StreetSpeed

The team I drive for in Lemons added a cool shirt system to the car this season. I'm thinking I'l shell out $140 for the shirt since our next race is NJMP in August. Just wondering for those who have used them, does it make an hour stint in a race car on a 90 degree day feel like the AC is on under your suit, or does it make the temperature just a little bit more bearable than the 7th Circle of Hell? If it really works I might as well add the system to the Corvette if I already have the shirt.

Z06Tracker

Works extremely well......

fcarga

You will not regret it!

brkntrxn

Best racing money you can ever spend.

BuckeyeZ06

Timely question. I need one, in a bad way.

I've held off because a very mixed results in the past. I experienced systems that stopped pumping water, making me even hotter than if I didn't have a system at all. The pumps would stop working after 15 minutes or so.

So what brands are people using with success? What's the key to getting them to last an hour?

crease-guard

Once you use it, you would shell out $500 for that shirt.

crease-guard

I've had my system in the car for 2 years and the pump works just fine. I run them for about 30 mintues at a time. They are low flow pumps so they should last a while. The pumps are submersible into the box so it's not like they over heat.

brkntrxn

I have run Cool Suit coolers continuously for 24 hours with zero issues.

fcarga

The cooler, lines in the shirt and from/to the shirt/cooler have to be kept clean - they can and will plug up with mildew/mold/algea! Also the pumps must be kept under water or they can/will fail. It is a good investment in your health, comfort and safety to have and use a Cool Shirt type setup.

StreetSpeed

Thanks for the feedback. Looking at Momo ADC shirt since it looks a little more wicking than the other ones I'm seeing, and the reviews on the bladder system seem to make sense.

JohnAlley

For a long time it is best to use a block of ice. I have had them last all day. I just freeze some half gallon milk jugs with water, when you get to track cut the plastic milk carton away and add water.

Bink

986 cool system was bought out by Momo...

http://www.momousa.com/store/index.p...o-ice-kit.html

ZoomFreakinZoom

I've used every brand and the 986 is the most consistent, but it isn't the "coldest". It stays the same almost all the time because of the bladders, but if you want the "coldest" shirt, get one of these....

http://www.fastraceproducts.com/page...ries/fa1206-gr

Any shirt set up is only as good as the temperature of the water, so if the water heats up you will also. I haven't used the full 986 system, although I've heard both good and bad things on it.

argonaut

This past Saturday at NJMP I tried out a Cool Shirt system for the first time and I have to say - why the hell did I wait so long. I've been in hotter weather but with temps around ninety and a bit of humidity it wasn't a picknick out there. Normally in conditions like that I would emerge from a session overheated and pretty much drained and need to sit in the shade and drink fluids for a spell. But no kiddng - I actually felt refreshed stepping out of the car - what a difference. I got the 12 quart cooler and it lasted ok for 30 min sessions. I didn't put as much ice in as I could have and when I returned to the paddock it had all melted - the water was still cool but no ice. For 60 min stints it might be a different story.

Captain Buddha

Has anyone installed one of the Cool Shirt systems in their daily driver that is used for HPDE/track days? It gets pretty dang hot in Texas. Ran Eagles Canyon this past weekend and it was HOTTTTTTTTT.....have an event there this weekend and it's supposed to be over 100...

How difficult/easy to install? And can it be "uninstalled" should I plan to take a road trip and need the hatch for storage space? Appreciate any/all input! As a side note, my car is tending to spend more time/miles on the track than on the street (this Saturday will be my 3rd track event this month).

argonaut

To install it takes two things - you have to wire it to a fused 12v source and you have to mount the cooler somewhere. I wired mine in with a switch on the dash (where the radio use to be) but you could just use a cigarette adapter. As to mounting the cooler - I pulled the passenger seat and attached the cooler to an old seat mount I had - its real solid and easy to take in and out (but you lose the passenger seat during track days). Most guys seem to mount it in the rear but that takes some drilling into the fiberglass and fabing up some mounts.

Captain Buddha

agronaut - thank you, appreciate the info! I'm not at the point where I want to start drilling holes in the car...yet...still my sort-of daily driver (but moving towards a track car, still under warranty though, as it's a 2013)...and I'm not "officially" soloed at the tracks I run at (even though I solo quite a bit)...and I still want to have instructors ride along too (as well as the wife, took her out for her 1st session this Saturday and she LOVED it!)...so, the front seat mount is out for me. Maybe I could figure out a way to mount it to (any?) existing holes in the back...

1991Z07

I'm thinking a frame designed to fit where the top would "store" in the back is gonna be the easiest solution.

Haven't looked inside the back of a Z06 in a while...but I'd guess the spot for the top storage mounts to go are still there and/or easy to buy and retrofit into the car.

Captain Buddha

That's an idea, will have to check that out, thank you!

MyOwn69

I have one for my track Miata. I bought the "Cool Shirt" and connectors from the manufacturer, but have a home-made cooler - a simple plastic jug cooler with the spout (drain!) and a boat bilge pump that circulates the water.
1/2 ice, 1/2 water and I'm good to go for about 1/2 hour.
Really does make a difference (when the water first "hits" you, the instant coolness makes you think you've wet yourself! ).