Nike's Developing An Ice Hat To Keep Your Head Cool

Feel too hot after your summer runs but don't like pouring water on your head? Nike's developing an alternative, a yet-unnamed ice hat of sorts that will chill your head more effectively, and without the mess. It's more of a shrouded helmet than a hat, featuring a large hood-like component with a neck piece and face mesh. It is being developed in conjunction with Olympic gold medalist Ashton Eaton, and its design goal is to reduce an athlete's overall body temperature by rapidly cooling down one's head.

The top of the hood, as you can note below, features a vent to let heat out, as well as a couple of vents on the side. There are also some design choices that allow for comfort. Its primary purpose, however, is to cool you down. Just chill the helmet by, for example, putting it in the freezer, then put it on when needed.

Nike is still working out the temperature issues — it is refining how quickly the helmet will chill the wearer, as too fast will be painful and too slow will be ineffective. It'll have an effect, though, by cooling down the blood pumped through arteries and veins that will lie under the helmet.

The particulars like how long the helmet must be worn to get the cooling effect haven't been detailed (and, it seems, aren't quite known at this point). Nike will be testing the prototypes with some athletes, however, and may have the product finished by the 2016 Olympic Games.

VIA: Wired