Summertime in the sun offers so many opportunities for making great memories at the fields. Unfortunately though most fields sports provide minimal sun protection for both players and spectators. One of the best ways to make sure those memories are good ones is to make sure you are staying cool and hydrated.
So how do you keep cool at a baseball game? This article covers our tips for staying cool during hot summer days at the fields. To simplify it though the keys are to stay hydrated and stay out of the sun!
Whether it is a wiffle ball field, like the ones we’ve written about building in your yard, or a championship soccer match the first step is to stay hydrated. This is taken for granted, but there are dozens of good water bottle options for tracking how much you drink. In addition we have found plenty of electrolyte powders that add a nice taste. Of course, staying hydrated is just the first step.
Controlling your internal temperature and external temperature is key to stay in cool. These items below are some of our favorite features to add to a field in order to stay cool.
Easy up Tent
A shaded spot is the key to avoiding burn. Easy ups with retractable legs can be put on top of uncovered bleachers, dugouts, or tables. Make sure to secure these tents with straps though to avoid them blowing away.
Covered Folding Chair
Look around a baseball field or at the sidelines of a youth soccer game and the options for folding chairs can be overwhelming. Cup holders, foot rests, built in fans, there is no shortage of ways to make your setup deluxe. Our favorite for keeping cool though have integrated shade covers that will ensure even without an easy up pop up tent you can still avoid the sun.
Cooling towel with an ice chest
Nothing quite hits the spot in the heat like a cold towel draped over your next or head. These can be used in the dugout in between innings and smaller shammys are easy enough to put in a back pocket out on the field.
Bring an extra cooler to the field and dedicate it to just ice and towels. This way you can rewet a towel with ice without having to worry about hot drinks or spoiled snacks. A dedicated ice chest for a team can be the difference in a hot game.
Personal Mister
If you really want to bring down your temperature one of the best ways is through evaporative cooling. This is what sweat does, since evaporating water will leave the surface it is evaporating from cooler than the surroundings. If you don’t want to sweat then grab a personal mister instead.
The pump action spray bottles come in a variety of designs. We prefer the wide mouthed versions though as it makes them easier to fill with ice.
Powered Mister Sprays – Ryobi Mister
When a personal mister or pump action one is not enough it’s time to break out the big guns. The most popular powered mister we have seen is made by Ryobi. Although Ryobi is not always the top of the line in terms of power tools, they do seem to have some of the best ancillary products that run off their battery system. You can pickup a Ryobi mister at Amazon.
The powered mister is a fan and water pump that fits on a standard 5 gallon bucket. If you have spent some time at the ball fields you’ll often have one of these buckets, as they are the same style that are used to store balls. Simply fill the bucket with some ice water, slap on a fresh battery pack, and you’ll have a nice misty area to stand in for pretty much the whole game. We’ve found that the only time you have to refill the bucket or replace the battery is when you have multiple games back to back, like at a full day tournament.
While this article is not a Ryobi mister review, we must say that this is one of the best additions to our growing collection of wagon gear. When loading up for a full day at the fields this thing easily makes the cut to get put in the car or dragged out to the fields. With a single extra battery pack you can often even find an extra bucket and some melted cooler water that will work to keep everyone comfy.
Wearable Ice Packs
Just like the other things on this list the options for ice packs is more than it used to be. These days you can get hats with built in freezae ice packs and other wearables that can be chilled. The o my issue with wearable packs is that once they (or you) get warm they work as insulation for the heat.
Our favorite version of these are ones that are designed to slip under a ball cap. Coupled with the extra ice chest this duo can keep you comfortable all day!