The coolest sportswear you can buy right now
3-8-2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Siri Schubert
If this summer’s scorching heat is scuppering your attempts to stay active, a cooling vest might be able to help. I just tested one out – and I’m sold.
I actually love summer. I’m just struggling with the unbearably high temperatures we’ve been getting lately. Evidently, I need a cooling vest. So I got myself a Powercool SX3 Race Vest from E.Cooline. Let’s see if it’ll live up to its name.
I should mention that cooling vests are nothing new to me. In the past, I’ve worn various vests made by different manufacturers while working out. These vests stayed wet for a while, got me feeling very cool and, when damp, clung to my skin in places. After about an hour, however, they dried up and lost their effectiveness.
E.Cooline vests are different. Yes, they, too, work with water and evaporative cooling. However, the fabric’s three-dimensional internal structure means the effect lasts for several hours and doesn’t leave you feeling damp or sticky.
Due to the hot weather, this cooling vest keeps selling out. We’re doing our best to restock it as soon as possible. If you don’t want to wait, here are some other cooling vests from the same brand. I haven’t had a chance to test them yet, though.
How the vest works
Gabriele Renner, co-founder of E.Cooline’s German parent company Pervormance, developed and patented a 3D non-woven fabric that can absorb up to ten times its own weight in water. Moisture escapes from the material through evaporation, creating a cooling effect.
E.Cooline clothing is different from other cooling garments, which sometimes feel clammy against your skin. As long as you use it properly, the cooling vest stays dry on the surface. This makes it suitable for both working out and the office, where you probably don’t want to be walking around with wet patches on your shirt.
With no need for electricity or coolant, E.Cooline clothing won the German Sustainability Award in 2025 (linked page in German).
Three-step activation
It’s really easy to turn the lightweight vest into a cooling one. You hold the lined panels under running water, preferably folding the vest so that the mesh inserts stay dry.
You then give the vest a good squeeze to remove any excess water that hasn’t been absorbed by the recycled polyester fleece.
Next, the manufacturer recommends rolling up the vest inside a towel. If you don’t have a towel to hand, paper towels work too. Once you do this, the vest dries quickly enough to be worn over or under regular clothes. That said, I’ve also skipped this step when I’ve been out and about and didn’t have a towel handy. The vest isn’t quite as comfy to wear when there’s residual moisture in it, but the extra dampness didn’t bother me while I was exercising.
Pleasant day-to-day coolness
I chose a vest specifically designed for sport (which the manufacturer provided to me). Before I laced up my running shoes, I dampened the vest, put it on and was pleasantly surprised by how refreshingly cool it was. Unlike the intense chill of a cool pad, the coolness is very gentle.
While you shouldn’t expect to experience a dramatic drop in temperature, you’ll definitely feel relief – a sensation that’ll last several hours at that. However, the water absorbed by the vest does make it slightly heavier. The size S version weighs 560 grammes on my kitchen scale.
As it turned out, the vest kept me so pleasantly cool in the hot weather that I bought another version – the Powercool SX3 Shirt – to wear day to day. The vests differ in their fit, zip and panel layout.
Since buying my second, I’ve been wearing the vests almost constantly, alternating between them. I’m actually wearing one as I write this. I even wore the vests on a few nights when the temperature in my bedroom refused to drop.
According to the manufacturer, the cooling effect is supposed to last up to ten hours, though that time is reduced in very hot conditions. The vest I put on to sleep in was still cool the following morning. During the day, however, I often hold it under the tap to boost the cooling effect.
The evaporative cooling technology works especially well when it’s a little windy. Sitting on the balcony one evening, I actually got so chilly that I had to take off the vest – even despite the heatwave. In very humid, muggy conditions, on the other hand, the cooling effect is less pronounced, as the already saturated air can’t absorb as many water molecules.
The ultimate workout test
The Powercool SX3 Race Vest is designed for exercise, so I wanted to really put it through its paces. Namely, by going for a midday jog in 32-degree heat. I should say I only did this for testing purposes; I generally don’t think that sort of thing is a good idea. If I do go running on a hot day, I go in the morning or evening, when the heat isn’t quite as fierce. Still, I was keen to find out who’d reach their limits first: me or the vest?
I ran just under ten kilometres along country roads and forest trails, a good portion of it in the blazing sun. At first, I felt surprisingly good, noticing a gentle coolness that intensified whenever the wind picked up. The further I ran, the more that coolness subsided. Partly because my body temperature was increasing through exertion, partly because I was acclimatising to the vest’s coolness. It wasn’t until I briefly took off the vest and put it back on that I realised it was still cool. In the end, both the vest and I made it through the run.
Overall, the vest stays mildly cool, even during exercise: it’s nice, but not strong enough to keep you cool on a jog in high temperatures. As a recreational athlete, I’m free to choose my own workout times. Since I prefer to run in the morning or evening rather than in the midday heat, I see the vest as more of a welcome addition.
How to keep the vest fresh
Moisture and heat aren’t always the best combination. In fact, they easily allow nasty odours to build up. That’s why E.Cooline clothing is treated with an antibacterial agent. Plus, it meets the Oeko-Tex Standard, as demonstrated by this report comparing cool vests used in healthcare settings.
The vests are also washable. You can either wash them gently by hand or machine wash them on a wool cycle at a maximum of 30 degrees. This preserves the special properties of the padding. Specific detergents are recommended for certain vests, including Toko’s Eco Wash, which I use to wash my sportswear anyway.
In a nutshell
Pleasant coolness on hot days
The actual reason I got an E.Cooline vest was to give me a boost of coolness while exercising. Instead, I’ve ended up wearing it around the clock to help get me through extremely hot days.
Though not icy cold, the coolness is noticeable. The vest is also seriously easy to use. All in all, I was so sold on the vest that I went ahead and bought one for myself.
Pro
- Long-lasting, rather than intense coolness
- Suitable for both exercise and everyday use
- Doesn’t leave moisture on your clothes
- Straightforward to activate with water
- Washable
Header image: Siri Schubert
Siri Schubert
Senior Editor
Siri.Schubert@digitecgalaxus.chResearch diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.
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