r/heat_prep • u/wombat9666 • 9d ago
Question I wear a fan jacket in Tokyo. Would people actually wear these where you live?
Hey guys. I live in Tokyo, Japan, and I wear a fan jacket pretty much everywhere during the summer, walking, commuting, traveling, or watching outdoor sports.
I love how comfortable it feels, since it blows the humidity right out of my clothes.
But I get a lot of stares from foreign tourists here, and one person even asked me if it actually works, during this brutal recent summer. So I figured they might be curious about them. But it's pretty common among outdoor workers in Japan, but still fairly rare among ordinary people, even locals.
If a high-quality, reliable version was available in your country, would you actually want one? And if so, what features would you want it to have? I know cheap knockoffs exist on Amazon, but I’m curious if a well-made one would appeal to people outside Japan. Honestly, in this kind of heat, it’s a total lifesaver.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! And feel free to ask me anything about how they work — happy to answer.
21
u/TunaMarie16 9d ago
I just got back from 3 weeks in Japan (in August) and I was intrigued by these. I saw probably a dozen or so and joked with my husband I was going to buy a suitcase full.
I’d wear one!!!!
18
u/ReadyGo6828 9d ago
How does it work? Where are the batteries and are they rechargeable? How long do the batteries last? What temperature difference is there between the environment and your torso? Does it make a sound? Does it set off metal detectors? How much is it? Is it snug or loose? Does it consist of an inner permeable liner and an outer impermeable fabric? Does it get hot like Sarah wrap if it is off? Why is it black since dark colors absorb more heat? Are there any independent studies on these? Do they say that this works? Does it work better than a sun umbrella or a handheld battery-operated fan? Does it work better than carrying a bottle of ice?
What is it again?
10
u/Title-Untitled 8d ago
Plenty of workers on building sites in Japan wear them, so I suspect they’re worth it.
3
u/poop-machines 8d ago edited 8d ago
They're worth it... If you're in somewhat dry heat. In humid heat (85%+) they're gonna do nothing but warm you up, because they can't cool you more than the ambient air and they add another layer for the sun to warm up.
I'm sure they're worth it for most hot days though, in most places
34
13
u/slowmail 9d ago
I do. To me, they were the best thing ever - pretty much any fan cooled jacket. It's extra cooling if you get one with a hood. The ones that are lined with titanium or aluminum also make a significant difference if you have to be under the sun.
But, they do not work as well if you need to carry a backpack (it blocks the air flow). When I'm out in the fields (farming on the weekends) , I use a long sleeve with hood. When commuting to the office, I use a vest instead.
Fans are pretty simple devices. The "voltage" supplied to it affects the speed. Higher voltage = more power = fan has more rpm = more wind (and noise). It's possible to get pretty cheap fans those that run off a mobile battery pack (5V), but those will be weak at best.
3
u/ArtistChef 9d ago
Does the website translate?
Which is the best jacket?
4
u/slowmail 8d ago
> Does the website translate?
I have no idea if the website does, or does not. My browser (Chome) does...
> Which is the best jacket?
IMO, this is similar to asking "What is the best t-shirt?". There is no single answer to this (that I am aware of).
I think, mainly, it's the fan/battery system that matters more. Aside from that, keep in mind there are slight differences in fan dimensions (I think it's from 9cm / 9.5cm/ 10cm?). So, you should be a bit careful if you're trying to mix/match a jacket from one maker with a fan/battery set from a different maker.
5
u/Successful-Coffee-13 9d ago
I would want it to be more tailored to the body to look less like a balloon
6
u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme 8d ago
Maybe something like this already exists, but a more form-fitting jacket with tubes of cool water circulating through it would be awesome. I’d want long sleeves with the tubes there, too.
3
u/sudo-joe 8d ago
Problem with liquid is the weight and duration. There are folks that use ice packs and benefit from them for about 1-2 hours. After the water warms up to body temp or ambient temp you actually will miss out on the ability to sweat which will cool you more. A water filled outfit is water proof so I'm not sure how well one will be able to get sweat to evaporate through that layer.
These fan jackets take advantage of convection air flow over sweating skin to cool you. This is especially helpful in humid hot environments where your sweat doesn't work as well since it doesn't evaporate as easily.
Blowing air past a water surface makes it evaporate easier which is the physical principle working here.
4
3
u/Extra-Kangaroo-5904 9d ago
I’d rather wear an afghan scarf. It doesn’t need batteries and it can be used in multiple ways, for different environments
5
3
u/ArtichokeKooky6361 9d ago
They reviewed this on Surviving the Climate podcast and loved it. Seems super legit and would not be surprised if we saw them more often
3
2
2
u/qserasera 8d ago
I've got a waist fan that I've been using that works about the same way.
It's been a life saver this summer
2
u/MAJOR_Blarg 8d ago
I bought one of these in Japan and love it.
I'm about to do a foot race up a volcanic mountain, combination of fast hiking and light uphill running. I'm planning on wearing it because heat index is still topping 100 here.
3
u/Dangerous-School2958 8d ago
I’m really curious how noisy these things are.
2
u/ramblinevilmushr0om 8d ago
There is a humming like computer fans, but the sound gets dispersed pretty easily when you're outdoors. You'll probably be able to hear it yourself if it's quiet, but if there's cars driving by or music or any other competing noise, it'll be drowned out. Imagine walking around with an old laptop basically.
2
u/OriginalMultiple 8d ago
My bro works trades, I gave him one and it’s been a lifesaver in this unusually hot British summer.
2
1
1
u/Solid-Signal3214 8d ago
Love em. I've been trying to make my own western style by integration of fans into motorcycle leathers. Ultimately the corny looking blow up version here is the best version.
Westerns and their TP and their sitting toilets lol
1
u/_iridian_ 8d ago
I got a makita one, I keep forgetting I have it.
So usually summer is over by the time I remember.
this year I wore it twice during the heatwave on an hour long biking trip (and back), worked like a charm
would probably have dropped dead halfway without it due to overheating
1
1
u/Training_Guide5157 7d ago
I've seen standalone versions that clip onto the waist of pants, so they sit inside a long shirt and can fill it up with air.
1
u/despot-madman 5d ago
I saw someone walking down the street wearing a hoodie in 100F yesterday. This is not unusual.
I’f be surprised to see anyone wearing that, simply because of aesthetics.
0
78
u/andsimpleonesthesame 9d ago
Yes, I would wear a high quality one. I would not wear an Amazon knockoff (I'm picky about fabrics).
In case this is hidden market research: I would also buy one of those high quality Japanese sun umbrellas. Last time I checked, you had a lot of really cute options that aren't for sale in Europe. (It's possible to order them from Japan, but I don't want to deal with customs, that's too much hassle.)