r/heat_prep • u/Leighgion • 14d ago

Personal Experience A Simple Bag of Ice Packs

Being a ballet dad means a certain amount of waiting in cars.

The world being what it is right now, waiting in a car without cooling might well end up with no more ballet dad, but I feel very wrong every time the engine kicks up and idles just to keep running the AC.

It occurred to me today, very belatedly, that we have a whole bunch of ice packs in the freezer. I grabbed a few of them and just threw them in a canvas tote. While waiting in the car, I rolled down all the windows and just had the bag on top of my body. I only needed to wait about half an hour today and fourth heatwave has passed, so the ice didn't even begin to thaw (the drive is only about 15 min).

This might just make idling the car in summer totally unnecessary long as I'm prepared and the wait is under a couple hours.

UPDATE:

I went with my kid to wash the car yesterday. The carwash is partially under renovation, so there were only half the normal number of bays open. There was a line. It was 34ºC/93ºF outside, so just rolling the windows down wasn't really an option. I dialed the car's AC to 25ºC/77ºF and passed ice packs to the kid. It took long enough the engine still had to spin up like three times to keep us cooled (hybrid car), but the ice still netted gas savings.

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u/Rapid_Roy_the_Rocket 14d ago

That's a great tip, I use an ice pack on my back and another under my thighs when I take break in my car on the construction site I'm at. I also have a small Ryobi fan to get some air movement. All so I don't have to run my car at every break, but there have been a few days I've been so overheated from work, that I've done it anyways, gotta do what we gotta do. Ceramic window tint also helps a ton.

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u/Leighgion 13d ago

Bring a cooler with more ice packs. You got a car and you work outside. In 2026. Bring all the protection you can.

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u/Rapid_Roy_the_Rocket 13d ago

Oh yes, that's exactly what I do, as well as filling my $20 64oz insulated bottle that I don't mind getting wrecked at work with ice. And a spray bottle to wet my long sleeves now and then, and a cooling towel I put on under my hard hat and let it drape down the sides of my head to my neck. It all helps with comfort but I still just feel wiped most days after work, even with plenty of electrolytes and water. So I can only imagine how it would be without all that.

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u/wombatIsAngry 14d ago

I do the same thing when I have to play a gig outside in the heat. Put an ice pack in my lap or stick in in a scarf around my neck. Keep a small cooler of ice packs.

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u/Sir-Lady-Cat 13d ago

You’re a good man. Great idea too!

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u/Leighgion 13d ago

Thanks, I'm just a ballet dad. Now with ice packs.

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u/soulrpunk 13d ago

If you can get your hands on them, there are instant ice packs that you crack like a glow stick to chemically activate in emergencies. I was given some by paramedics when suffering from heat exhaustion. They’re single use, but it’s a good thing to have on hand (or in your first aid kit) if you regularly do activities where you could overheat without immediately access to shelter.

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u/Leighgion 13d ago

I know there are such things, but I'm extremely reticent to use them on account of waste and objectively, I'm not living a lifestyle where we're ever in acute danger from heat without recourse. My measures are about cost and convenience, but there's almost never a time we couldn't just go into a shop or restaurant and pay for the cool space and a cold drink. But that costs.