Small kit for hot days.
In short: a cooling towel, a cooling hat, a cooling scarf and cooling arm sleeves all work the same way. You wet them, the water evaporates, and that takes warmth with it. They work best in dry air with a breeze and less well in humid, still air. A misting fan adds a fine spray to moving air. They are small helpers for hot days. Shade and water still come first.
✓ 30-day returns · ✓ 2-year warranty · ✓ 4.7 on Trustpilot · ✓ 10,000+ users
Gløde does not sell cooling towels, cooling hats or other cooling accessories (yet). This article compares types on how they work and on what manufacturers state. It is not a test and we did not try the products.
One note: this article is about hats and caps for sport, work and hot days, not about the medical cooling caps used in hospitals.
The accessories compared
| Accessory | How it cools | How you start it | Where it sits | Honest limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooling towel | Water evaporates from the fabric | Soak, wring, shake | Neck, shoulders, head | Stops when dry; milder in humid air |
| Cooling hat or cap | Wet fabric or insert, plus shade | Wet the crown or the insert | Head | Under a helmet only if the maker allows it |
| Cooling scarf or neck wrap | Wet fabric or a water-holding filling | Soak for a few minutes | Neck | Feels damp on your collar |
| Cooling arm sleeves | Thin fabric lets a breeze through; cooler when wet | Pull on, wet if you like | Arms | Mild effect when dry |
| Misting fan | Fan plus a fine water spray | Fill the tank, charge by USB | In your hand or on a table | Small tank; just makes you damp in humid air |
How they work, and when they do not
Turning water into vapour takes energy. That energy is warmth, and it comes from the wet fabric and your skin. So every accessory here needs water, and air that can take up moisture. Once the fabric is dry, it is just a towel or a cap again.
Cooling towel
The simplest of the group. You soak it, wring it out, shake it and hang it around your neck. There are two common materials.
- PVA feels smooth, a little like a chamois. It holds a lot of water. It usually dries stiff and softens again when wet.
- Microfibre or mesh feels like a thin sports towel. It is lighter, stays soft when dry and holds less water.
Look for a size that reaches around your neck and a pouch to carry it damp.
Interested? We'll let you know.
Gløde is considering adding a cooling towel. Leave your email and we'll send you one message if we launch it. No newsletter unless you ask for it.
We only use your email to send you one message about this. More in our privacy policy.
Cooling hat and cooling cap
A cooling hat does two jobs. The brim or peak gives shade. The crown, or an insert in it, holds water that evaporates.
For sun protection, look for the UPF label on the product. Wearing a helmet at work or on the bike? A cap or insert under a helmet can change how it fits. Only use what the helmet manufacturer allows.
Interested? We'll let you know.
Gløde is considering adding a cooling hat or cap. Leave your email and we'll send you one message if we launch it. No newsletter unless you ask for it.
We only use your email to send you one message about this. More in our privacy policy.
Cooling scarf and neck wrap
A cooling scarf is a narrow band for your neck. Some are a strip of evaporative fabric. Others have a filling that swells with water and gives it off slowly. They stay put better than a towel. The downside is a damp collar. Want cooling without water? A neck fan or neck cooler is the powered alternative. Our page on the neck cooler with heating explains the type that cools and warms.
Cooling arm sleeves
Thin, stretchy sleeves from wrist to upper arm. They cover your arms and let a breeze through. Wet, they work like a cooling towel for your arms. Dry, the effect is mild. For sun protection, look for the UPF label.
Misting fan
A handheld or table fan with a small water tank. It sprays a fine mist into the airflow, and the mist evaporates on your skin. In dry heat that feels cool at once. In humid air it mostly makes you damp. The tank is small. Fans without a tank are in our portable fan comparison.
Which for which situation?
- Running and gym: a microfibre cooling towel.
- Garden: a cooling hat with a wide brim.
- Cycling: arm sleeves and a cooling scarf.
- Festival: a cooling towel and a misting fan.
- Working outside: a neck wrap that stays in place. For the torso, see our cooling vest comparison.
What Gløde offers today
Nothing in our range cools. We make heated clothing for the cold months. What we do have for summer is power: many misting fans and neck fans charge by USB, and our power banks supply 5 V USB. Check the stated input of your device first; we make no promise for other brands' devices.
All sizes are in our power bank collection.
Frequently asked questions
How does a cooling towel work?
By evaporation. You soak the towel, wring it out and shake it. As the water evaporates it takes warmth with it, and the fabric feels cool. When the towel is dry it stops, and you wet it again.
Do cooling towels work in humid weather?
Less well. In humid, still air less water evaporates, so the effect is milder. They work best in dry air with some breeze.
What is the difference between a cooling hat and a normal cap?
A cooling hat has a fabric or an insert that holds water and lets it evaporate. A normal cap only gives shade. Both keep the sun off your head. For sun protection, look for the UPF label.
Can I wear a cooling cap under a helmet?
Only if the helmet manufacturer allows it. A cap under a helmet can change how the helmet fits. Check the helmet's manual, and at work ask your safety officer.
Does Gløde sell cooling towels or cooling hats?
No, not at the moment. Leave your email in one of the forms on this page and we will send you one message if we launch that product.
All our comparisons and guides →
Gløde — warm the person, not the room.
