Kool Max® Love from Down Under

We've said it before: our customers are the best! We've received some amazing testimonials from our customers with MS over the years, but this is our first poem and we love it. Thank you for sharing, Karen!

I had a condition this we did know
Whatever it was it still had to show
Through tests and worry it turned out MS
It could have been worse, a tragic big mess.

Hospital visits and long sleepless nights
I knew I would have to put up a fight
Then came the treatment of needles with pain
Three times a week, again and again.

Most times it does hurt, injecting that is.
But what can I do, it is what it is.
Depression, Fatigue, weakness and more
I wish this MS would go out the door.

My husband, my children and friends far and near
I thank you ALL for lending your ear.
When I’m sad or in pain or just feeling blue
I know that I can always count on YOU.

You’ve all been my rock from the very start
I hold you all dear and close to my heart
Without you all, who knows where I’d be
Your love and support you’ve shown towards me.

This my dear friends is why we need help
Donations abroad it all will be felt
Let’s kick this disease, a cure we’ll find
Then we can all rest with a peace of mind.

Near 4 years have passed,injections have changed
From rebif to Plegridy,what next is in store for me.
Though lately injections,they bring on the flu
They say take some painkillers, that’s all you can do.

The heat of last summer, well it threw me for six
I'm hoping this summer, will be a new fix.
Through internet I'm lucky to have found a great vest
Polar Products, that’s them, you guys are the best.

I wore mine today, and my thoughts, OMG,
this vest is amazing. What more could you need.
With all of my cooling, Hoping summer’s a breeze
Just hoping and praying, I'll handle it with ease.

Well this is my update of MY life with MS, Please call Polar Products, You will be impressed.

"Cool" Studies for Athletes

Cooling during exercise has a positive effect on exercise performance and capacity. Keeping your body’s core temperature down while you exercise allows you to exert yourself more, for a longer period of time, before feeling the negative effects of heat from your internal body temperature.

The Study: Runners were tested while running for 90 minutes at a self-selected pace on a treadmill. First they were wearing no cooling neck collar, then a cooling neck collar and finally, a cooling neck collar that was refreshed every 30 minutes.

The Results: Athletes wearing just a cooling neck collar while running increased their performance by up to 7.3%.  After 90 minutes, the athletes wearing a cooling neck collar were performing at a higher level than those without any cooling. The athletes with a cooling neck collar ran further and their selected pace was higher at the end of the trials than those not wearing a neck collar. 

Deluxe Cooling Neck Wrap with Kool Max® Pack

Cooling the body helps with recovery after a workout or event (also known as "post-cooling")

BENEFITS OF POST-COOLING: 

• Slows nerve impulses 
• Constricts blood vessels which helps to treat pain and swelling 
• Speeds up heart rate which helps to clear waste products like lactic acid 
• Decreases recovery time for acute injuries 
• Reduces pain after intense activity or workouts 
• Increased energy

A 2003 study found that over the 15-minute post-exercise period during which cooling was applied to athletes, the Respiratory Exchange Ratios were lower in the athletes being cooled vs. the ones who weren’t cooled.

Conclusion: Athletes who were being cooled after exercise recovered their muscle’s oxidative capacity to regain energy faster than those who weren’t. 

Cool Comfort® Performance Vest, Neck Wrap and Polar Cooler 

Polar's Recommendation for Athletes: Our Cool Comfort® Performance Vest and Neck Wrap can be activated and then frozen prior to an athletic event. The frozen garments can be transported to the event in a Polar Cooler and put on immediately after activity for immediate full body cooling. 

Sources: 

1. Tyler, Christopher James and Sunderland, Caroline. “Neck Cooling and Running Performance in the Heat: Single versus Repeated Application.” 2011.
2. http://titintech.com/physical-effects-icing-workout/ 
3. Tenforde, Adam. “The Effects of Cooling Core Body Temperature on Overall Strength Gains and Post-Exercise Recovery.” 2003.

PRECOOL for Improved Athletic Performance

Precooling the body during warm-ups has become a popular method of combating the debilitating effects of heat-induced fatigue and to extend the period in which an individual can tolerate a heat-gaining environment. 

Polar's Kool Max® Zipper Front Vest with
patent-pending spinal cooling pack placement
is a great choice for cooling before athletic events!

WHY PRECOOL?

Cooling one’s body prior to a sporting event allows you to begin activity with a lower core body temperature and therefore extends the amount of time you are able to perform at a high level before your core temperature begins to increase and your performance begins to decrease.

THE RESEARCH

Interest in precooling prior to sporting activity has increased dramatically over the past few years, but is by no means a new concept. Researchers have been studying the effects of precooling a person’s body since the late 60’s, as shown in the table below.

The majority of the studies have concluded that cooling one’s body before activity improves performance. In a 2003 study, athletes who precooled before their 5k run on a treadmill decreased their times by up to 13 seconds.

Marino, F. E. “Methods, advantages and limitations of body cooling for exercise performance.” 2002.

Additional Recent Studies:

• “Precooling Methods and Their Effects on Athletic Performance.” Megan Ross, et al. 2013.  Provides a comprehensive review of different precooling strategies.
• “The effect of cooling prior to and during exercise on exercise performance and capacity in the heat: a meta-analysis.” Christopher James Tyler, et al. 2013. Focuses primarily on external cooling. 

Shop Polar's NEW Cool Comfort® Performance 

Line for Athletic Cooling!

Polar’s Cool Comfort® Performance line is constructed of a lightweight, antimicrobial, high-performance fabric with superior moisture-wicking characteristics. These vests and accessories are ideal for precooling, cooling during athletic cooling or post-cooling.

Cool Comfort® Performance Vest

Cool Comfort® Performance Half Vest

Cool Comfort® Performance Neck Wrap

The News-Herald: "Lake Health purchases lifesaving products for area schools"

High school football season is now in full swing with daily rigorous practices in the sweltering heat, and players loaded down with helmets and pads.

In recognition of the dangers that the heat can pose to student athletes, Lake Health announced that it has purchased 12 Polar Life Pods for each Lake County high school and college it works with. These schools include, Perry, Madison, Riverside, Painesville Harvey, Fairport, Andrews Osborne Academy, Kirtland, Eastlake North, Willoughby South, Wickliffe and Mentor, as well as Lakeland Community College.

A member of the Mentor High School cross country team
is covered in ice cold water during a demonstration of the
Polar Life Pod by Lake Health on Sept. 3rd. 

Polar Life Pods are portable immersion systems that facilitate the rapid cooling of athletes experiencing heat exhaustion, heat stress or heat stroke. The pods resemble a hooded sleeping bag in which an athlete experiencing heat stroke can be easily zipped up in and monitored. An athlete up to 7 feet tall and 400 pounds can be accommodated inside the pod. The Polar Life Pods cost $325 each.

This system is the first of its kind, invented by an athletic trainer from Dayton. The company, Polar Products Inc., is based in Cuyahoga Falls and creates many other cooling products, such as vests and neck wraps.

“In the past, there was no product designed for this purpose. They had to adapt big 300-gallon water troughs that had to be set up ahead of time,” said William Graessle, president of Polar Products Inc. “They’re quite a ways from that reservoir and the reservoir has to be kept really cold the whole practice, which is almost impossible to do. If that water is not ice cold, it can’t cool the athlete quickly.”

The polar pods only require 30 to 60 gallons of water, which are poured in after the athlete is inside the pod. This water can be kept in the same multigallon coolers that athletes drink from.

The pods contain a flotation pillow that allow the athlete to become complete immersed, while keeping their airways clear.

“It hyperextends the neck to keep the airways up high, while still allowing the bottom half of the head and the neck to be in the ice water, very key points for cooling the body,” Graessle said.

The Polar Products Inc. team emphasizes the idea of “cool first, transport second.” Graessle explains that from the time an athlete begins to show symptoms of heat stroke, there is a 15-20 minute window to get the athletes temperature down to 102 degrees. If that can’t be done, the athlete can suffer permanent injuries.

“Brain, heart and nerve damage,” John Smith, director of sports medicine for Lake Health said. “Brain, obviously being the worst, and that’s what goes first.”

John Smith, director of sports medicine for Lake Health,
with the Polar Life Pod® donated to Riverside's Athletic Department

Although heat stroke is considered “exceedingly rare” — there have been 11,000 cases of heat stroke in the past 10 years, said Mike Mockbee, senior product manager at Polar Products Inc. — it is also considered 100 percent preventable.

“The only thing that we keep saying is it’s a defibrillator type situation,” Graessle said. “Remember 10 years ago, you didn’t see defibrillators everywhere. Now, they’re everywhere. You hope to never have to use it and that’s kind of the approach here.”

Smith added that these systems are easily used by anyone who has had training with the pods. If an athletic trainer is not on the scene, a coach could easily begin cooling down an athlete suffering from heat stroke.

“It’s safer for the trainers, it’s safer for the athlete and it’s more convenient that you can bring it to all the fields you need,” Mockbee said.

Article and first picture from The News-Herald website: http://www.news-herald.com/general-news/20150903/lake-health-purchases-lifesaving-products-for-area-schools

Second picture from Riverside Local Schools' website: http://www.painesville-township.k12.oh.us/protected/ArticleView.aspx?iid=533IU2&dasi=3U30

See the Polar Life Pod® on Channel 3 News, Cleveland

Lake Health provides Polar Life Pods to protect high school athletes 

MENTOR, Ohio -- Rigorous exercise in sweltering summer temperatures can make young athletes vulnerable to heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

To help protect athletes from potentially fatal heat dangers, Lake Health has purchased Polar Life Pods for all 12 high schools in Lake County.

Resembling a hooded sleeping bag, the Polar Life Pod is a portable, collapsible immersion system that facilitates the rapid cooling of athletes experiencing heat exhaustion, heat stress and heat stroke.

"By purchasing these systems, we can protect young athletes from heat-related illness," said John Smith, director of sports medicine at Lake Health.

A heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body's capacity to dissipate heat is compromised and core temperature becomes dangerously high. Symptoms include hot and dry skin, lack of sweat, confusion, slurred speech, nausea and irrational behavior.

A heat stroke is 100 percent survivable when the affected person's temperature is brought under 102* degrees within 30 minutes of collapse.

Nearly every year there are reports of serious heat illness or sudden death in student-athletes during summer practices. Football players, outfitted with bulky pads and helmets, are especially susceptible to the effects of heat.

Polar Life Pod manufacturer Polar Products Inc. donated one system to the Lake Health Race Series and provided 12 cooling vests for athletes who are not in a heat emergency.

The company also allowed Lake Health to purchase the Polar Life Pods at a significant discount.

Research shows cold-water immersion is the most effective way to cool down athletes after strenuous activity or overexposure to the heat.

Previously, as part of Lake Health's Pools for Schools initiative, athletic trainers filled wading pools with cold water and placed them in a shady area close to the sideline. When necessary, football players could immerse themselves in the pools to cool off.

"The Polar Life Pods are an improvement over the pools we used because they are portable and can be set up quickly. Plus, they require only 30 to 60 gallons of water and enable us to fully immerse athletes up to seven feet tall and weighing up to 400 pounds," explained Smith.

According to Brian J. Juriga, co-medical director of sports medicine at Lake Health, even highly-conditioned athletes can become victims of heat stroke if they don't take special precautions when exercising in hot, humid weather.

"Heat stroke can be prevented in the first place through good policies. Athletes can protect themselves through adequate hydration, acclimatization when necessary, early practices and competitions and breathable clothing," said Dr. Juriga. "When they become overheated, cold-water immersion is lifesaving."

Article and video sources from WKYC's website: http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/lake-county/2015/09/02/lake-health-heat-stroke-polar-life-pods/71581910/

*Correction from article: the person's temperature must be brought down below 102 degrees, not 104 degrees. 

Learn more at www.polarlifepod.com

Don't let the heat slow you down!

Many of us enjoy exercising outside on warm and sunny days, but it's important to remember that extreme heat (or overexerting yourself during hot days) can pose serious health risks. It is important to listen to your body during the heat! Heat exhaustion is a common reaction when the temperature goes up. It can cause dizziness, headaches, body stresses, fainting and cardiac problems.

The following are tips to heed to when preparing for an outdoor workout:

1) First (and most important!), don't forget to drink plenty of fluids well before your workout. Your body is about 60% water so plan accordingly. Drink before, during and after exercise.

Cool Comfort® Performance Half Vest

2) Dressing appropriately is also an important factor, so be sure to wear lightweight clothing so your body can release sweat. If you are exercising for more than an hour, be sure to change wet clothes to allow your body to continue to sweat naturally.

3) Avoid working out directly in the sun.

Take a hike in the woods,
and wear a cooling hat!

4) It's a good idea to take a 10 minute break for each 30 minutes of working out.  If you start to feel dizzy, have a headache, or experience muscle cramps, you should stop, rest, rehydrate and cool down.

Cool Comfort® Performance Vest

5) Cooling the body before, during and after exercise can help mitigate the dangers of overheating. Check out Polar's full line of Cool Comfort® cooling apparel for athletes, and learn more about pre-cooling, post-cooling and cooling after activity.

Improved performance can be an added benefit of pre-cooling!  Check out this article: "Exercising in the heat? Cool down for better performance"

Stay safe and be cool as you workout in the heat!

Polar Life Pod®

Did you know? Ice water immersion is the most effective way to quickly cool an overheated athlete. The Polar Life Pod® is a patent pending, portable, collapsible immersion system to facilitate the rapid cooling of athletes experiencing heat related illness, heat exhaustion, heat stress and heat stroke. Visit www.polarlifepod.com to see a graph showing the effectiveness of various cooling techniques.

Our Local Cool Kids™ Family

This summer we have had the pleasure of working with an incredible local family in Stow, Ohio. Three of the children have varying levels of heat-sensitivity as a result of medical conditions. These active kids can't just stay in the AC and miss out on the fun of the summertime, so we were happy to help them stay cool! 

The youngest, B. is just three years old. This sweet little boy was the inspiration for our newest cooling product, the Cool Kids Toddler Stroller Seat. He has IV line access in his chest and a feeding tube in his tummy, so at first we were concerned about the fit of our toddler cooling vest. It turned out to not be an issue at all and he loves his vest!

B. trying on his toddler cooling vest and playing with a truck in Polar's
conference room during a design meeting for the stroller cooling seat. 

We just received an e-mail from their mom, Amy, giving us an update on their summer:

"Here is a picture of all of the kids wearing their Polar Products!!! My girls have used the neck wraps like crazy." 

"B. has been doing so well. He is probably the best he has been his entire life here on this earth.  We have been using his cooling vest like crazy. I really think it has made a huge difference in him. It does not seem to bother his tubes. And it keeps him from sweating which has really helped keep the dressing to his IV line intact." 

12-year-old C. says, "I know this will make me
feel better during band camp!" 

"C. also continues to use his vest like crazy.  It is so easy for me to manage as well as him. We just fill up the cooler (which by the way is totally awesome and leak proof) from you with ice water (especially when we are at the lake) and we just recharge them in the cooler. My husband and I were talking about getting a timer to help us remember when to recharge the packs. Especially for B. because the packs are so little. But they are so lightweight and it doesn't seem to affect him or his balance at all."

"Here is a picture of C. letting his big fish go."

"I am very happy with the stroller seat pad. I can imagine that a younger or more immobile child would really like it. It is totally what I have been searching for. We found that if we kept a blanket or a jacket over it when he was out of the stroller it stayed colder for much longer. He was very comfortable in his stroller with the pad in. He wasn't sweaty when we picked him up out of the stroller like he normally would have been."

NEW! Cool Kids Toddler Stroller Seat

"Here is a picture of B. loading up his water gun to go after the ducks. He is wearing his vest. But he also has his tube feed pump on over the vest. (That is the clown fish on his back.) I think it's awesome he can wear his tube feed pump and life vest with his cooling vest on. That just makes it so functional for him." 

"And here is a picture of him sitting in the highchair in the water. B. is not allowed to swim at all. Lake water is loaded with bacteria that can make him really sick because of his tubes. However, he is a kid and he wants to do what everyone else does. So we put on his cooling vest and put him in the highchair by the dock. He can get his feet wet and be part of the crowd with his siblings in the water and yet we can keep his tubes dry. 

"We are so grateful for the gift you guys have given our family. It has truly been a blessing. I have so many wonderful memories we have built this summer because my kids are more comfortable and I feel like I don't have to worry about them and how the heat is affecting them as much." 

Amy, it has been a joy to work with you and your family. We are so happy to hear that your family is having a wonderful summer! 

Our customers are fantastic and it's our pleasure to work with individuals to expand on our product line and customize our products to meet their unique needs. We welcome your feedback as we learn and innovate. If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know how we can help! You can reach us at 1.800.763.8423 or by e-mail at polar@polarproducts.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

Body Cooling + Athletic Performance

Cooling the body BEFORE, DURING and AFTER exercise can improve performance and help mitigate the dangers of overheating! 

HEAT IS THE ATHLETE’S ENEMY 

Athletes have always looked to gain any possible edge as they strive to run faster, jump higher and throw further. Outside heat as well as excessive core heat inside the body can reduce physical and mental performance.

Even King James can get overheated

THE BASICS OF HEAT FATIGUE 

As the body’s core temperature rises, the body’s performance begins to decrease. The body has a critical limit around 102-104° F (39-40° C) at which severe fatigue begins to set in. When the body reaches these temperatures you’re beginning to feel symptoms of heat stress or exhaustion. At temperatures beyond this you have entered the realm of heat stroke. 

COOL COMFORT® SPORTS KIT

COOLING BEFORE ACTIVITY (PRECOOLING)

Lowering the core temperature of the body prior to activity reduces the amount of energy the body needs to stay cool; therefore, the body has more energy for the exercise itself.

NEW! COOLFIT® PERFORMANCE HALF VEST

COOLING DURING ACTIVITY

Reduce the danger of heat stress with cooling garments! There are many options that are lightweight, fit snug to the body and target key arteries, making them ideal for wearing during running, cycling, practice and more.

NEW! COOLFIT® PERFORMANCE VEST

COOLING AFTER ACTIVITY (POST-COOLING)

Cooling garments help bring an athlete’s body temperature down quickly during recovery.

Learn more about body cooling and its effect on athletic performance this month as we share research studies, cool tips and product recommendations for pre-cooling, post-cooling and cooling during exercise. 

Stay tuned next week for the launch of COOLFIT®, our new line of performance vests and accessories for athletes!

See the Polar Life Pod® in action!

Watch a real time demonstration of the Polar Life Pod®, a portable, collapsible immersion system to facilitate the rapid cooling of people experiencing heat-related illnesses:

The patent pending Polar Life Pod® was designed by Mike Laycox, a licensed athletic trainer, paramedic and former certified emergency room RN with over 30 years of clinical sports medicine, emergency room and EMS experience. See what Mike has to say about the Polar Life Pod®: 

Next week Polar is heading to the NATA Clinical Symposia and AT Expo in St. Louis, MO. If you're an athletic trainer attending the show, stop by Booth #2524 and see the Polar Life Pod® firsthand!

Bill, Mike and Mike at the 2014 NATA Expo

Do you have questions about the Polar Life Pod®? 

Contact Mike Mockbee, Senior Product Manager

mike@polarproducts.com

1.800.763.8423

Visit www.polarlifepod.com for more information.

The American Society of Safety Engineers Safety Show 2015

Polar just returned from a HOT trip to Dallas, TX! Sunny, humid and 90+ degrees Fahrenheit everyday... perfect conditions for talking to industrial safety professionals about heat-related illnesses and industrial body cooling!

Mike, Bill and Jacob at the ASSE Safety show 2015

Mike, Erin and Jacob at the ASSE Safety show 2015

ASSE Safety show 2015

We have a full line of industrial cooling vests and accessories so we can meet the needs of crews big and small. We have unique and cost-effective solutions for manufacturing, construction, welding, trucking, agribusiness, the oil and gas industry, and more.

Click here to download our industrial cooling guide.

Jacob showing off our comfortable Cool Flow® Industrial Cooling Seat

Our VP (and circulating water cooling systems specialist) Jacob had a cool and comfortable seat at the show! We added ice and water, and the lithium-ion battery pack provided 6 hours of portable power. Specifically designed for forklift seats, the seat and/or cooler can be fully customized for any seated industrial application!

Cool Flow® Industrial Cooling Seat

Mike with the Polar Life Pod® at the ASSE Safety show 2015

The Polar Life Pod® made its debut to the industrial market! The Polar Life Pod® is a portable, collapsible immersion system to facilitate the rapid cooling of persons experiencing heat-related illness, heat exhaustion, heat stress and heat stroke. From oil fields to agricultural fields, the Polar Life Pod® is an essential piece of safety equipment for anyone working in hot environments.

Patent Pending Polar Life Pod®

Jacob and Mike at the Polar Life Pod® booth.

We're back to the office for a few busy weeks before heading off to the NATA Clinical Symposia and AT Expo in St. Louis, MO. Stay tuned to learn more about the Polar Life Pod®!

PS - did you see the video screen next to the Polar Life Pod®? Click here to watch a real time demonstration of the Polar Life Pod® and see how we completely immersed an athlete in water in less than two minutes!

World MS Day & the CMSC

What a week! We honored Memorial Day, celebrated World MS Day and traveled to Indianapolis to exhibit at the annual meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers! 

World MS Day is a yearly event that brings the global Multiple Sclerosis community together to raise awareness, share stories and offer support for one another. As we work closely with many MS non-profits and individuals with MS, we are proud to help spread the word about World MS Day. We believe that everyone is #StrongerThanMS!

Click here to learn more about World MS Day 

and the mission of the MS International Federation.

Polar Products attends the annual meeting of the CMSC every year. It's a great opportunity to meet with neurologists, MSRNs, MS non-profit organizations and many other key professionals in the MS community. We love making new connections as well as seeing old friends!

At the Polar Products booth, Bill and Rose have been sharing how body cooling can greatly benefit those dealing with MS heat sensitivity and demonstrating the benefits of our five different cooling technologies.

Click here to learn more about the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. 

Rose at the CMSC in Indianapolis, IN

In honor of World MS Day, Polar Products is hosting a cooling vest giveaway! 

One lucky winner will receive a Kool Max® Men's Fashion Vest or Kool Max® Women's Fashion Vest, while five other winners will receive an MS Awareness Fashion Cooling Scarf.

The contest is open until Monday, June 1st. No purchase necessary.

Click here to enter!

Happy Memorial Day!

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us! Polar Products would like to take a moment and remember the those who have served the United States, both past and present. We thank you for your dedication to protecting and serving our country.

With Memorial Day comes our favorite season - Summer! Now is the perfect time to bring out your cooling vest and garments as the temperature begins to rise. Our diverse line of cooling garments can help you stay cool during all of your favorite summer outdoor activities.

GARDENING

BEACH

VACATION 

NEW FOR SUMMER 2015

We're excited to share with you some of our new styles for the summer! If any grab your attention, act quickly - for a limited time we're offering 10% off your purchase of $200 or more! (See details and coupon code at the bottom of this post.)

The Kool Max® Women's Fashion Vest is now available in two new colors: light blue and pink!

Shop the Fashion Vest

Our best-selling vest style is now available with lightweight Cool58® Phase Change packs... in your choice of Polar Pink or Icy Light Blue!

Shop the Cool58®

SAVE MONEY WITH A COOLING KIT!

You can also save even more money this summer with our Polar Products Cooling Kits! We've bundled together kits of our most popular products with a savings of 10%. Some of our most popular kits include...

• Kool Max® Fashion Kit - includes a Kool Max® Fashion Vest, a Kool Max® Cooling Scarf and a complete extra set of Kool Max® packs for each product

List Price: $238.90  Current Price $215.00  You Save: $23.90 (10%)

• Vacation Kit - includes a Cool58® Zipper Vest, Cool58® Neck Wrap, a Cool Comfort® Straw Hat and a complete extra set of Cool58® Packs for each product!

List Price: $294.40  Current Price: $265.00  You Save: $29.40 (10%)

• Beach Kit - includes a Cool Comfort® Straw Hat, Cool58® Neck Band and a Polar Soft-Sided Cooler. 

List Price: $93.40  Current Price: $84.00  You Save: $9.40 (10%)

• Gardening Kit - includes a Kool Max® Zipper Front Vest and a Straw Hat with Cool Comfort® insert

List Price: $142.45  Current Price: $128.20  You Save: $14.25 (10%)

For a limited time only, save 10% off your order of $200 and more! Use the code MDB15 at checkout.

(Offer expires 06/01/15.)

Be safe and stay cool this Memorial Day weekend...

and have a great summer!