Times Daily:
The technology has been tested and proved sound.
John Locker says all he needs to make his cooling garment successful is for someone such as Oprah Winfrey to wear it around for a few days.
Locker has experimented with the cooling technology for more than six years. He has made vests, jackets and other garments. All perform the same task: Cool the body on even the hottest day.
There’s just one catch. “Engineeringwise, it’s a great success,” Locker said. “Marketing, not so much. Stylewise, it just hasn’t been a hit.
“Everyone who tries them seems to absolutely love them for what they can do,” Locker said, “Some people say they cool them off, but they’re just not cool to wear.
He is working with researchers at Auburn University on the project. His technology is being used to produce capes that cool Auburn football players and covers on greens at Augusta National golf course where the Masters is played.
The University of North Alabama is working with Locker to place covers over soccer goals at the practice field next to Flowers Hall. That will turn the goals into an area where football players can cool down during practices on the artificial turf.
“We probably have a dozen products,” Locker said. “We’re doing a lot of research, and we’re trying to market them. They’ve been hard to get off the ground, though.”
Photo by TimesDaily.