OT: do "cool towels" actually work?

[bcroslin]

Does anyone have any experience with the cool towels Home Depot and sporting goods stores sell? I do a manual labor volunteer position every Wed morning and I thought about trying one to beat the heat.

[MaraudingWalrus]

I used some stuff like that when I lifeguarded. Most work pretty well. Dwyane Wade used to do ads for one, the name eludes me, that worked well enough.

[93legendti]

I don't know about the towels, but I've bought these from REI for everyone in our family and they have worked well for us in a Middle East desert. The placement around the neck is crucial.

https://www.rei.com/product/691097/kafkas-kool-tie

[Cicli]

How well they work depends on humidity where you are. Blazing hot Arizona, they work prety good. Blazing hot south Texas, not as well.

[teleguy57]

Tried the scarf-type thing once; 90s temp and humidity in WI. Maybe a little help early on, but nothing where I'm sold on the concept. As mentioned above, it may need lower humidity for the evaporative cooling to kick in.

[bcroslin]

Tried the scarf-type thing once; 90s temp and humidity in WI. Maybe a little help early on, but nothing where I'm sold on the concept. As mentioned above, it may need lower humidity for the evaporative cooling to kick in.

Well, considering it's 10:30 and the humidity is already 80% I guess I'll give one a try

[MaraudingWalrus]

I didn't even think about that, but I did realize it was way more effective when I was in the Midwest than when lifeguarding in Cocoa Beach.

Still worked well enough in Cocoa Beach for me to say it's worth a try.

[1happygirl]

This is the reason Froome won the tour, lol...

Ive always been skeptical of the small towels but what about a cool shirt (I did a quick google search)

Wonder if they will use these in Rio?
https://www.texascoolvest.com
http://www.veskimo.com
http://www.polarproducts.com/polarshop/pc/Cooling-Vests-c431.htm
http://www.glaciertek.com/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Idk who Zorro is but he was a cool dude:

https://www.zoro.com/coolshirt-systems-cooling-vest-l-28inl-bcw-l/i/G9411385/?gclid=CMf02rXVoM4CFZGGaQodPZMBfQ&gclsrc=aw.ds


https://www.zoro.com/techniche-phase-change-cooling-vest-2xl-blue-6626-blue2xl/i/G4116131/?gclid=CIjeza_VoM4CFQobaQodUb4MUg&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'm sorry. Of course this didn't answer your original question about scarves but maybe these would be worth a try anyway.
Rumor has it some of the pro cycling teams use the vests instead. YMMV

[F150]

Wife bought me one of the ------Cool microfiber towels. No noticeable benefit push mowing lawn at 3pm yesterday; temp low 90s, humidity low 90s as well. Have a thin camo bandana somewhere around here with a builtin sleeve of what I assume is a bentonite/gel of some sort. Soak it, sleeve material swells, then when in close contact to skin gives some relief. Perhaps its the "close contact" aspect the larger towel didn't achieve with me. Humidity couldn't help.