THE KOOLSKINZ VEST
A VEST THAT CAN KEEP YOUR DOG COOL DURING THOSE HOT SUMMER DAYS
When a friend of Denver, Co entrepreneur Michael Bevis dog died from heatstroke on a hiking trail, he decided it was time to find a way to protect your best friend when exposed to excess heat.
After seven years, he launched “KoolSkinz,” a dog vest that can keep pets cool for up to two hours in plus 90-degree weather.
“I’ve been a dog lover my whole life and didn’t realize this was such a problem,” Bevis said. “I did some research and realized that tens of thousands of dogs actually die from complications related to overheating every year. They can’t sweat or cool themselves down like humans.”
Bevis, who was worried about his own dog’s safety, said he had tested every product on the market that claimed to keep your dog cool during outdoor activities.
“I realized they all kind of suffer from two things: One is that they are big, bulky and stiff and can actually wear sores on your dog over long periods time, and two is not a single cooling product on the market today lasts longer than about 15 minutes,” Bevis said.
While many of the popular products today use an over-the-back design, it has been shown to not be the most effective way to cool dogs down. That is because they have a subcutaneous layer of fat on their backside that protects them from the high temperatures. Dogs are most vulnerable to the heat that they pick up from the ground, he said.
KoolSkinz, which Bevis said was tested on 150 dogs before he launched it in 2018, features a sleeker underbelly design using pet performance wear – what Bevis calls “Under Armour for dogs” – and a proprietary cooling agent that stays cold for up to two hours.
The product vests come in different sizes, for dogs between six and 160 pounds. Each one has three pockets containing “kool packs,” which contain a liquid solution that when cooled absorbs heat away from a dog’s body and helps them maintain a comfortable core temperature. Similar to ice packs, kool packs can be placed in a freezer, cooler or cold mountain stream, and can be reused.
The kool packs also can be heated in boiling water or the microwave during the colder months to provide up to 45 minutes of warmth.
KookSkinz vests retail for $80 on the company’s website, Amazon, and in six retail shops in Denver and one in Colorado Springs. They come in four designs, including polks dog, bones, floral and skulls.
KoolSkinz vests retail for $80. (Photos courtesy KoolSkinz)
After his friend’s dog died of heatstroke on a hiking trail, Denver entrepreneur Michael Bevis decided it was time to create a protective solution for furry friends with avid hikers for owners.
Seven years later, he launched KoolSkinz, a dog vest that can keep pets cool for up to two hours in 90-plus-degree weather.
“I’ve been a dog lover my whole life and didn’t realize this was such a problem,” Bevis said. “I did some research and realized that tens of thousands of dogs actually die from complications related to overheating every year. They can’t sweat or cool themselves down like humans.”
Michael Bevis created KoolSkinz vests after his friend lost his dog to heatstroke on a hiking trail.
Bevis, who was scared for his own dog’s safety, said he tested every product on the market that claimed to keep your dog cool during outdoor activities.
“I realized they all kind of suffer from two things: One is that they are big, bulky and stiff and can actually wear sores on your dog over long periods of time, and two is not a single cooling product on the market today lasts longer than about 15 minutes,” Bevis said.
Many of the popular products out there now also use an over-the-back design. But Bevis said that’s not the most effective way to cool dogs down, because they have a subcutaneous layer of fat on their backside that protects them temperature-wise. Dogs are most vulnerable to the heat that they pick up from the ground, he said.
KoolSkinz, which Bevis said was tested on 150 dogs before he launched it in 2018, features a sleeker underbelly design using pet performance wear — what Bevis calls “Under Armour for dogs” — and a proprietary cooling agent that stays cold for up to two hours.
The product vests come in different sizes, for dogs between six and 160 pounds. Each one has three pockets containing “kool packs,” which contain a liquid solution that when cooled absorbs heat away from a dog’s body and helps them maintain a comfortable core temperature. Similar to ice packs, kool packs can be placed in a freezer, cooler or cold mountain stream, and can be reused.
“I’m a big hiker and it ideally appeals to people who are hikers, campers, and hunters who are out in the field a lot,” Bevis said. “Especially in Colorado, there are so many amazing hikes near streams and you can just stop for lunch and recharge your kool packs and the dog can stay comfortable for another two hours of the hike.”
The kool packs also can be heated in boiling water or the microwave during the colder months to provide up to 45 minutes of warmth.
KoolSkinz vests retail for $80 on the company’s website, Amazon, and in six retail shops in Denver and one in Colorado Springs. They come in four designs, including polka dot, bones, floral, and skulls.
