MOTORCYCLE COOLING VEST
EVAPORATIVE OR PCM
Quick answer: which cooling vest for motorcycling?
If you ride with a breathable or ventilated summer jacket, choose an evaporative vest like the Bodycool Smart-X: the airflow blows through your jacket and allows the evaporation to work. If you ride with a sealed jacket made of leather or waterproof material, choose a cooling vest with PCM elements, because without airflow, nothing evaporates. In doubt? Start the selection aid at the top of this page, which will help you find the right vest in a few steps.
Why a motorcycle cooling vest?
Motorcycle clothing is designed to protect you, not to keep you cool. On a summer's day, the temperature under a motorcycle jacket quickly rises, especially in the city or in a traffic jam. A motorcycle cooling vest can help keep your body temperature pleasant, so you can better concentrate on the road.
Motorcyclists often know cooling vests from brands like Macna or Rev'it with HyperKewl. These are evaporative vests, and we also sell that technology. As cooling clothing specialists, we also stock PCM cooling vests, and it is precisely this combination that makes the difference: not every technique works under every motorcycle jacket.
Which cooling vest for which motorcycle jacket?
The jacket determines the vest. This is the core of what a motorcycle cooling vest is all about.
Breathable or ventilated jacket: evaporative vest
If you wear a summer jacket or mesh jacket, an evaporative vest like the Bodycool Smart-X DRY is the logical choice. You submerge the vest in water, put it on under your jacket, and the airflow blowing through your jacket allows the moisture to evaporate. This evaporation extracts heat from your body. The vest is light and thin, without cooling elements, so you hardly feel it under your jacket. Those who ride with it notice the difference especially when you pull away again after a stop: the airflow immediately picks up the evaporation again.
Sealed jacket: PCM cooling elements
If you wear a leather or waterproof jacket, there is hardly any airflow to your body, and therefore nothing evaporates. For a sealed motorcycle jacket, you should choose a cooling vest with PCM elements: these release their coolness without the need for air. Look at the Bodycool Hybrid (works both ways), the PCM CoolOver or CoolOver-X (worn over your shirt) or the Bodycool Pro Neoprene with Coolpac inserts.
Choosing PCM temperature
PCM elements are available in five temperature variants. The rule of thumb: the colder the element, the more intense but shorter the cooling. For most motorcyclists, 15 or 21°C is comfortable. If you wear the vest under thick clothing, the element can be colder, as the clothing dampens the cold sensation.
| Temperature | Cooling duration | For whom |
| 6.5°C | up to 2 hours | Intense cooling, under thick clothing |
| 15°C | up to 2.5 hours | Comfortable for most motorcyclists |
| 21°C | up to 3 hours | Comfortable for most motorcyclists |
| 24°C | up to 3.5 hours | Mild, long cooling |
| 29°C | up to 4.5 hours | Mild, long cooling |
The cooling duration depends on the chosen variant, the environment, and the intensity of use, and ranges between 2 and 4.5 hours. You reactivate it in the fridge, a cool box, or ice water.
Reactivating on the go
You reactivate an evaporative vest at every fuel stop: simply submerging it or wetting it with water is enough, and water is always available on the go. PCM elements require cold. For a long ride, take a cool box with you on the motorcycle or in the support vehicle, or have a spare set of Coolpac inserts ready: if you swap the elements during a break, you can continue riding cooled while the first set reactivates.
What should you pay attention to?
Under a motorcycle jacket, every centimetre counts. Choose a cooling vest that fits snugly, without bulk that tightens your jacket or restricts your freedom of movement. Also pay attention to the weight: an evaporative vest weighs more when wet than dry, and PCM elements add weight to the chest and back. Finally, check the washability, because a vest you wear under motorcycle clothing should be easy to wash.
For the full range and all techniques, also view the main category cooling vests.
Frequently asked questions about motorcycle cooling vests
- Does a cooling vest work under motorcycle clothing?
Yes, provided you match the technique to your jacket. Under a breathable or ventilated jacket, an evaporative vest works because the airflow blows through the jacket. Under a sealed jacket made of leather or waterproof material, you choose PCM elements, as they do not require airflow.
- Which cooling vest fits under a breathable summer jacket?
A light evaporative vest like the Bodycool Smart-X DRY. You activate it with water, it is thin and light, and the airflow blowing through your summer jacket keeps the evaporation going.
- How long does a cooling vest stay cool during a ride?
That depends on the technique and the conditions. An evaporative vest cools for up to 8 hours, depending on the environment and how intensely you ride. PCM elements cool for 2 to 4.5 hours, depending on the chosen temperature variant, and can be reactivated on the go in a cool box or swapped with a spare set.
- Which PCM temperature should I choose for motorcycling?
For most motorcyclists, 15 or 21°C is comfortable: cool enough to feel a difference, mild enough to wear for hours. If you wear the vest under thick or leather clothing, you can choose a colder variant, as the clothing dampens the cold sensation.
- Can a cooling vest harm my back or other protection?
No. A cooling vest does not replace protection and sits loosely under or next to it; you wear your protection as usual. However, choose a close-fitting vest without bulk, so that your jacket and protection stay in place.