How to keep a costume cool?
- Thread starter orion42m
- Start date
FrontaLittle
Active Member
Tried to find something similar a few days ago and found the cooling vests from glacier tek. They don't need external water supply but have some alien chemistry stuff going on.
The vest cools itself down to 15 degrees celsius and can maintain that temperature in 38 degrees celsius for about 2 hours. Then you need to recharge the vest in a refrigerator.
I don't know if you have to activate the cooling reaction somehow or if it just starts cooling the moment you remove it from the fridge. So transportation to events and the high price kept me from buying one. Also, based on your costume you might develop more than 38 degrees so worst case is this thing cools you for about an hour and after that, it's an additional layer of cloth.
The vest cools itself down to 15 degrees celsius and can maintain that temperature in 38 degrees celsius for about 2 hours. Then you need to recharge the vest in a refrigerator.
I don't know if you have to activate the cooling reaction somehow or if it just starts cooling the moment you remove it from the fridge. So transportation to events and the high price kept me from buying one. Also, based on your costume you might develop more than 38 degrees so worst case is this thing cools you for about an hour and after that, it's an additional layer of cloth.
samuraibunni
Member
I'm wondering about this as my Xeno costume is HOT! And I haven't even tried the whole thing on yet. I'm thinking of getting small PC case fans (the flat ones) and wiring up vents etc. to small batteries in the head etc. where there's room. The switches can be camouflaged as part of the external details mebby?
Mike J.
Master Member
Fans in helmets are common with Stormtrooper costumers. Ask around on the SW costume forum for advice.
Checking into them, and it's a fancy ice pack holder, basically. Obviously a little more technical, but that's pretty much how it works. The packs are chilled, either in a fridge, freezer, or the like, and then inserted into the vest. To recharge, you just put the packs back in. They say that recharging in ice water only takes about 20 minutes, so I guess if you can arrange for an ice bath every couple hours, you might make it just fine.
Cormac
Active Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyJILFrtb5U
I started looking into making something along these lines for under a costume in the past. I'm sure it could be modified to be more slim line.
If you could find a container that was both slim enough to hide under a costume but with an opening wide enough to fill with standard ice cubes from whatever refreshments bar is around you could re-fill it as needed. maybe wrap the tubing around under the arms as well as the neck to keep the robes form getting too clingy.
another option is to use the cooling strips that you can get for migraine. one or two of these. in key places should take the edge off.
I started looking into making something along these lines for under a costume in the past. I'm sure it could be modified to be more slim line.
If you could find a container that was both slim enough to hide under a costume but with an opening wide enough to fill with standard ice cubes from whatever refreshments bar is around you could re-fill it as needed. maybe wrap the tubing around under the arms as well as the neck to keep the robes form getting too clingy.
another option is to use the cooling strips that you can get for migraine. one or two of these. in key places should take the edge off.
Mascot costumes run on the hot side and there is an industry that caters to this issue.
http://www.veskimo.com/how-cooling-vests-work.php this is just one.
I made my own. i used an old hockey goalie padding rig (i needed the bulk for a NASA suit) and sewed in pockets. I put in the reusable gel packs that you freeze for lunches etc. easy.
http://www.veskimo.com/how-cooling-vests-work.php this is just one.
I made my own. i used an old hockey goalie padding rig (i needed the bulk for a NASA suit) and sewed in pockets. I put in the reusable gel packs that you freeze for lunches etc. easy.
MrSouthpaw
Sr Member
It's not exactly active-cooling like the above solutions. But if you make your undergarments synthetic they breathe better and will help keep you cool. Cotton and similar natural fiber garments hold sweat and keep you swamped.
Also, remember to stay hydrated. It's easy to forget when you're having fun at an event.
Also, remember to stay hydrated. It's easy to forget when you're having fun at an event.
Burt
New Member
I've been wanting to do something like this with Ice packs, but what do you do about condensation? Its going to be a lot more drippy.
This has been an issue for a long time. Either military, racing, or film costumes, a great deal of research has gone into developing a way to cool the body in these types of situations.
The problem is the human body can generate a lot of heat, and finding a way to absorb or dissipate this heat isn't easy.
The pictured suit above is your best alternative, given all that is currently out there. I am not really a fan of the ice pack vests, I much prefer the circulating fluid systems. I have worn both in creature suits for film or TV and the circulating system is much more consistent and controllable. You really don't need, or necessarily want 32-40 degree materials against the skin, you really only need 50 to 60 degrees.
Wet ice is the best for this, as it gives up more energy than dry ice and peltier devices (cooling chips) are far too inefficient to have any affect unless you have a huge number of them, and then the power source and unit are way too big to be practical.
This problem of "cooling power" is such that for film we didn't bother with a self contained unit. Because by the time you got it small enough to fit on a costume (even with a back pack) it would either get too heavy or only last a hour at best.
I developed a "cool suit" for my friend Kevin Peter Hall for the first Predator, since at that time there was almost nothing commercially available. The few that were, where very expensive or not designed with costume work in mind.
Kevin was very worried about over heating in the suit in the jungles of Mexico, and Stan Winston's guys had no idea what Kevin was talking about when I suggested he ask them for one. Eventually I started making them for rent, and over the years they have been used on hundreds of projects. Which led to this:
(Harvey Hubert worked for me and built many of our first pump systems)
Now there are many commercially available "coolsuits" and many production companies just buy them for the run of the show.
While our vest was a very different design, using "heat sealed" channels in an open "radiator design", verses clear tubing in a serpentine design, the tube suits work pretty well.
But most commercial units have a big drink cooler for the ice reservoir and that isn't practical for a walk around suit.
If you can get a screw top plastic bottle and drill holes in the lid to run your pump-to-vest lines in and out of the bottle. (one hose in and a second out) You fill it half way with water and freeze it. Then when you want to use it, fill the rest of the space with water and hook up you hoses from the pump to the vest to the bottle. (make sure the hoses are long enough to be completely in the water but not frozen into the ice.) This way you have a small compact "cold battery". You can glue the hoses into the lid and just screw on/ off containers, or you can use quick disconnects(I like CPC fittings) mounted into the lid and the hoses.
To assist the water flow and keep it from growing, add a couple of drops of iodine and wetting agent to your water. This will keep it from "growing" and the wetting agent makes the water wetter, so it flows with less resistance.
Don'y drink the water from you pump/vest system, as it either has iodine in it, or if not, the water will grow algae (or other things) in the vest, and it can make you sick.
The problem is the human body can generate a lot of heat, and finding a way to absorb or dissipate this heat isn't easy.
The pictured suit above is your best alternative, given all that is currently out there. I am not really a fan of the ice pack vests, I much prefer the circulating fluid systems. I have worn both in creature suits for film or TV and the circulating system is much more consistent and controllable. You really don't need, or necessarily want 32-40 degree materials against the skin, you really only need 50 to 60 degrees.
Wet ice is the best for this, as it gives up more energy than dry ice and peltier devices (cooling chips) are far too inefficient to have any affect unless you have a huge number of them, and then the power source and unit are way too big to be practical.
This problem of "cooling power" is such that for film we didn't bother with a self contained unit. Because by the time you got it small enough to fit on a costume (even with a back pack) it would either get too heavy or only last a hour at best.
I developed a "cool suit" for my friend Kevin Peter Hall for the first Predator, since at that time there was almost nothing commercially available. The few that were, where very expensive or not designed with costume work in mind.
Kevin was very worried about over heating in the suit in the jungles of Mexico, and Stan Winston's guys had no idea what Kevin was talking about when I suggested he ask them for one. Eventually I started making them for rent, and over the years they have been used on hundreds of projects. Which led to this:
(Harvey Hubert worked for me and built many of our first pump systems)
Now there are many commercially available "coolsuits" and many production companies just buy them for the run of the show.
While our vest was a very different design, using "heat sealed" channels in an open "radiator design", verses clear tubing in a serpentine design, the tube suits work pretty well.
But most commercial units have a big drink cooler for the ice reservoir and that isn't practical for a walk around suit.
If you can get a screw top plastic bottle and drill holes in the lid to run your pump-to-vest lines in and out of the bottle. (one hose in and a second out) You fill it half way with water and freeze it. Then when you want to use it, fill the rest of the space with water and hook up you hoses from the pump to the vest to the bottle. (make sure the hoses are long enough to be completely in the water but not frozen into the ice.) This way you have a small compact "cold battery". You can glue the hoses into the lid and just screw on/ off containers, or you can use quick disconnects(I like CPC fittings) mounted into the lid and the hoses.
To assist the water flow and keep it from growing, add a couple of drops of iodine and wetting agent to your water. This will keep it from "growing" and the wetting agent makes the water wetter, so it flows with less resistance.
Don'y drink the water from you pump/vest system, as it either has iodine in it, or if not, the water will grow algae (or other things) in the vest, and it can make you sick.
Mordanti
New Member
Thanks for sharing that, Imgill - fascinating and useful info on liquid-cooling suit tech. I've always wondered how the Predator stayed cool while filming in the jungle heat!
Myself, I'm testing out a fan-cooling system this fall, once all the parts arrive, that's based on an army cooling-vest system:
I looked at water-cooling systems, but the sticking points are cost and weight: they're pricey, with the necessary pumps, and the water combined with the heavy batteries needed to run the pumps means they're a lot of extra weight to lug around for a few hour's cooling. No to mention the possibility of leakage, spilling things when refilling, etc.
Evaporative vests only work if there's a breeze( or cooling fans )and in low humidity; anything over 50% humidity and they're no good. You also have to soak them in ice water, though the more expensive ones will retain this cool water for longer periods of time thanks to the chemical tech they contain. Again, no good for my needs.
There is also MiClimate, a fan-based product which was recently funded 2 months ago on Indigogo.com... meaning it will likely be a year or two before it's available commercially, at the earliest. In essence, it's a compact fan / battery pack / venting assembly you wear on your belt - no word on noise levels, and it's not likely to be less than $300 USD even then.
The plan: I'll be wiring up 3x 80mm PC-case 12V silent fans to individual battery packs of 8xAA batteries( 1.5V each = 12V, packs are $3 USD on eBay )which will run for up to 7 hours by my calculations, which are admittedly untested at this point.The sticking point will be to create a custom air-intake frame that will be unobtrusive to wear on my lower back but will still allow enough air to bring into the vest's hose to cool me sufficiently. The air-cooling vest has the added advantage of even distribution under other clothes, as it's designed for exactly that purpose, and as a bonus is olive-drab which blends nicely with my Aliens USCM costume.
I imagine there's going to be a lot of duct take on the first few prototypes, but I feel this is the best cost-vs-cooling model I can create given my limited skill set and even-more-limited budget...
I'll post an update here and in a new thread in the future( likely close to the end of 2016 )once the parts arrive and I've had a chance to monkey around with the setup some.
Myself, I'm testing out a fan-cooling system this fall, once all the parts arrive, that's based on an army cooling-vest system:
I looked at water-cooling systems, but the sticking points are cost and weight: they're pricey, with the necessary pumps, and the water combined with the heavy batteries needed to run the pumps means they're a lot of extra weight to lug around for a few hour's cooling. No to mention the possibility of leakage, spilling things when refilling, etc.
Evaporative vests only work if there's a breeze( or cooling fans )and in low humidity; anything over 50% humidity and they're no good. You also have to soak them in ice water, though the more expensive ones will retain this cool water for longer periods of time thanks to the chemical tech they contain. Again, no good for my needs.
There is also MiClimate, a fan-based product which was recently funded 2 months ago on Indigogo.com... meaning it will likely be a year or two before it's available commercially, at the earliest. In essence, it's a compact fan / battery pack / venting assembly you wear on your belt - no word on noise levels, and it's not likely to be less than $300 USD even then.
The plan: I'll be wiring up 3x 80mm PC-case 12V silent fans to individual battery packs of 8xAA batteries( 1.5V each = 12V, packs are $3 USD on eBay )which will run for up to 7 hours by my calculations, which are admittedly untested at this point.The sticking point will be to create a custom air-intake frame that will be unobtrusive to wear on my lower back but will still allow enough air to bring into the vest's hose to cool me sufficiently. The air-cooling vest has the added advantage of even distribution under other clothes, as it's designed for exactly that purpose, and as a bonus is olive-drab which blends nicely with my Aliens USCM costume.
I imagine there's going to be a lot of duct take on the first few prototypes, but I feel this is the best cost-vs-cooling model I can create given my limited skill set and even-more-limited budget...
I'll post an update here and in a new thread in the future( likely close to the end of 2016 )once the parts arrive and I've had a chance to monkey around with the setup some.If any of you have seen Adam Savage's Incognito at Comic-Con 2015 with Chris Hadfield? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxRoK5LZa_A
Surely something similar to his water cooling setup, it just looks like a tank, a pump, and a drill battery, except using something like a Camelbak bladder could be used for costumes that don't have space for a rigid tank like Adam did.
Surely something similar to his water cooling setup, it just looks like a tank, a pump, and a drill battery, except using something like a Camelbak bladder could be used for costumes that don't have space for a rigid tank like Adam did.
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