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Staying Cool


netslave

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How do you stay cool (or at least not as hot as standing on the surface of the sun)?

 

I would have that that wearing mostly cloth would be much cooler than a full ABS TK suit, but it seems I was wrong. What do you do to stay cool?

 

I have thought about cutting out sections of the flightsuit (that are hidden by armor, the vest, or cummerbund) and replacing it with mesh or leaving the hole.

 

I've also started playing around with the idea of pumping air into the suit via a fan and some well placed tubes. But those are far from operational.

 

Fans in the helmet are a no-brainer, I just haven't installed them yet.

 

How about a moisture wicking undersuit, like the TK undersuit? Would that help or just add more to the mix?

 

So... .Ideas?

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One idea is to put a fan in the tank. There are rechargeable fans out there, and I'm myself planning to put one into my clone (ongoing, never ending project...).

 

Another idea is to put on some kind of undersuit as you say. I used to umpire in baseball and we always used long underwear, even in the summer. It feels crazy, but it works. Just remember to get one made for that purpose, and not for winter use :-)

 

 

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I've got two big panels on the front of my jumpsuit cut out and a piece of sportcloth sewn in each hole. I've also done the same to the front of my flak vest so I have air passage all the way through.

 

Makes life easier. :D

 

I also have a fan in my helmet. Way back when, I got a hollow snout kit from MC, cut a hole in it and a corresponding hole in the snout of my helmet and put a squirrel fan behind that to blow air upwards. Works great.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have been researching this very topic even as I am still determining which costume to begin with as a new member, and there are some "cooling" vests that seem promising. Has anyone experimented with this type of technology?

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Honestly? You don't need a cooling vest. Unless you're someone who can't tolerate any heat, you'll be ok. 99% of the time, you'll have somewhere you can duck into to take your helmet off and take a water break. Combine that with making sure you're always drinking fluids before, during and after, and you'll be just fine. You really do get used to it.

 

You'll get sweaty and warm and you'll have days when you take your bucket off and water will pour out, but that's part of the whole dealio. Just know that everyone else is going through the same thing. ;)

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I tried wearing sportswear made of moisture-wicking material under my jumpsuit but I found it actually wicked the sweat into the jumpsuit, which meant it had to be washed more often so that wasn't a good solution. i have since switched to wearing a cotton shirt instead so it absorbs the sweat more.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I trooped two nights ago at 110 heat index - drank an electrolyte solution before (one I use on my runs) tank and trunks compression. Water throughout the troop and a wet cooling towel in-between. Zero cool I think. As long as you arrange it well with your compadres to switch out. It will all be cool (pun intended). Also a fan in my helmet crossing my lens to keep it from fogging

 

Use a lot of caution and common sense. There are always more troops.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk9a656790aca66da8b41a6b05778cc97b.jpg

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  • 10 months later...

I know this is an older topic, but I'm still coming around to the realization that in Florida cooling is going to be a big build topic as I narrow down my options for my first build. I believe that my son and I have identified Scout Trooper / Kashyyyk as the most likely path for our first builds. Le m ask this R&D question- if you were going to spend the

summer mocking up and developing cooling for the SC bucket, what would be the LEAST expensive route to obtain a helmet that could be used to mock up such systems?

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Well, other than an actual bucket, you could probably simulate one with a hardhat w/ a faceshield attachment and then ductape a thick cloth around the sides/back. I will be honest, the rest of the costume is much hotter than the helmet. I just wore one to the AZ Diamondbacks game (first in the Scout). No fans in my helmet and no fogging issues. The Scout helmet has a large opening around your chin/neck and has the ear vents. The suit/vest/cummerbund on the other hand....toasty!

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I have been checking out cooling vests from a company called Glacier Tek. Anyone ever seen or used one of these? They look pretty interesting. A little expensive though.

 

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

 

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I wondering with the advent of better hot weather materials whether or not an updating to the soft armor CRL wouldn't be appropriate, given someone willing to explore updated textiles?

 

The updated material would still have to LOOK like the original ROTJ costume.

 

I have been checking out cooling vests from a company called Glacier Tek. Anyone ever seen or used one of these? They look pretty interesting. A little expensive though.

 

Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk

 

I thought about something like that, but then I'd have to resize my soft parts.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm going from a Shadow Stormtrooper to a Shadow Scout looking at these same issues.

The hard armor gets very hot as it is.. but with 2 huge fans blowing in my face it seems to keep me ok unless in direct Texas Sunlight then the black is OMFG an oven... Being there is no place to really put a fan in the Scout was wondering about these issues.

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I'm going from a Shadow Stormtrooper to a Shadow Scout looking at these same issues.

The hard armor gets very hot as it is.. but with 2 huge fans blowing in my face it seems to keep me ok unless in direct Texas Sunlight then the black is OMFG an oven... Being there is no place to really put a fan in the Scout was wondering about these issues.

 

For sure! It's been at 105 here and a bit hotter in Phoenix. I'll wear my white armor when outdoors and move to my shadow for indoor troops during the hotter months. I couldn't imagine wearing the shadow outside on the toasty days unless you wanted to fry bacon on your armor to impress the onlookers:) I also use one of those cool wraps around my neck and that helps.

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