Customer review - cooldown cape - Kerstin Schubert

Published by Kerstin Schubert on 2 August 2018

Heat, heat and more heat… for weeks now. Let's be honest: it's really no fun anymore, is it? Neither for dogs nor for humans. We're out in the fields before dawn, then quickly water the trees around the corner in the morning, and then it's a matter of holding out until the sun goes down. Our constant companions are our water bottles and, more recently, the Cooldown Cape from actionfactory.

I found the company a good two years ago when I was looking for a solution to protect a surgical wound without having to use one of those annoying oversized plastic collars. We bought the Medi Cape after receiving excellent advice from actionfactory and always called it a ‘pyjama’ because my dog always wore it in the evenings. Put all four paws in the legs, pull it up, put his head through, zip it up at the back... done. And the material is really cosy, soft and comfortable, just like pyjamas. In any case, mine wore the protective cape happily and without complaining. The Medi Cape is really recommended if any of you are looking for an alternative. But that's just by the way... Today we're going to talk about the Cooldown Cape.ither for dogs nor for humans. We're out in the fields before dawn, then quickly water the trees around the corner in the morning, and then it's a matter of holding out until the sun goes down. Our constant companions are our water bottles and, more recently, the Cooldown Cape from actionfactory.

First, a brief overview of how dogs sweat. Evolution has brought us some truly amazing things, but when you observe dogs in the current heat, their sweating leaves something to be desired. Dogs do not sweat as extensively as humans, but have only a few sweat glands – mainly on the pads of their paws. It should be obvious to everyone that these – especially on warm asphalt – hardly contribute to temperature regulation. Dogs also regulate their temperature by releasing heat through their skin and by panting.

Some dog owners now believe that every dog should be shaved in hot weather. However, people don't consider that a dog's coat also protects it from the sun. I'm not talking about poodles and the like, whose wool needs to be kept under control somehow. Their coat structure is completely different from that of a Landseer, Aussie or Bernese Mountain Dog, for example. These dogs need to be freed from dead hair, yes, but not shorn. For me, at least, that's out of the question for my Bernese Mountain Dog.

To make the heat more bearable for him, I ended up buying a cooling vest from Ruffwear the year before last – many dog sports enthusiasts use this model. The vest is ‘charged’ with water and actively cools the dog through evaporation. The vest fits quite loosely on the back so that the dog cannot overheat. However, mine wasn't really happy about the wet vest and always ran away at first. So I had to let the vest dry briefly before I could put it on him, which meant that the cooling effect was quickly lost. So it wasn't really ideal. Not to mention the concerns about tension, kidney problems... and dogs can't really say ‘no’ when they're wearing it.

With the current temperatures, I looked a little further and stumbled across the Cooldown Cape from actionfactory:

On closer inspection, the coat consists of ‘aluminium strips’ that are loosely connected to each other. This means there is no risk of the dog overheating under the cape and air can circulate. The coat offers the dog passive protection from the heat by simply reflecting the sun's rays... the principle works without water or cooling gel and therefore cannot become too cold for the muscles. Another advantage of this design is the weight of the coat. The water and gel versions are quite heavy for the dog to carry. I much prefer the passive cooling option, which is considerably lighter.

“Like a mirror, the shiny side reflects 85% of the sun's rays, reliably keeping the heat out (the fabric is made of robust polyester threads coated with aluminium). The material is feather-light (approx. 120 grams for size L), does not absorb water and does not hinder the dog in any way! At the same time, the fabric of the Cooldown Cape is maximally breathable thanks to its open structure, so that the dog cannot overheat in the first place. This reliably prevents heat build-up!" – according to the manufacturer, with whom I can only agree.

Incidentally, the Cooldown Cape is very easy to put on: there is a suitable size for every dog – measured by the length of the back. The dog just has to put its head through the opening and then the coat is fastened around the belly with a Velcro fastener. That's all there is to it.

Incidentally, the Cooldown Cape comes in a handy little bag that also has Velcro fastenings. The bag fits in any rucksack and can also be attached in the car, for example, using the Velcro strip on the back, so that you always have the coat to hand.

People all shake their heads – ‘How can she put a coat on the poor dog in this weather? And a Bernese Mountain Dog at that!’ But anyone who took the time to ask me what it was all about was welcome to touch the Cooldown Cape and stroke the dog underneath it. Yes, the coat really isn't warmed up and the coat is so light that he's not panting because of the weight.

Until now, everyone was convinced that the Cooldown Cape really helps dogs in the current heat.

Of course, I won't be walking him for hours in the blazing sun with the cape on – I don't like that myself – no question about it. But this way, I can take him across the meadow to the nearest big apple tree without him panting heavily and his black coat heating up. And with passive cooling, I don't have to worry about tension, arthritis and the like either.

I can really recommend the solution from actionfactory, and if you would like more information, I recommend visiting the manufacturer's website:

[Link] Cooldown Cape

About the author

Kerstin Schubert works as a freelance information designer and spends her free time at the dog training centre with her Bernese Mountain Dog Wookiee, competing in obedience class 3. She designed and created the training diaries available here in the shop.