July 11, 2024

ThermApparel was a vendor at Costume-Con 42, the ultimate event for costume lovers, a four-day extravaganza bursting with creativity, camaraderie, and some friendly competition!

This internationally renowned convention brings together passionate folks from all over North America. Its ever-changing location keeps the excitement fresh as it spreads its unique magic to new places each year.

Costume-Con 42 celebrates the art of costuming, the vibrant world of cosplay, and the endless possibilities of creation. It's a showcase of the incredible imagination and talent of its attendees.

We had an absolute blast selling UnderCool 3, RallyWrap, and UltraCool Cooling Vests to the diverse crowd of costumers and cosplayers from various realms, fandoms, and eras who went home cooler and happier with their new gear!

 

One of the biggest questions came from women who wear corsets. "Will the ThermApparel Cooling Vests work under or over my corsets?"  ...well, we put it to the test and the answer is YES!! ThermApparel Cooling Vests will work under or over a corset and will keep you cool. Check out the video of Julia trying on a corset with an UnderCool 3 Cooling Vest

Julia taught a class on "How to Stay Cool in Your Costume"

They left loaded with tips to keep cool, How To Craft a Cooling Plan, and the scoop on 5 different types of cooling vests.

Here are some of the highlights from the talk.

Did you know that the human body has a Heat Stress Threshold of 85˚F / 30˚C?  Above that our bodies can no longer dissipate the heat fast enough to keep our core temps stable and doing pretty much anything becomes more difficult. When temps reach 95˚F / 35˚C our work output drops by 45%.

Our own body is a huge source of heat. As your body produces energy to make your body work the by-product is heat. 

But when we put ourselves in clothing it traps all the excess heat with no way to escape creating sweat that makes a high-humidity environment

What that means for Costumer's is that if your Fursuit does not allow your sweat to evaporate it's going to make you hotter every time 

And the way many costumes are made they can trap even more internal heat. 

So the math would tell us that your body is sitting in 98.6˚F /  37˚C temperature and as you sweat the humidity inside your Fursuit goes from 20% to 40% to 100%

At 100% humidity, there is no possibility of evaporation.

Remember - no evaporation = no cooling

The human body is like a fine-tuned machine that needs to operate within a specific temperature range for optimal performance

It's like a Goldilocks situation, not too hot, not too cold, but just right! 

Anything outside of the 92˚F to 104˚F / 33˚C to 40˚C range can lead to some wonky or dangerous symptoms.

at 80F heart and lungs cease to operate. 

at 109F the brain shuts down. 

So, if you feel like you're baking in the Sahara or freezing like a snowman, it's best to seek some help to get your body back to its normal temperature.

Your Costume or Fursuit is a huge source of Internal Heat Generation and without proper cooling you can quickly overheat and reach Hyperthermia - otherwise known as Heat Stroke. Check out these thermal images of Fursuiters and how hot they really are in their Fursuit!

This Fursuiter is experiencing temps of 105˚F / 40.5˚C!!! - Heat Stroke begins at 104˚F / 40˚C !!!

This was taken right after a Fursuiter took off their head. The head is radiating 92.4F / 33C heat into the Fursuiter!!

This costumer was starting to overheat at 101.2˚F / 38˚C. We put a ThermApparel Cooling Vest on her and.....

she immediately started to cool down. 

FAQ's

What sizes do you have?

UnderCool 3 has 5 - XXS - XXL. Check our sizing page for all sizing info and a video explaining how to get the correct fit.

RallyWrap is one size fits most. Smaller waists choose 6 cooling packs larger choose 8 cooling packs

UltraCool - M/L - has 8 cooling packs and XL/XXL has 10 cooling packs

• Sizing is based on your natural waist, not your hips or pant size. 
• You will wear a smaller size than you think.
• ThermApparel Cooling Gear needs to fit your body like a glove to give you the best cooling support. 
• If you fall in between the 2 sizes order the larger size.
• If you need help with sizing give us a call at 855-232-7233. We are happy to help.

How do I order a cooling vest?

• Go to our shop select your size and cooling pack type, enter your address and credit card info and we will ship it to you. 
• If you need help placing an order give us a call at 855-232-7233. We are happy to take phone orders.

How do ThermApparel Cooling Vests keep me cool under my Costume?

Our cooling vest is a PCM Cooling Vest, not gel or ice. PCM works better than gel and ice. Why is that and why is it important?

• When your body is hot, blood vessels open up to release heat. In other words, you sweat and when the air hits your sweat it cools your body down.
• Ice and Gel Packs cause blood vessels to constrict, preventing cooled blood from reaching your core. Ice is wonderful for cooling down a specific part of your body or bringing down swelling, but it doesn't cool your entire body. There is a reason doctors say 20 min on and 20 min off with ice packs. You need your blood vessels to open back up to allow the blood to start flowing again.
• ThermApparel PCM Cooling Packs cool the blood without constricting your blood vessels. As your blood flows past the PCM Cooling Packs they cool your blood and your body keeps pumping cool blood through your system keeping your whole body cool.

Will it be comfortable while seated?

• YES! Pilots, race car drivers, and Santa wear our product with great results. It's so comfortable, that most people forget they have it on.

Will it interfere with the sizing of my Costume?

Nope! Our cooling packs are worn directly against the skin. The garment has a low-profile design, so it won't require a larger suit size due to placement on the lower back or lower stomach. - Now....taking that into consideration. If you are wearing a tailored costume it will add about 1 inch. 

Will anyone know I am wearing it?

Unless you are wearing something super skin tight, Nope. ThermApparel Cooling Gear has a velcro closure in front and with it's low profile design it won't add any bulk to your suit. 

Can I dance in it?

Yes! Dance, shimmy shake your groove thang. ThermApparel Cooling Gear moves with you. 

How long will it keep me cool?

ThermApparel Cooling Gear will last 2-4 hours depending on Vest Garment and Cooling Packs. If you're wearing a full body costume, full Fursuit, Plush Suit, Poodle Suit, or Partial Suit we highly recommend the ExtendedCool Packs. SlimCool isn't going to last long enough for you.

Cooling Packs

SlimCool Packs last 45 min - 1 hour
ExtendedCool Packs last 2-4 hours

UltraCool - Maximum Cooling

3-4 hours of Cooling Time
8-10 ExtendedCool Cooling Packs
Cooling Packs in the back and front of the Vest Garment

RallyWrap - Easy on / Easy off

2-3 hours of Cooling Time
6-8 ExtendedCool Cooling Packs
Cooling Packs in the back and front of the Vest Garment

UnderCool - Lightest

1-2 hours of Cooling Time with SlimCool Cooling Packs
2-3 hours of Cooling Time with ExtendedCool Cooling Packs
4-6 SlimCool or ExtendedCool Cooling Packs 
Cooling Packs all in the back of the Vest Garment

CoolSleeve - Cooling Booster

45 min of targeted cooling on your radial artery for a fast cool down. Use for pre or post-cooling
Comes with 2 Sleeve Garments and 2 CoolSleeve66 Cooling Packs.  CoolSleeve66 freezes at  66F (19C) so its safe for contact with the skin. These are slightly colder than our normal packs to provide more cooling power to the limited surface area.

If you need it to last longer the packs can be refrozen and placed back in the vest, or you can purchase additional cooling packs and swap them when needed. 

The cooling packs can be doubled up in the vest to make them last longer, but this will add a little more weight and bulk to the vest.

The unique thing about our packs is their recharging time and ability. Check out our tech.

• 30 min - ice water 
• 45 min - freezer
• 60 min - fridge

The frozen Cooling Packs can be placed in an insulated cooler and will stay cold for a few hours until you need to switch. For refreezing on the go use a 3-gallon Ziplock type plastic bag filled with ice and water.

What do you recommend for Costumer's and Furries?

We have 3 different Garments for you to choose from and the Cooling Packs will fit into each. 

We recommend going with the UltraCool and an extra set of Cooling Packs (note: you will get a big discount if you order an extra set of Cooling Packs at the time you order your UltraCool)

Option 1

• UltraCool M/L Fits a natural waist of 31"-45" and comes with 8 ExtendedCool Cooling Packs - 4 in the back and 4 in the front
• Extra set of ExtendedCool Cooling Packs

Option 2

• UltraCool XL/XXL - Fits a natural waist of 45"-64" and comes with 10 ExtendedCool Cooling Packs - 4 in the back and 6 in the front
• Extra set of ExtendedCool Cooling Packs

Do you sell cooling vests for Santa's?

Yes! Check out our Santa Page  for more info.