My Favorite Ice Cooling Collar for Humans in Hot Summer Heat

Finding an ice collar for summer can be crucial if you have to work through long days in the heat. My favorite cooling collar for humans is the FlexiFreeze collar because it’s easy to secure in place, doesn’t affect my range of motion, and the frozen inserts can cool my neck in even some of the hottest environments.

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These are my favorites if you are searching for the best cooling collar for humans:

*My Favorite* FlexiFreeze Neck Cooling Wrap Ice Collar (click here to view)
*Best Large Coverage* Comfpack Large Neck Ice Pack (click here to view)
*Best Bandana Style* Icy Cools Tie-Down Ice Bandana (click here to view)
*Best w/ No Inserts* Ergodyne Chill Its Cooling Neck Collar (click here to view)
*Best Cooling Band* Cooling Time Neck Cooling Bands (click here to view)

Neck cooling collars can vary significantly in fit, function, and cooling capabilities. Some are more simple than others. Many collars will have ice-pack inserts which need to be frozen prior to use, while other simple devices, such as neck cooling bandannas, can be activated by simply dowsing them in water.

Again, I prefer the FlexiFreeze collar mainly because I think it has a more significant cooling effect than most other options. It’s also not super bulky, which means it doesn’t bother me much while I am working. It is easy to secure tightly around my neck, and doesn’t move around much. Here is mine:

I also own the Ergodyne cooling bandanna. No, it doesn’t provide me as much relief as the FlexiFreeze collar, but it is very simple to use and doesn’t need ice pack inserts. You just dowse it in water and the evaporation process helps provide cooling relief.

That said, even though I don’t think the FlexiFreeze collar is too bulky, it is definitely bulkier than the Ergodyne bandanna, and might not make sense for all jobs from a safety perspective. In this article let’s take a closer look at the best cooling collar for humans, including these that I own, so you can find an option that fits your specific needs.

Table of Contents

My Favorite Summer Cooling Collar for Humans

FlexiFreeze Neck Cooling Collar

I personally prefer a collar that uses ice pack inserts because I just think those frozen inserts provide the most relief in the extreme heat. And this FlexiFreeze collar is my favorite option because it allows you to wrap ice-pack inserts around your neck and secure it as loosely or as tightly as you need.

Here’s what this FlexiFreeze ice collar looks like:

This is the current price of this FlexiFreeze cooling collar for humans available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this ice collar:

Cooling Collar Inserts – This ice collar uses 8-pack strips of FlexiFreeze re-freezable ice inserts. I stick these in my freezer overnight and make sure they are ready to go for the next day. My purchase came with two of these inserts, but I bought extras. In the direct sunlight here in Kansas, I feel like mine last for about an hour each, but obviously that might be different in your climate. The inserts don’t drip water when they melt. Here’s a look at my inserts:

Recharge Time – I personally have extra inserts so that I can freeze a bunch of them overnight and have them ready to go to keep either in the freezer if I’m at home, or in an ice cooler if I’d working away from home. The wrap itself comes with two inserts, but buying more might be a good idea if you are working long days in the heat. That way you can swap them every hour or so. This is where you can buy the extra inserts for this collar (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

Adjustable – This cooling collar for humans is adjustable so you can secure it in place as loosely or as tightly as you need. Please be sure to consider if this meets the safety demands of your job prior to use. The ends of this collar will stick out away from your neck a little bit, and could be a safety hazard for certain jobs.

Specs & Weight – With one 8-pack insert frozen and loaded into this wrap, my FlexiFreeze cooling ice collar weighs only 0.34 pounds, so overall it is very lightweight. The width of mine is approximately 2.5 inches:

The takeaway here is that, in my opinion, because this collar has frozen inserts, it just adds a level of cooling that many other neck cooling devices can’t match. If you are suffering out there in the heat, this is the best solution that I have found. Overall, the design is lightweight and easy to use.

Click here to buy this FlexiFreeze cooling ice collar available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Because the fit is adjustable, this cooling neck collar can fit a wide range of necks.

Ergodyne Chill Its Cooling Collar Bandana

Ergodyne is a popular workwear brand for safety gear, and they also provide a lot of summer workwear to help you beat the heat, including not only this cooling neck bandanna, but also wearable ice cooling vests. This cooling neck bandanna is a simple, easy-to-use neck cooling device that does not use ice inserts.

Here’s what this Ergodyne cooling neck bandanna looks like:

This is the current price of this Ergodyne cooling collar for humans available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this collar:

How Does it Work? – This cooling bandanna relies on evaporation to help pull heat away from your neck. To activate this collar, you just hold it under water for about a minute. Then ring it out a bit and secure it around your neck. It’s stiff at first, but loosens once you soak it:

Cooling Effect – Ergodyne says that it “can last for up to 4 hours on a single soak.” I personally soak mine more than just once every four hours – I soak mine about twice an hour – but if you are unable to re-activate the collar, it’s nice to know it will continue some level of cooling effect for up to 4 hours.

Compared to FlexiFreeze – No, this neck cooling collar won’t provide the cooling effect that the FlexiFreeze ice collar will. That said, this Ergodyne collar is much simpler to use and doesn’t need any ice pack inserts. It is very lightweight and easy to secure around your neck or head. Mine weighs just 0.09 pounds when wet:

Click here to buy this Ergodyne cooling neck bandanna available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Overall, this collar isn’t obnoxiously big and doesn’t interfere much when I wear it.

Other Human Cooling Collars to Consider

Icy Cools Cooling Ice Bandana – This is another neck cooling collar for humans that uses re-freezable inserts that provide a cooling effect without the dripping mess of typical ice. You can also buy additional inserts so you have plenty to swap in and out during a long day in the sun. This neck cooling wrap is a tie-down wrap, and not quite as easy to secure in place as the FlexiFreeze collar. Click here to view this Icy Cools collar available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

Comfpack Large Neck Ice Collar – This is a large coverage collar that won’t make sense for all jobs due to its bulkiness. This is a nice option if you are looking for a cooling collar to use as a cold therapy wrap. It may, however, make sense for light-duty tasks around the house like gardening. But for many jobs, the bulkiness may be too intrusive. But if you are looking for max coverage, this is a nice option. Click here to view this Comfpack Ice Collar available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

Cooling Time Reusable Neck Cooling Bands – This is a simple neck cooling tube that can be activated in just 10-20 minutes in ice water. This might be a nice option for those who want to through a neck cooling band in the cooler during break at work, and then have it re-charged and ready for use 10-15 minutes later. Click here to view this neck cooling collar for humans available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).

What to Consider When Buying a Cooling Collar

Easiest to Use

In my experience, the easiest collars to use are the collars that you just dowse in water. These collars rely on the evaporation process to help pull heat away from your skin. There is very little prep time with these types of devices.

But, I have not found these to be as effective as ice collars that use pack inserts. Yes, if you choose a cooling collar that uses inserts, you have to make sure you swap them in and out of the freezer or cooler so you constantly have a new one available for use.

My suggestion if you are dealing with extreme heat is to try a cooling collar that uses frozen inserts.

Other Summer Cooling Gear

If you are searching for clothing to help you beat the heat, here are some other options to consider:

Choosing a Cooling Collar for Humans

There are a wide range of options for neck cooling devices. As we discussed above, there are ice collars that use frozen inserts, but also collars that just need to simply be dowsed in water to be activated. The size of these collars can also vary dramatically, and might affect which one makes the most sense for your job.

You could also consider a neck fan. I personally have never liked neck fans quite as much, but someone I work with uses one and likes the feeling of air circulating around his neck.

Most neck fans are pretty quiet, but it’s worth noting that the noise may cause a small distraction and affect your awareness on the job.

Most cooling neck fans are charged with USB and therefore don’t require additional batteries. These types of devices do a good job at circulating air around the neck, chin, and face, but they can be a bit bulky. I think using a cooling collar for humans that has actual frozen inserts is the best way to go.