Home Made Evaporative Cooling Shirt

[Shoganai]

Supplies

(1) Tee shirt
(4) 1-1/5 pieces of velcro One Wrap
(1) Camel Bak bladder
(1) Hand pump w/ fittings for 1/4" ID tubing
(1) Quick disconnect w/ fittings for 1/4" ID tubing
(1) Reducer from 1/4" ID tubing to 1/8" ID tubing
(1) check valve for 1/8" ID tubing
(1) "Y" connector for 1/8" ID tubing
Some small and large silicone tubing. (see below)
Some zip ties
Exacto #11 blade


Sew two velcro tabs on a tee shirt, one one each shoulder.

Make a loop of small tubing using the "Y". It helps to cover the tubing with the remaining velcro to help you get the right length.

Attach the check valve as seen below.

Add tubing to make it just below your jacket.

At this point you'll need to sit on your bike to get the right lengths of tubing based Camel back placement and how you want to route the system.

Make sure you use a sharp blade to make VERY small holes in the tubing.
If you make the holes to large (see pic) the pressure drops so badly you get even wetting of the shirt.

As to hole placement, I chose mid-collar bone in front and mid-shoulder blade in back.










Note: No zip tie on small connection. This will act as break away should the rider come off the bike.



The Camle back will be attached to the bike.



The tiny hole can have a flap of silicon / un-removed piece. Water flows thru under pressure.






Some supply links.
I don't recall where the other pieces came from. I had them some project in the past.

The idea was modified from another rider's idea. (Ron) And used with his permission.

The tubing is Silicone (very flexable, semi-rigid), not Nalgene (rigid, poor flexibility).
Found here >>> Silcon® Silicone Tubing | U.S. Plastic Corp.

57292 The small tubing is Tygon® Sanitary Silicone Tubing 1/8" ID x 1/4" OD with 1/16" Wall
(bought in 10' sections) ($17.30)

57296 The large tubing is Tygon® Sanitary Silicone Tubing 1/4" ID x 3/8" OD with 1/16" Wall
(bought in 10' sections) ($24.10)

One quick disconnect M/F set
64650 Acetal Coupling Quick Disconnects Acetal Shut Off Coupling In-Line Hose Barb 1/4" ID ($4.82)

64660 Acetal Coupling Quick Disconnects Acetal Shut Off Inline HB Insert 1/4" ID ($4.95)