brand to buy?

What's a good AND CHEAP brand to buy?

What's a good and cheap AND NOT UGLY brand to buy?

I wonder if I can MacGyver something together to use as a cooling vest, that's not going to be ugly. I dont know how to make clothing (yet. Gonna take sewing classes) otherwise I'd attempt to make something that at least wont be as ugly as the cooling vests I've been Googling some today.

Since it's not summer yet, and it's not all that warm where I live right now, I figured I'd start asking about cooling vests now instead of later this spring.

Erin
The MSAA has a catalogue that you might want to look at. It can be found at http://www.msassociation.org/PDFs/co...log%202008.pdf

a lot of their stuff is either free of low cost. They have a lending program that you might want to check into.

I've tried one once, Erin. I am your basic bowl of Jell-O in any real heat with humidity. It wasn't a good choice for me, I found that the weight interfered with what's left of my very poor balance.

I've learned to manage my core cooling using my hands and feet and just plain old ice, or a couple gel ice packs when I'm not able to get ice easily.

I didnt have that much of a problem last summer with the heat, but it was only super hot for a few weeks last year. I do remember feeling like I couldnt walk very far when my boyfriend wanted to go for a walk downtown at the riverfront last year. He was a bit clueless and didnt realize why I stopped by a fountain and didnt walk any further. (the fountain was in the shade, and there was some spray coming off the fountain that felt GREAT!

I'm just wondering if I should be a bit worried about the heat this year, since I've had another optic neuritis (this time in the "good eye") and I have a bit more numbness in my feet and toes now.

I never did like summertime...altho I did enjoy the heat I felt when I was in a desert area of Texas several years back. That heat was comfortable...but the heat up here in "armpit of Nebraska" is so oppressively hot...now I kind of understand why when I used to work in places that had no air conditioning to speak of, I was constantly getting heatstroke.

I work in the heat, Erin, and it really bothers me. I carry an ice chest around in my car with bandanas in it that I wrap around my neck. That works pretty good. Shared Solutions sent me some that I can freeze and they work pretty well. As long as I keep my hands and feet cool, and keep myself hydrated I do pretty good.

I have a cooling scarf and vest from arctic heat. It's bright blue, LOL. Definitely see me coming.

It's not as heavy as some of the others, but it's good for about an hour in the heat. Good for going to festivals for short periods of time. Usually tired from walking around anyways by that point. The biggest problem is that once it stops cooling - it makes one very hot quickly.

The scarf seems to be more helpful than the vest at cooling me down, tho I think it's because I have it right on my skin. Either that, or the back of the neck helps a lot temp wise.

But this is my own experience with it.

I went to their website and applied for this whole cooling kit! It has the vest, wrist coolers, neck cooler, cooling bandana and lots of cold packs. I qualified to receive the whole kit for free. I think it was based on one's condition, not finances, but I don't quite remember. Definitely look into this though, the kit is wonderful!

I just looked at the catalog. I want the cooling bra inserts!

I never heard of this. Do they give band-aids with them? LOL.

This thread came at a great time since it's in the upper 80's today! Thanks!

I had a look at the site but couldn't work out what was their "cooling kit". They had so much to choose from.

I know I can't apply for free anything because I live "elsewhere" but I'm interested to see how they decide who gets it all for free.

Maybe I could put pressure on some of our companies here who make similar products.........or on MS sites here in OZ Land to put pressure on the companies that supply these goods, to give us all a better deal.

One can only try!