ThermApparel Marks 4th Anniversary of Cooling Vest

ThermApparel is observing Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month by  celebrating the fourth anniversary of its cooling vest, designed for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and others with extreme sensitivity to heat.

“Our mission was to provide customers with a state-of-the-art cooling vest that looks and feels great, and is extremely fashionable,” Kurtis Kracke, founder and CEO of ThermApparel, said in a press release.

Although a large percentage of patients with MS experience a worsening in symptoms or flare-ups when exposed to high temperatures, there were no MS-specific cooling garments on the U.S. market until ThermApparel started manufacturing its UnderCool vests four years ago.

Before that, “personal cooling equipment was bulky and made people self-conscious and frustrated,” added Kracke.

The UnderCool vest weighs less than two pounds and is made with a four-way stretch fabric. The fabric contains a material that freezes at room temperature, keeping a person cool for 90 minutes.

Keeping cool can help patients at work, while shopping, and carrying out their daily routines. It also can help patients pursue activities associated with warmer seasons, including gardening, fishing, and walking.

“The vest allows cooler blood to circulate more freely, keeping your core temperature steady — which keeps you cool and increases the time you can spend on various indoor or outdoor activities,” said Kracke.

The vest is safe to wear directly against the skin and was developed with a bio-degradable non-toxic phase change technology that keeps the temperature cool in both dry and humid conditions.

According to the company, UnderCool vests are easy to use and offer important advantages such as being lightweight, adjustable, breathable, washable, and comfortable. The vest was designed to fit any body style and to be concealable under regular clothes.

Its cooling packs, which are available in two options, can be frozen right out of the box, in any refrigerator or in ice water in 20 minutes with no need to soak. ThermApparel also offers a recycling program to easily and safely replace worn-out cooling packs.

Besides MS, ThermApparel said it is committed to using its technology to help people with other conditions or engaged in other activities.

“We are excited about new applications for our technology, specifically in active seniors in retirement communities. We’ve also seen interest from people competing in extreme sports, like auto-racing or competitive cycling where weight and performance is so critical,” said Kracke.