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Riding vests


RodTi

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Hello All,

 

Read with interest the article that followed the bib-shorts review, concerning riding vests.

 

How many of you use them?

I understand the general idea behind them, how they supposedly wick moisture (i.e) sweat away from the body, and then transfer it onto the second layer of clothing - i.e. the riding top/shirt - which supposedly makes one cooler, given that it can then evaporate.

 

But, call me old-school - I just cannot imagine how something so tight fitting, could actually make you cooler. 

In spite of all the new materials on the market, being specifically designed to help with temperature control - I've found that what the advertisers say, and what actually happens - is seldom the same.

 

So, from the horses mouth - who rode without a vest in summer, and used to get hot - and then decided to invest in a vest [sorry Wink], and then found that it made a major difference?

 

In short - are they worth it?
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I use the Anatomic ones and realised this morning I need to go and buy another. I like using them and can not say if they really keep me cool but it does help with the correct reading on the HR monitor. The top shirt flaps against the transmitter and gives a false reading. They also help incase of a fall. Then the top shirt rubs agaisnt the base layer insted of your skin.

 
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I am also old school. The less I wear when it is hot ,the cooler I feel. ie wear single layer when cycling

I wear a "vest" when it is cool and a hayley (spelling) hansen undershirt when it might rain.

Although photos of the overseas pros almost always show that they wear a "vest". Different climate!
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Me and the GF was also looking at that artical last ngiht, think we desided to give the Anatomic ones a go, they are the cheapestEmbarrassed

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I think they also come in handy in winter:

Helps to move sweat away from your body so you dont get cold, at least this is how I feel.

Haven't really used one in summer, just try to keep as cool as possible by unzipping my shirt
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Me and the GF was also looking at that artical last ngiht' date=' think we desided to give the Anatomic ones a go, they are the cheapestEmbarrassed[/quote']

 

Go with the yellow ones. The white ones tend to go grey after a few washes.
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Yeah I agree that it would make more sense in winter, since wind-chill factor on a wet top/torso would not be pleasant...

But still buggered about the advantages during the summer. See the article specifically mentioned that some are better suited for summer than others.

Then, just to throw a spanner in the works, see that Cantabury(?) have a range of vests for rugby players - also split between summer and winter wear.

 

Guess pro-players do a fair bit of training in summer these days - but again - how many of them actually use them?

 

Suppose we'll just have to wait and see if any hubbers have actually gone from no-vest to vest in the summer, and hear what they have to say.

 
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Me and the GF was also looking at that artical last ngiht' date=' think we desided to give the Anatomic ones a go, they are the cheapestEmbarrassed[/quote'] I use newspaper, even cheaper EmbarrassedEmbarrassed
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I Fly - you use vests in summer?

 

Any improvement on temp control?

 

No, I dont wear vests unless the temperate is cool. I did try on a hot day when I was first given one but found that it stopped the wind flow against my body, even with my shirt zipped open, and at the end of the ride the vest was damp against my skin.

 

When I was young I played baseball and softball. I had similiar arguements with my team mates who insisted that a cotton undershirt helped to absorp the sweat and kept them cool and dry. My counter was that the cotton undershirt made them sweat more, was damp and caused their arm muscles to cool down unnaturally. This lead to sore arms and tennis elbow. 

 

 
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The garments work by dissipating your perspiration over a larger area, thereby increasing the area that is cooled by the evaporation process. these work best when tight like the Linebreak compression garments. They are obviously dependant on air flowing over the garment.

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obree - Linebreak be the rugby stuff?

 

What you say makes sense - but that would then suggest that unless one has a really tight vest, and air flowing over it, it won't really help?

 

With riding tops/shirts - usually only have the top zip that one can pull down (possibly all the way), with which to get air flowing over the vest... in which case you might as well go without, since air flowing over a bare torso would probably have the same effect?

 

Don't know - but seems that vests probably only work in winter then?
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Used by lots of athletes, including rugby. With a bare torso the evaporation is limited to the area from whence the perspiration is exiting the skin ie mostly arm pits 

 

www.linebreak.com.au

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I dunno hey, when I need help from sweat removal it's not just my arm pits that are sweating. If it is just my arm pits then all is fine and I don't need help with sweat evaporation.

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