Cool fun in the summer time
It may be a mild summer, but all over the U.S., people are feeling the heat. Especially if you’re trying to keep cool in a Jeep® or a convertible with the top down, you might need to know a trick or two. Here is the definitive guide for keeping cool while you have the top down, and the temperatures are up.
SECTION ONE: Keep the vehicle cool
You gotta start with the basics. Do what it takes to make sure that your vehicle’s ability to keep passengers – and itself – cool.
Air conditioning for you
Modern air-conditioning systems are practically a miracle. A cool breeze across your skin can change a brutally hot day into a beautifully comfortable experience. If your vehicle’s air conditioning system doesn’t seem to perform as well as it should, just let a qualified professional service it, and you may see a big improvement right away. Let your vehicle do the hard part of keeping you cool in the way it was designed to.
Coolant system maintenance for your vehicle
This one can also be done by your local car maintenance professional. Flushing your radiator, testing your coolant system, and putting in a high-grade coolant fluid is well within the skill set of most mechanics. The car’s ability to keep you cool on hot days is somewhat dependent on its ability to keep itself cool. Now, hot days can be a little taxing on a car, but if your cooling systems are in good condition and are well-maintained, a twenty- or thirty-degree rise in the outside ambient air temperature shouldn’t give it too much trouble.
SECTION TWO: Keep yourself cool
You’ve got it made in the shade
Direct sunlight is beautiful when it isn’t brutal. Anything you can do to break up the direct sunlight on passengers and the vehicle’s interior will go some way to reducing the heat around you. Especially if you’re in a Jeep with a soft top and removable doors, you can still enjoy quite a lot of airflow with only the top up for shade and everything else removed.
Cool off from the inside out
Like your car’s coolant system, your body regulates its own temperature with fluids. And if you are drinking an icy, cold beverage, it can go a long way to keeping you happy in the heat.
Cold hands and neck – brute force A/C
It’s not the most comfortable method of keeping your body cool, but it will do wonders in a pinch: putting ice on your neck or wrists. The vasculature that is at the front of your neck, or on the palm-side of your wrists, is close to the skin, and blood moves quickly through those areas, to your entire body. Professional athletes use this technique to great effect. To do this, you can wrap four ice cubes into a bandana and tie it around your neck or wrist. Or, for increased fun, just firmly hold the icy, cold beverage in your hand, and let it cool you off from both the inside and the outside.
Enjoy your summer, beat the heat, and stay cool and healthy.
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