Top 5 Hot-Weather Motorcycle Gear
Zan Headgear Cotton 3-in-1 Bandana
First up is the Zan Headgear Cotton 3-in-1 Bandana . That’s a long name for a simple piece of fabric, but the only part we care about is “cotton.” See it’s important that this is 100% natural fibre because that means it absorbs a lot of water, and it breathes well.
So , the absolute best thing you can do to beat the heat is to soak this bandana in cold water and wrap it around your neck. As the wind starts to breathe through the bandana, all that water will evaporate. And to borrow a word from Bill Nye, evaporation is an endothermic process. Meaning that it draws heat away from my neck and voila – I cool down.
The reason I put the bandana around my neck is that the carotid arteries and jugular veins are all there – some of the largest blood-flowing vessels in my body. And the more blood I can draw heat away from, the cooler I’ll feel.
So, science lesson over, and back to the gear. This Zan 3-in-1 bandana is fine – I could have ripped up an old cotton shirt and got the same effect – but I guess this is more stylish.
The whole 3-in-1 thing is kind of stupid, by the way. Zan means to say that you can wear it as a headband, a facemask or a skullcap. But by that logic, I might as well use it as a napkin and a blanket for my guinea pig and call it a 5-in-1 bandana.
But oh well, at least it isn’t expensive. For less than 10 bucks, you can’t get more cooling action.
The second biggest thing you can do for staying cool is hydration.
Remember that endothermic thing the bandana did? Well my body does it everywhere, all the time. It’s called sweating and all I have to do is make sure I keep drinking.
Thor Vapor Hydration Pack
Ergo, we have the Thor Vapor Hydration Pack . There are a lot of options out there for hydro packs, but this is my favourite. For one, it costs 75 bucks, which seems reasonable. And for two, it’s extremely slim. That means you can fit the Vapor underneath your motorcycle jacket and get it right against your back. When you do that, this mesh backing will actually let you feel the coolness of the water bladder against your skin.
The effect is most pronounced if you fill this 2L bladder with cold water. Even better would be to put ice cubes in it, like I do. The manufacturer says no to that one, but I’ve always done it and I haven’t sprung a leak yet.
Running the stats on the Vapor, we have a 600-denier polyester construction in this cement and orange colourway. Black and blue are options too. There are two accessory pockets on this pack – one at the bottom rear which could hold a credit card, and one on the waist flap that can hold a car key at best. The bladder is BPA-free, so you won’t be drinking cancer. And the tube is enclosed in a neoprene sleeve to prevent kinking. The valve itself is a bite valve, so there’s no need to open or close it with your hands, making it perfect for motorcycling.
I’m gonna end with a pro-tip: when you come back from a ride, coil up a piece of wire – making sure the ends aren’t sharp – and put it down into the bladder. That just holds the plastic open while it dries, making sure you don’t grow mold in there. If you’ve done it wrong, you’ll know because the water starts to taste really nasty.
Coolit Tee from Leatt
Now, the third best way to stay cool is to get technical. There are a few specially made cooling shirts out there, and this Coolit Tee from Leatt is one of them.
This is made from a material called Hyperkewl, spelled “k-e-w-l” for some annoying reason. Anyway, it’s designed to absorb, store and release water over time. Up to 300% better than that cotton bandana we saw earlier.
So you already know how this is going to end. I’m going to say that endothermic word again, and then I’ll tell you to soak this thing in cold water for 2 minutes before putting it on. As you ride, the water evaporates in the wind, and you cool down.
The clever thing about the Coolit is that it’s designed to hold water until it evaporates. So it’s not going to waste cold water by dripping it off. In that sense this is more efficient than our beloved bandana, resulting in a temperature decrease of around 10C for up to 6 hours, depending on the conditions.
Of course, that level of sophistication also comes with a more sophisticated price-tag. 120 bucks for this one, and 90 dollars if you just want the vest version.
Fitment-wise, I’m 6”3, 175 pounds and I chose this size large. It’s actually very comfortable, with loads of stretch fabric everywhere you see this funny pattern. The full length zipper makes it super easy to put the shirt on and I think it makes me look like a total dork but hey – this is meant to go underneath all my gear anyway.
The fourth best way to stay cool is – sunglasses.
No, I haven’t confused looking cool with staying cool. These things really help to beat the heat and here’s why.
Much of one’s body heat is expelled through the head. The problem for motorcyclists is that a helmet – like this one – tends to lock in warmth. You can get around the problem by riding with the face shield open, and using sunglasses to protect your eyes from wind, dust, hornets … that kind of thing.
Bobster Rukus Photochromic Sunglasses
These are the Bobster Rukus Photochromic Sunglasses and I chose them for a few reasons. One – the frames are lined with foam, to create a good seal against your head and better protect your eyes from the elements. Two – they can take prescription lenses, if need be. And three – they change tint, getting darker as the sunlight gets brighter.
That last one is a big deal for motorcyclists. I often ride out in the bright morning, and come back at night. These lenses have enough tint range to cover both situations. In fact, they can go from 83% visible light transmitted, all the way down to 28%, which is on par with some of the most premium photochromic lenses out there.
Fitment wise, these glasses are 13cm from temple to temple. They’re pretty thin too – I was able to wear them inside this Bell Qualifier no problem. Inside the box, you’ll get this semi-rigid carrying case with a zipper closure and a micro-fibre cleaning cloth. The fact that Bobster was able to do a photochromic sunglass with great optical quality and a few add-ons for 70 bucks is pretty remarkable, in my opinion.
And finally, the fifth best piece of gear for beating the heat is something that you already own.
Ice cubes
Ice cubes!
When I’m going for a hot ride, I fill my pockets with these little guys. Pant pockets, jacket pockets, whatever. As long as I don’t have my cell phone in it, I’m ‘gonna chuck an ice cube in there.
Obviously ice cubes are cold against my skin. And when they melt, they make water. And when water evaporates ... yes, you guessed it … endothermic reaction. Meaning heat is drawn away from my body and I cool down. It really works and as long as your ride is longer than an hour or so, you’ll dry off by the time you get there.
So that’s my top 5 ways to beat the heat. Thank you very much for watching.