Anyone in the south tried one of these CoolWare Personal Cooling System (http://www.sharperimage.com/si/view/product/CoolWare-Personal-Cooling-System/100849) thingies under their bee jacket/suit?
I've tried something like this (http://www.amazon.com/THERMO-COOL-COOLING-NECKWRAP-ROYAL-BLUE/dp/B009CHMNAM/ref=sr_1_10?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1367981353&sr=1-10&keywords=neck+cooler) for work. They do ok for a little while.
I have used something like that, they do help a little. When I am at home working my own yard though I keep frozen hand towels in my freezer - I wet them down then wrap them around a tupperware or bottle about the size of my neck - it will freeze like that, then you just pull it open enough to get around your neck. You get a little damp as it melts, but that's all to the good from my point of view. I wear a light linen shirt with a collar, so that I can flip up the collar so that the ice doesn't directly touch my skin. Works great for me. When I want a break, I just swap out for a new one. I will even take some in a cooler with me to cut-outs. Speaking of cut outs - those fun attic jobs? There I shove ice packs in any pocket I can fit them in!
JC
The best "cooler" is a ventilated suit like the Ultra Breeze or the Golden Bee Products suit. On a hot day, you can wear the full suit with nothing underneath but your shorts and some boots...
I have used a lot of tricks for removals ice cold water and a fan are the best shade is next. For the bee yard I dont work bees in july without a running truck with air. As I get to hot I jump in and cool off. I can work a lot longer with the truck out there. I have always thought of hooking a air line into the leg of my suit to blow me up like the Michilene Man just like the suit for a sand blaster it would sure help for those attic removals in july with 98% humidity and 150 degrees in the attic.
Oh the Ice cold water is poured on you suit not for drinking.