Beating the Heat at the Sterling Renaissance Fair with Cooling Vests
Mid-August in Rochester, NY means one thing: heat. And the weekend we went to the Sterling Renaissance Festival? It was mid-90s, not a cloud in the sky, and — since it’s “1585 Warwick, England” — definitely no air conditioning. We knew it was going to be a scorcher, so we came armed with our ThermApparel Cooling Gear, a soft-sided cooler packed with ice water, seltzers, and our ExtendedCool Cooling Packs
Prepping for the Heat
Before we hit the road, I prepped by placing the depleted packs into a cooler of ice water so they could freeze solid during our hour-plus drive — a little mobile freezer magic. By the time we parked, it was suiting-up time.
We were only going to be at the Renn Fair for a few hours, so we geared up in the parking lot before heading in. I was styling in the UnderCool 3 Cooling Vest (Medium, Black) with 4 ThermApparel ExtendedCool Cooling Packs under a black tank top and black pants. Because if you’re going to test a cooling vest, why not go full heat-challenge mode?
Kurtis rocked the UltraCool Cooling Vest (M/L) with 8 ExtendedCool Cooling Packs over a blue sweat-wicking shirt and tan cargo shorts, a lighter, more breathable setup built for maximum movement and all-day comfort. And of course, we slathered on plenty of sunscreen.
Royal Encounters and Half-Wing Style
Right at the ticket counter, the Queen arrived for her daily parade. Trumpets, costumes, pageantry…and blazing, direct sun. The people in line around us were fanning themselves and complaining about the heat, but thanks to our ThermApparel Cooling Vests, we felt totally fine, enjoying dry cooling comfort instead of sweating it out.
That weekend’s theme was Fantasy, Fairies & the Future, so I wore my 3D-printed fairy wings from Dad’s Dork Den. They even flap with a little pull-tab! Unfortunately, I broke one side (completely my fault), so I was rocking the “half-wing” look — still magical in my book.
Hour-by-Hour Cooling Vest Test
We explored every corner of the fair: artisan booths, archery, axe throwing (Kurtis nailed it), and, of course, the classic turkey leg. Here’s how the vests stacked up hour by hour:
Hour One
Julia (UnderCool 3): ThermApparel ExtendedCool Cooling Packs were solid and ice-cold. Even in full sun, wearing all black, I felt perfectly comfortable and energized, with dry cooling comfort exactly where I needed it.
Kurtis (UltraCool): ThermApparel ExtendedCool Cooling Packs kept cooling evenly across his torso. Normally, he starts sweating right away in the heat, but his shirt stayed dry.
Hour Two
Julia: Cooling packs were softening, but my back was still cool to the touch. Walking hills, standing in the sun, watching jousts and performers, I had no overheating, no fatigue. If we’d stayed longer than another hour, I would’ve swapped for fresh packs.
Kurtis: Cooling power was still strong. Even without shade, he wasn’t overheating, and there was still plenty of solid PCM left in the packs.
Hour Three
Julia: Cooling packs were fully depleted but still cool. I felt a little tired from walking, but just normal “I’ve-been-having-fun” tired — not the heavy heat fatigue I usually get.
Kurtis – Cooling packs were starting to deplete, but still had some solid cooling material floating inside. He knew he had more cooling time left before they’d warm up, and his back was cold.
Heat Exhaustion at the Renaissance Fair
We stopped by the medical tent on our way out of the fair. The staff told us they’d treated over 50 people for heat-related issues that day.
Their fix? Bags of ice in the armpits and groin until the person cooled down. Effective, maybe… but I’ll take wearing a lightweight cooling vest that delivers dry cooling comfort all day over soggy ice bags in awkward places any time.
Back at the Car
Julia: My packs were done, but still cool to the touch. Leaning against the hot car seat gave me this weird-but-amazing bonus chill.
Pro tip: Once your cooling packs are fully depleted and your body’s absorbed all the cooling, they’ll eventually start to warm you up. I still had at least another hour before that would happen.
Kurtis – Cooling packs were partially depleted but still cool. No signs of overheating even after hours in the sun.
Later That Evening
Both of us had plenty of energy, enough for Kurtis to grill dinner and for me to help without feeling drained.
The Next Morning
No fogginess. No “sun hangover.” Just ready to go again.
Final verdict
Whether it’s the UnderCool 3 Cooling Vest or UltraCool Cooling Vest, ThermApparel cooling vests make the difference between surviving the heat and actually enjoying the day — with steady, dry cooling comfort from start to finish.
✨ Shout-out to Dad’s Dork Den ✨
My fairy wings for the Sterling Renaissance Festival were custom-made by the incredibly talented Dad’s Dork Den. He creates stunning 3D-printed cosplay wings, props, and accessories that are perfect for Renaissance Fairs, fantasy events, and cosplay. Mine even has a pull-tab so the wings lift up for extra flair! (Totally my fault one side broke — his craftsmanship is top-notch.)
If you’re looking for custom fairy wings or unique cosplay gear, definitely check him out: Dad’s Dork Den on Instagram