Three weeks ago, Ultra Cool Tech and VeloToze launched two new products developed jointly to help cyclists and triathletes manage heat more effectively: the Glacier Gloves and the Glacier Headband.
The initial response from athletes has been extremely positive. However, behind these apparently simple products are several deliberate design choices based on how the human body naturally regulates its temperature.
Working with the body’s natural cooling mechanism
The body’s primary cooling mechanism during exercise is the evaporation of sweat from the skin. As water evaporates, it absorbs heat and carries it away from the body, generating cooling watts in the process.
Effective cooling products should support and complement this natural mechanism. That means providing more “cooling fuel”—in this case, water—so evaporation can continue more effectively for longer periods.
This is the principle behind Ultra Cool Tech’s Active Cooling technology. Our water-activated materials absorb and store water, creating a layer of cooling fuel close to the skin instead of allowing it to drip onto the ground. As that water evaporates, it helps remove heat from the body.
Skin coverage also matters: the greater the surface area supported with cooling fuel, the greater the potential cooling effect.
Choosing the right areas to cool
Based on these principles, VeloToze and Ultra Cool Tech identified two strategic areas for cyclists: the back of the hands and the head.
Both areas play an important role in thermoregulation and have a strong blood supply. During exercise, blood transports heat from the body’s core toward the skin, where that heat can be released through evaporation.
The Glacier Gloves position water-activated cooling materials across the back of the hands, while the Glacier Headband provides Active Cooling around the forehead and beneath the helmet. Both products are designed to deliver targeted cooling without interfering with an athlete’s movement, comfort or equipment.
Cooling you can actually feel
The result is two lightweight products that feel noticeably cold and continue providing cooling for as long as their active materials remain wet. Athletes can reactivate them simply by adding water—or, in the case of the headband, through sweat.
Both solutions were extensively tested before their launch, helping us refine their cooling performance, fit and functionality.
Their strong early reception in the market reinforces what we have already seen across several applications: when Active Cooling products are designed around proven thermoregulation principles, they can help athletes manage heat more effectively and support their performance in demanding conditions.
More Active Cooling innovations are coming
Ultra Cool Tech is already working with additional partners to develop more Active Cooling products based on the same principles successfully tested with VeloToze and our other collaborators.
Our goal is simple: to create cooling products that truly work by supporting the body’s natural thermoregulation process.
Stay tuned — more Active Cooling innovations are coming later this year.
