It’s hot. The sun beats down as you work during the hot day. The heat is absorbing all your energy. How are you supposed to work in these conditions? Take multiple breaks to be in the shade? For anyone looking to stay cool in the summer heat, there is an alternative. The security company Occunomix manufactures a brand of products known as MiraCool.
What is MiraCool?
MiraCool products come in the form of headbands, tie-back hats, ranger hats and, most popularly, bandanas. All MiraCool products are designed to keep you cool through evaporation. After a MiraCool product is soaked in water for some time, it can absorb enough to keep you cool throughout the day.
How does it work?
MiraCool and similar brands of cooling products are very simple. Each MiraCool product has a small sealed bag filled with what feels like grainy rocks or sand. Occunomix uses the term “coolant crystals” to describe them, but they are actually polymeric crystals. These polymer crystals are capable of holding many times their weight in water. For example, one pound of polymer crystals can hold up to fifty gallons of water! That’s why the polymer bag is so small. If there were too many crystals embedded in a MiraCool product, it would become heavy and cumbersome for the user.
To activate the polymer crystals, you simply need to submerge the product in water for an extended period of time. According to Occunomix, it only needs to soak for ten to twenty minutes before it’s ready to go. Actual users, however, have stated that it can take up to forty-five minutes for the entire absorption process to occur. Once the product has absorbed enough water, it is ready to start cooling. The MiraCool Cooling Bandana, Necktie or Headband is worn just as you would a non-cooling headband, neckerchief or necktie. As the water-filled product is exposed to heat, the water inside the crystals will begin to evaporate, keeping it cool.
How long do they last?
The duration of the cooling duration depends on several factors. It depends on how many polymer crystals are in the specific product, how long the product was submerged in water, and how hot it is outside. Occunomix claims that MiraCool products work all day or even longer, but those are most likely the best conditions. If used outdoors on a hot summer day, you should probably expect to only get several hours. It is also worth noting that while Occunomix claims that the product does not need to be frozen or chilled, the product will keep you fresh longer if you do. MiraCool products do not need to be cooled, they simply extend the cooling period.
In terms of product longevity, MiraCool products can be reused thousands of times. Once the water has completely evaporated from the polymer crystals, the product can be easily submerged and used over and over again.