- The Honu Cooling Pack by 19°N is a new breed of outdoor gear with built-in active cooling technology, engineered to cool the wearer for up to half a day
- The pack’s ‘ThermoCore’ technology was developed for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Special Forces to enhance and extend human endurance by lowering core temperatures of personnel operating in extreme environments
- 19°N’s Honu Cooling Pack will be available for pre-order via Kickstarter, launching on August 24th!
Honolulu, HI | July 28, 2021 — New Hawaiʻi-based brand, 19°N is launching a first-of-its-kind outdoor cooling pack with built-in ‘ThermoCore’ active cooling technology. Inspired by NASA, who pioneered liquid cooling technology for spacesuits, and developed with US Military support, the ‘Honu Cooling Pack’ is a new breed of outdoor gear built to overcome the physiological challenges of climate change. The cooling pack can enable better endurance, higher performance, and faster recovery for wearers in increasingly hot environments.
The effects of climate change are becoming more intense and more apparent each year. The early summer heatwave that swept the Pacific Northwest not only broke temperature records but did so by unprecedented margins—beating previous records by 10°F in Portland. Temperatures hit 116°F in Oregon and reached 108°F in Seattle, Washington. During these heatwaves, Olympic Team trials were delayed and athletes suffered in the soaring temperatures, demonstrating that global warming will increasingly impact athletics and recreational activities.
The Honu Cooling Pack was designed for this reality, standing at the fore of a new wave of climate-adaptive equipment as the world’s first active cooling pack designed specifically for outdoor adventure.
In contrast to passive cooling wearables—wicking fabrics, evaporative bandanas, ice pack pockets, etc.—the Honu Cooling Pack is designed to actively remove heat from the wearer’s body by circulating cool water through patented, thermally-conductive polymer tubing integrated throughout the pack. Honu leverages the body’s natural cooling biomechanics to reduce the perception of atmospheric temperatures by up to 20°F.
The ThermoCore Active Cooling System combines NASA’s pioneering research in liquid cooling with leading edge nano-materials engineering. ThermoCore draws heat from the wearer’s body through 60 feet of microtubing that run throughout the pack’s chest, shoulder, and back areas. ThermoCore has double the thermal conductivity of PVC, resulting in up to a 50% increase in heat extraction compared to best in class cooling garments. Lightweight, flexible, comfortable, and robust, ThermoCore can optimally cool the wearer for up to half a day.
The development of the ThermoCore Active Cooling System began years ago for US special forces and US Navy shipyard personnel, who operate in dangerously hot conditions. After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from tests at Pearl Harbor in Hawai’i, 19°N adapted the technology to provide comfort and cooling to civilian workers, athletes, and adventurers. Thus, the Honu Cooling Pack was born.
The pack sits at the intersection of military-grade strength and athletic agility. Honu’s form and function were tested and refined based on feedback from professional triathletes, firefighters, and hikers training in Hawaii’s hottest and most demanding environments. The strict performance and durability requirements of the military were carried forward resulting in a robust, outdoor-ready pack able to withstand the elements.
Hawaiʻi is home to some of the best outdoor recreation experiences in the world as well as several premiere outdoor athletic competitions—the ability to be active outdoors is vital to the state. “The effects of climate change and rising temperatures are making it increasingly challenging to enjoy the activities we love, whether you’re on the trails of Hawaiʻi or the bike paths of New York City. A personal cooling system is a solution that will help people better enjoy their time outside, wherever they are and whenever they need it,” said Matthew Sullivan, 19°N Director of Product.
The Honu Cooling Pack will be available for pre-order via Kickstarter, launching on August 24th.
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19°N is an off-shoot of Hawaii-based science and technology company, Oceanit. Oceanit is a ‘mind to market’ company that creates fundamental science and transitions is it to market. Our scientists, engineers, designers, and outdoor enthusiasts are driven to create, innovate, and recreate. Our collective experience as designers and engineers spans from top design firms such as IDEO, to world class design and engineering programs like the Stanford d.school and the MIT Media Lab.
Please send any media inquiries to [email protected] or [email protected]. Learn more by visiting 19°N’s website.
