FlexiFreeze Personal Series Ice Vest (Zipper Closure)

This cooling vest is an adjustable neoprene vest that’s just like a wetsuit. It has three separate inserts. One for each side on the front and line larger piece for the back. Inserts are mesh and have Velcro to hold them into the vest itself. The inserts consist of interconnected cubes that are filled with plain water and are presealed so you don’t have to deal with filling them up. You can freeze these already in the mesh pockets or the cubes are removable and you can freeze them that way. You just have to deal with inserting them back into the mesh pockets and then placing them back into the vest. The vest is adjustable on the sides using elastic lacing. Zips up front and vest is meant to be worn snugly against skin so you should wear a garment of some type such as a cotton t-shirt underneath so as to not cause possible skin damage from cold such as frost bite. That’s it. It’s very simple. The ice keeps your core temperature low which in turn keeps your remaining temperature low as well. Depending on outside temperature and amount of time working will determine the amount of time the ice lasts in best. I did about 1 1/2 hrs and the ice was completely thawed in some areas but partially frozen still in other areas. I was comfortable the whole time as far as temp went. You can also purchase ice cube sets that are pre-cut to fit each panel of mesh inserts. You can get the additional inserts needed and keep them pre-frozen in freezer or portable ice chest so you do not run out of frozen panels in the middle of working. I purchased a portable chest with compressor so it can get down to -4 degrees C. I can place everything in ice chest to freeze it and keep it frozen until using. This system works in insuring I have a cold ice vest available at all times, one frozen on stand-by already in mesh inserts that only need to be switched out with thawed ice packs and you can have frozen as many sets as you would like. Polyurethane portion is washable in machine. This one and refills are not cheap but they do get the job done and keep you from melting. Using a portable freezer that you have with you and keep pre-frozen ice pack sets in insures you constantly have cooling. You can also find decent, cheap ice chest freezers on Amazon as well.

This is possibly the best purchase I have ever made. I was finding myself overheating when I went out to mow the lawn over the summer. I bought this ice vest so that the heat wouldn’t stop me from doing yardwork. It is so easy to use. I keep the ice packs in my freezer. They do take up a lot of space so it is ideal if you have an extra freezer to keep them in. The strong Velcro is easy to use and is durable. The vest itself is made from neoprene and is meant to fit any size. It is very easy to adjust the strings. Then there is a sturdy zipper up the front. I really feel it is super comfortable. It is expensive, but it is worth it.

I wavered between 4 and 5 stars, but decided on 5, based on other products out there and how I use this. I live in an area where summer days are typically 90-95+ degrees. This vest gives me about 1 1/2 hrs of relief. I like that the ice is in small, encapsulated cubes which makes the vest very flexible, and it also helps it refreeze quickly. The cubes are in velcroed, netted holders that attach to the vest quickly and securely. I don't take the ice cube packs out of the velcro holders - I throw them right in the freezer when i come in. The vest is easily size adjustable in width and length. Setting the ice in cubes rather than blocks makes it more lightweight. I find the weight comfortable, not too heavy. I wouldn't depend on this vest if I were going out on a 6 or 8 hour hike or work day, but for yard work that I would ordinarily have to do early morning or early evening this is perfect.

This vest is fantastic for keeping cool. It lasts for approximately 1-1.5 hours depending on the external temperature and conditions. I’ve been demoing it at home before I’m brave enough to wear it to work. It’s a little heavy to wear under most clothing so I’d bet on wearing it over my clothes in most instances: For contractual purposes let’s just say I can’t say where I work, but that it technically has air conditioning, but the area is so large it barely keeps it cool during the summer. Anyway, as someone who is hot pretty much all the time, basically a human furnace (thanks I guess Scandinavian genetic adaptions), but lives in the Midwest, summers can be gross. Honestly I’d keep the temperature at 63 degrees (that’s Fahrenheit for people outside of ‘Murica) all the time, but depressingly I cannot as I have others to cater too in my home. Oh the vest! Yes, I was getting there! It’s lovely for keeping cool. In lower temperatures it lasts closer to 1.5-2 hours and in warmer temperatures it lasts 0.5-1.25 hours. It does exactly as advertised, it keeps one cool via a core body temperature decrease thus pulling heat from the extremities and limbs and regulating core body temperature to a comfortable medium in the heat. I only recommend buying a ton of extra little ice pack things. I forget which ones I purchased but I got several sets to cover a roughly 6.5-8 hour timespan, and I did have to cut them to fit in the vest for swap-outs. If you’re looking for a manner by which to stay cool I would definitely go for it! The only thing detracting from a 5-star-review is the zipper. I’m fairly certain other reviews have addressed it, it’s terrible. It’s going to break at some point but I love the vest so much I’ll take it to a seamstress to fix… Stay cool everyone, and buy extra ice packs!

The summer heat and humidity in Florida is brutal. I work about 20 hrs a week in a small warehouse with no air conditioning. The vest is a lifesaver. I ordered an extra set of ice packs so that I have enough for my 5 hour day. Each set of ice packs lasts between 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The drawback is the nylon fabric is pulling away from the seams and although the zipper has not broke, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to start the zipper. I can tell it's going to fail soon. I bought this in mid June so I estimate 50cycles (one cycle being putting on and taking off). Although I did not buy this to make a fashion statement, it does look like you are wearing a flack jacket so I get a few odd looks. All in all I like the product just wish it was more durable.

Nice system for staying cool in hot weather. The vest has a wide range of adjustability and feels well made with solid materials. I previously tried a cheaper $30 cooling vest with large ice packs, but it caused skin irritation even through layers of shirts. This FlexiFreeze system is much more comfortable. The cooling is better distributed and I don’t get irritation. In hot conditions, each ice set lasts a little over an hour. I initially bought just the vest, but you really want at least two ice pack sets, preferably three, so you can rotate them if working outside for 4 to 6 hours or more. I’m planning to get a second vest with ice packs for my mom. She tried mine while gardening and liked it. The extra ice packs feel a bit overpriced, but the quick swap Velcro design is very convenient. I will probably end up buying more for longer outdoor work and remote job sites.

I bought this for mowing grass, and other yardwork, in the summer heat. I'm getting old enough to worry about strokes and heart attacks. I also overheat quickly and then have blinding headaches that last hours, after just mowing for an hour. This best fixed that problem. No headaches, no overheating. It IS a little heavy, as it's basically several pounds of ice hanging from your shoulders. That's not a problem for me, though. This vest is worth the money, if you have the freezer space to store the ice packs. Adjustable, sturdy, comfortable to wear. Probably life saving. Definitely life improving!

I am editing this after my initial review below…… the zipper on this new vest I got is terrible I adjusted my vest to fit me perfectly. Not loose but not tight. The second I moved to bend over a small bit the zipper came undone after I’ve had it a short time. Once this happens the zipper will get further messed up to unzip the vest completely. Now it won’t zip properly at all so the only way to wear it is to put it on unzipped and wear a shirt over it to hold it in place. END OF UPDATE. I have a rare and aggressive form of MS and I live in Arizona. Keeping my bodies core temperature cool is critical for me and a must. I’m 5’10” and 214 Lbs and this vest adjust to fit me perfectly front and back. I’ve tried all types of cooling vest with dual fans etc. this one even on a trip to Washington DC in the humid summer keep my body cool for hours. On average it keeps me cool on 100+F days for about 3 hours. For safety I change the ice packs after 2 1/2 hours. I own 2 extra Ice pack sets and can go all day with them. When frozen I’m allowed to wear my vest at all airports and on all aircraft. At hotels the desk managers arrange to have my ice packs frozen in their kitchens/restaurants since the small refrigerators in the hotel rooms can’t freeze….. but if I get a type of room with a kitchen and residential refrigerator then I can freeze them all myself which is great. Again keeping my body cool is critical for me to stay alive and this best is the best I’ve encountered and use so far. Great value.Comfortable to wear. And I’m not a small guy I was in the military for 34 years.