With names like Arctic, Glacier, Winter, Polar, Peak, Cool Wave, Breeze, Chillow, ChiliPad, OptiCool, AirCool, and iComfort with Cool Action, open water swimmers might be mistaken what these brand names represent.
Do the names represent special goggles for cold water swimmers? No.
Swimsuits for extreme swimmers? Nope.
Events organized by Colin Hill or the Russians in Siberia? Nyet.
Rather, these names refer to mattresses and temperature-controlling products developed by the bedding industry to help people stay comfortably cool while sleeping. Beginning a few years ago, there has been a steadily growing demand for products that are designed to regulate bed temperature.
Normally, a bed remains at room temperature until a sleeping person’s body heat drives the temperature up. But cooling mattresses and different technologies drive the mattress temperatures back down. The colder-than-normal environment is especially appreciated by those individuals who are referred to in the industry as hot sleepers. These individuals can range from people with fast metabolisms to those with excess body fat.
Or even perhaps those interested in developing brown fat or preparing for a channel swim? An opportunity for another 8 hours of nightly acclimatization, for sure.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.