Comparison, updated April 2026

Ice vest vs Clema: how long does each one last?

60-90 min vs 8-12 hr with one battery swap. No ice. No freezer logistics.

By Clément Messeri, CTO, Materials engineer, UC Berkeley

At a glance

Side-by-side comparison.

Spec	Ice vest	Clema (solid-state)
Runtime per cycle	60–90 min	8–12 hr (one swap)
Refill requirement	Ice / freezer access on site	None, hot-swap battery
Works in humidity	Yes	Yes
Worn weight	3–6 lbs (frozen)	<3 lbs
Fits under PPE	Bulk varies; often interferes	Sub-3-lb, works with a fall-arrest harness
Logistics burden	High, needs ice runs and freezer access every shift	Low, swap a charged battery, no resupply

Pick an ice vest if…

Ice still wins for short, predictable tasks.

For 60-90 minute outdoor tasks with reliable freezer access at the truck or in a break trailer, a simple ice vest is cheap and effective. They work in any humidity and require no battery.

Pick ice1-hour outdoor crews with truck-mounted coolers.
Pick iceEvent support, parade marshals, sideline staff.
Pick iceShort hot-task interventions inside larger cool shifts.

Pick Clema if…

Solid-state wins for industrial shifts.

Construction, refinery turnarounds, foundries, line-worker storm response, warehouse picking. Anywhere the worker can't stop at the truck every 90 minutes for a fresh ice swap.

Pick Clema8+ hour shifts without freezer access on site.
Pick ClemaCrews in hi-vis and fall-arrest harnesses.
Pick ClemaCrews that move (no fixed-location ice depot).
Pick ClemaIndoor radiant-heat environments (foundries, steel).
Pick ClemaOSHA / Cal/OSHA / state heat-rule compliance plans.

Related guides

Keep reading.

Full Comparison

Which type still works at hour eight?

Clema vs PCM Vest

What happens when there is no freezer?

Clema vs Evaporative Vest

What happens at 70 percent humidity?

Summer 2026, 500-unit first batch

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