Columbia introduced a new line Omni-Freeze Ice clothing that will cool you to core even on the hottest of days.
The clothing is made of flat fibres that lay close to your skin and help remove both your body heat and sweat on a hot day. Columbia’s current line of Omni-Freeze clothing already does this, but these new ice fibres are infused with a special chemical that reacts with water or sweat to produce a cooling effect. Your clothes cool down and you do, too.
As with any chemical process, the cooling effect has a limited life span, about 50-70 washes. As long as you dont were the same shirt everyday, you should be fine. You also need to stay wet to keep the fabric cool which means you need to be in a humid environment or stay active enough to keep your sweat level up. Those are minor inconveniences compared to battling heat stroke while you bike your favourite mountain path.
The technology wont hit retail clothing racks this year, but prepare yourself for summer 2012 when Omni-Freeze Ice makes its grand debut. [Engadget]