Does the CF use Cooling Vests?
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From the looks of all the posts, no one answered the original question.
When I was overseas, we used a cooling vest that got cold in the refrigerator. It lasted about 3-4 hours depending on how hot it was and how hot you were. It only covered the abdominal area and back. And it worked very well when the ramp was about 75 frakking degrees!! and we were doing fuel jobs!
Regards, BYTD
When I was overseas, we used a cooling vest that got cold in the refrigerator. It lasted about 3-4 hours depending on how hot it was and how hot you were. It only covered the abdominal area and back. And it worked very well when the ramp was about 75 frakking degrees!! and we were doing fuel jobs!
Regards, BYTD
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Cooling vests like those you are describing are great when you have ready access to refrigerators. Armoured, Infantry and Engineers troops in operations don't.BYT Driver said:
Water bladders against the back offer some relief - just not very much
There was talk at one point of equipping the Leo C2 tankers with some sort of circulating pump style cooling vest - but I don't think they ever put the plan into production once we got the Leo 2A6Ms.
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Anyone ever use any type of personal cooling on ex or operation?
I'm going to be trying out one of these phase cooling vest systems (http://www.glaciertek.com/RPCM_Cooling_Vest/Default.aspx), but am curious as to personal experiences.
Key factors remain;
1. Weight = the vest under my consideration is 5 lbs with inserts or the equivalent of just over 2 liters of water. I think most of time I'd rather just have the extra 2 liters of drinking water.
2. Toxic materials, particularly in regards to open wounds.
3. Duration of cooling. Most of these things are good for about 2 hours before the pack insets need to refrigerated, so the usage is rather limited.
Obviously, any cooling system is no substitute for heat acclimation and training.
I'm going to be trying out one of these phase cooling vest systems (http://www.glaciertek.com/RPCM_Cooling_Vest/Default.aspx), but am curious as to personal experiences.
Key factors remain;
1. Weight = the vest under my consideration is 5 lbs with inserts or the equivalent of just over 2 liters of water. I think most of time I'd rather just have the extra 2 liters of drinking water.
2. Toxic materials, particularly in regards to open wounds.
3. Duration of cooling. Most of these things are good for about 2 hours before the pack insets need to refrigerated, so the usage is rather limited.
Obviously, any cooling system is no substitute for heat acclimation and training.
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Maybe they worked better when new, but judjing by the amount of gunners and drivers I saw hauled out after they passed out from the heat inside a Leo, I'd say they don't work that good. Then again a lot of tankers were still wearing them (and TLAV crews) so I'm assuming they do something....Der Panzerkommandant.... said:
As far as a vest for dismounted troops, if it adds any weight past a few pounds, we aren't going to want it and honestly I don't beleive there's technology out there that would even be feasible.
Towards_the_gap
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Why on earth do you think you need one?
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I find them an interesting idea, that I not heard much about previously, and was wondering how practical they are for field work in hot, plus 40, environments.
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They are much better when you have a cooling unit attached to them. Otherwise you might just as well douse yourself in water every 15-20 min. If you can carry enough to sustain that stupid activity. There tends to be no way to escape the Afghan heat while dismounted.
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Thanks, that was my initial feeling but still was curious enough to order one.
Might still be useful for convoy work.
Might still be useful for convoy work.
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Most if not all Vehs have AC or a colling unit by now.
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I used the vehicle mounted one daily in the leopard on operations. I placed the vest in between my undershirt and shirt and plugged in when required when mounted. My gunner/driver plugged theirs in as soon as they mounted to prevent heat exuastion (of course copious amounts of gatoraide and water to combat the hydralic pumps) in their rather hot compartments. While myself and the loader plugged in as required as we had the wind to cool us unlike or hull monkey friends. We found the system was not so cold with 4 plugged in. We used various mixtures of glycol/water and found that the suggested mix was a little too glycol heavy and added more water than we were told which improved the usage.
My crew worshipped this piece of kit and no one was required to ensure they tested/ purged/ and looked after this kit. We had a few vests break on op's however were issued 2 per man which we carried in a 25mm can on the vehicle at all times.
The purging bottles were a pain in the ass and we made our own system out of a broken vest make end connection and a water bottle. basically when we put the circulation hoses into the bottle of new fluids and plugged it into the system it automatically purged itself. Much quicker that the issued bottles which required pumping, and resulted in less ait bubbles in the system.
We also plugged in 3 vests when we purged to allow the air bubbles and old fluid to be flushed from those as well.
My crew worshipped this piece of kit and no one was required to ensure they tested/ purged/ and looked after this kit. We had a few vests break on op's however were issued 2 per man which we carried in a 25mm can on the vehicle at all times.
The purging bottles were a pain in the ass and we made our own system out of a broken vest make end connection and a water bottle. basically when we put the circulation hoses into the bottle of new fluids and plugged it into the system it automatically purged itself. Much quicker that the issued bottles which required pumping, and resulted in less ait bubbles in the system.
We also plugged in 3 vests when we purged to allow the air bubbles and old fluid to be flushed from those as well.
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We were the 1st Sqn to have them installed in the C2s. I was quite jealous in my uncooled TLAV MRT. I know the drivers and gunners loved them, and cursed the crew commander when the cooling unit would contact something harder than it.
Towards_the_gap
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I cannot comment on the mounted/armoured side of things. My entire tour thus far has been dismounted, so I will say they would be a waste of weight for dismounted infantry. The best thing to do is to acclimatise properly (ie do not live in AC, or at least keep it at 25-30)hydrate and stay fit. The only heat casualties I've seen thus far were those who came straight from an AC'd TI or KAF. Or the morbidly obese err less-than-fit...err those who struggle to make it to level 6 on the beep test.
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Thanks.
Seems like the idea still has a way to develop before it becomes applicable to general dismounted work.
Seems like the idea still has a way to develop before it becomes applicable to general dismounted work.
McG
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EOD teams have something.adaminc said:
Probably this: http://www.allenvanguard.com/Products/CoolingSystems/PersonnelCooling/BCS4BodyCoolingSystem/tabid/154/List/0/ProductID/31/CategoryID/7/Level/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
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