A cooling towel is a must-have item for dealing with hot weather. Made from unique hyper-evaporative material, cooling towels provide instant cooling relief whenever you wet, wring out, and snap them.
The towels trap water while staying dry to the touch, creating a chill sensation that can lower your skin temperature by up to 30 degrees.
Cooling towels offer a simple yet effective way to prevent overheating and find relief from the summer swelter.
How Do Cooling Towels Work?
Cooling towels contain specially engineered fabric made to maximize evaporative cooling. The hyper-evaporative material used to produce the towels comes in a few varieties, including:
- Polyester microfibers – Ultra-fine synthetic fibers with maximum moisture retention.
- Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) – A porous polymer that absorbs and disperses water.
- Crystal mineral salts – Salts embedded in the fabric to improve moisture conductivity.
While the exact materials differ amongst cooling towel brands, they all rely on the same evaporative cooling principle. When wet fabric is exposed to moving air, the moisture evaporates, taking heat with it and creating a chilling effect.
The greater the evaporation rate, the more cooling power the towel provides. Cooling towel materials use capillary action and hydrophilic coatings to evenly distribute and retain maximum moisture. This allows for rapid evaporation over the entire towel surface area for superior chilling power.
Key Takeaway: Cooling towels contain unique hyper-evaporative materials that trap and disperse water to provide chilling relief in hot weather.
How to Activate a Cooling Towel
Activating a cooling towel’s chilling powers takes just three simple steps:
1. Wet Thoroughly
The first step is to completely soak the towel in cool, clean water. Cold water is ideal as it will make the towel cooler from the start. However, you can use water of any temperature.
Run the towel under a faucet or dunk in a basin until saturated. Wringing out excess drips afterward is optional. Leaving the towel fully soaked provides maximum cooling power.
Key Takeaway: Soak the entire cooling towel in water to wet the special interior material.
2. Wring Out (Optional)
After soaking, you can choose to gently wring out excess drips if you don’t want the towel sopping wet. Firm twisting and squeezing is unnecessary and may damage the delicate cooling fibers inside.
Gently pressing between your palms to remove excess pooled water is sufficient. The goal is to eliminate free drips rather than removing internal moisture from the material.
Key Takeaway: Wringing out some excess water is optional depending on your desired level of wetness.
3. Snap in the Air
The final step to activate your cooling towel is to snap it forcefully with a quick flick of your wrists. One or two vigorous snaps will do. This shaking action evenly redistributes the moisture within the fabric to spur instant evaporative cooling.
You should feel an immediate chill sensation emanating from the towel. Simply drape around your neck and shoulders to enjoy hours of dry cooling relief.
Key Takeaway: Quickly snapping the wet towel in the air spreads the water evenly to trigger cooling.
How Long Does a Cooling Towel Stay Cold?
Assuming proper activation via thorough wetting, wringing out, and snapping, a cooling towel will stay chilled for 1-2 hours on average.
However, cooling duration depends on several factors:
- External temperature – Towels last longer in extreme heat.
- Body temperature – More cooling relief is felt when overheated.
- Air exposure – Good airflow across the towel speeds evaporation.
- Moisture level – Well-soaked towels provide longer cooling.
To maintain chilling relief, simply rewet and snap your towel periodically. As long as it remains damp, you can “recharge” it indefinitely. Letting it fully dry out will require soaking from scratch to reactivate.
With proper use and care, a quality cooling towel can provide many years of instant heat relief.
Caring for Your Cooling Towel
Caring for your cooling towel ensures longevity and consistent performance. Follow these usage and maintenance tips:
- Storage: Store towels flat or loosely rolled, not folded. Folding can damage the internal fibers. Keep in a breathable bag or the original storage tube.
- Washing: Wash occasionally with mild detergent. Avoid bleach, fabric softener or dryer sheets as they reduce effectiveness. Air dry only.
- Avoid saltwater, chlorine and direct sunlight: Salt and chlorine degrade the fabric over time. Sunlight can cause fading. For beach and pool use, be sure to rinse afterward.
- Check for snags: Inspect for loose threads or holes periodically. Discard if fibers appear damaged as this indicates wearing of the delicate inner material.
With proper care and storage, cooling towels can retain their refreshing powers for many years.
Uses for Cooling Towels
Thanks to their lightweight, compact size, cooling towels offer instant heat relief across numerous warm weather activities including:
- Outdoor recreation – hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating
- Beach trips and pool days
- Yardwork and gardening
- Outdoor spectating events
- Alleviating hot flashes, fevers, headaches
- Cooling babies and pets
- Physical exertion – exercise, sports, running, cycling
Drape around your neck, shoulders, head or stuff in a hat for convenient hands-free chilling. Cooling towels make perfect accessories for anyone venturing outdoors on hot days or dealing with indoor heat waves.
Benefits of Cooling Towels
Beyond basic heat relief, using a cooling towel offers numerous benefits:
- Prevents overheating: Cools core temperature to avoid heat stress.
- Relieves discomfort: Reduces headaches, nausea, hot flashes.
- Improves performance: Allows exertion for longer periods.
- Enhances focus: Lessens fatigue and grogginess from heat.
- Saves water: No need for constant splash dowsing.
- Convenient: Hands-free wearing, reusable for years.
- Eco-friendly: Made from recycled materials, chemical-free.
Cooling towels provide welcome refreshment during endless summer activities where heat can quickly become exhausting or downright dangerous.
FAQs
What temperature do cooling towels reach?
Depending on ambient conditions, cooling towels generally provide a 15-30 degree temperature reduction from your body temp. This can mean feeling 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit chill.
What material are cooling towels made of?
Most cooling towels contain some blend of polyester, PVA polymer, and mineral salts for optimal moisture-wicking performance.
Can you put a cooling towel in the freezer?
No – freezing can damage the delicate internal material and fibers. Simply soak in cool water to activate the chilling effect.
How should you wash cooling towels?
Hand wash or gentle machine wash with mild detergent. No bleach, softeners or dryer sheets. Air dry only.
Do cooling towels lose effectiveness over time?
With proper care and storage, cooling towels maintain their evaporative powers for many years. Damage of internal material may eventually degrade performance.
Conclusion
Cooling towels beat the heat with their innovative hyper-evaporative material that “magically” snaps cold with just water and a flick of the wrist. Compact and reusable, these chilled accessories serve up convenient relief from hot weather woes.
Simply soak, wring out, snap, and drape your cooling towel to enjoy hands-free refreshment perfect for any sweltering occasion.
