Last July, UN Secretary-General Guterres stated in a press conference that "the era of global warming is over, and the era of global boiling has arrived." Indeed, the scorching heat that followed made us acutely aware of global boiling. It wasn't unusual to see people using handheld or neck-mounted fans; fan-equipped vests also became popular. However, the drawback of these vests is that wearing a backpack interferes with air circulation.
To address this problem, Montbell, an expert in outdoor activities like mountaineering, has introduced the Fan Blow Vest this season. Having tried it out, I can say it's a groundbreaking item for summer activities. Despite its effectiveness, it appears as a simple outdoor vest, suitable for daily wear as well. We spoke to Hirotaka Nagai from the Montbell Public Relations Department to learn more about this item.
Fans Positioned Asymmetrically Circulate Air, Providing Cooling Through Evaporative Heat
"We developed this product over about two years with the hope that people can comfortably enjoy climbing even in the hot summer. The biggest feature is the asymmetric placement of fans. Normally, fans are placed symmetrically in workwear, but for mountaineering, the shoulder harnesses of backpacks block the airflow."After repeated field tests to resolve this issue, we found that placing the fans in this unique configuration makes outdoor activities more comfortable. When you attach and use the separately sold specialized fan and battery, you'll notice the unique structure: the fan on the left side is positioned slightly higher, and the fan on the right side is positioned slightly lower."
When worn and powered on, the air circulated by the two fans moves inside the vest, mainly exiting through the collar and armpits, providing a cooling effect. Even while wearing a backpack, this air circulation is not obstructed, and you can feel the evaporative cooling efficiently regulating your body temperature during mountain walks, even when sweating.
"To reduce the pressure on the back from the backpack and ensure air pathways in the back area, a removable 3D back panel is attached inside the vest. This is an original feature. The material is soft, resilient, highly breathable, and dries quickly."
A New Tool for Heat Protection Enhances Choices for Summer Activities from Sea to Mountains
Walking at altitudes over 2,000m can still be relatively cool even in midsummer, often requiring outerwear for wind and cold protection. Nevertheless, the time required to access such high-altitude areas makes frequent visits challenging. On the other hand, low-altitude walks, which are easier to go on with spontaneous planning based on the weather, present a challenge in coping with the intense heat of global boiling. The "Fan Blow Vest" offers a solution for this.
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