Since Florida summers are super hot and humid, and since it’s tough to get a quality workout in as the temperature goes up, I thought it might be a good idea to try out some of Emilio DeSoto’s new “SkinCooler” products. They supposedly wick moisture much faster than normal tech fabric (and still quicker than the wind whipping against you as you ride), allowing your body to keep cooler than it could if the skin was just bare.

I have tried four products: the helmet beanie, the arm coolers, the leg coolers and the l/s top:

HELMET BEANIE

I wear this most often under my cycling helmet, but also works as a running hat. It works well to keep the sweat out of my eyes, and does a decent job of keeping the head cool as well.

Even though I have short hair, I think the skin cooling component of this garment would work better if I had a shaved head. So, folks with longer hair, I’m not so sure if this product will work to its maximum effectiveness for you. Rating: 7/10.

ARM COOLERS

These would be awkward (but usable) for running, so I wear these only for cycling. They are tight-fitting and comfortable. They do a great job of blocking the sun from my arms; DeSoto claims 75% UV protection. Water poured on them feels great (even if it’s not cold).

You’re not going to make it suddenly feel like springtime when wearing the arm coolers, but I’ve found that you can usually get a little bit of temperature benefit from these, from blocking the sun and from the moisture wicking.

Below heat indexes of about 85, these don’t really work for me (I feel warmer instead of cooler) and if the temp is below 65, arm warmers are probably a better choice.

If nothing else, the UV protection you get from wearing these is an excellent reason to wear them. Plus, in the event that you crash, it’s one more layer between your skin and the pavement… 8/10.

LEG COOLERS

A lot of what I wrote about the arm coolers applies to the leg coolers. However, I don’t like these as much because they just feel awkward on my legs. Maybe it was just that my legs want to be FREE because of the warm weather, maybe it’s the seam that runs the length of the garment. But I can’t get motivated to wear these.

Maybe if I do a super hot weather long distance ride, I’d find a use for them. But for day-to-day riding, these stay in the closet. 5/10.

LONG SLEEVE RUNNING TOP

This is a tight-fitting garment designed primarily for running. It is relatively short in length but provides full coverage of the torso and back. I ordered mine with a single small pocket in the back so I could use it for cycling, or for storing gels on a long run. It ran true to size.

The garment wicks moisture very well. I noticed that the wind blowing on the sweaty garment often feels cooler on this garment than it does on other comparable garments. As with the arm coolers, pouring water on it feels great.

It’s a bit hard to put on, especially if you’re sweaty. And it’s not particularly useful as a standalone cycling garment, with its lack of spacious pockets and its see-through nature (ladies take note).

But this garment does generally serve its functional purpose, and at times it definitely feels cooler than running with no top on, due to the sun blockage and good moisture-wicking.

I will be wearing this shirt on the run portion of the Great Floridian Iron-distance tri later this year, where temps often climb into the 90s. 9/10.

OVERALL

The SkinCooler products are reasonably priced and perform as advertised.  They won’t work miracles–it’s still hot outside–but they make those long rides and runs a bit more tolerable.

The fabric is a bit fragile, and tends to pick up colors of whatever you wash it with (my helmet beanie is a bit red, and my arm coolers are a bit blue).  So treat the garment carefully for the first few weeks.

On a customer service note: I accidentally tore a hole in one of the arm coolers (my fault) and DeSoto was kind enough to send me TWO replacement coolers.  So I actually have three coolers now that I rotate on my rides.  Shop with confidence–DeSoto’s customer service is excellent.

All in all, these garments are not worth your time and money if you live in Vermont, but definitely give them a try if you live South. 8/10.