How to Keep Yourself Cool During This Hellscape We Call July
These are the Esquire Essentials, pieces you need to take a road trip, throw a party, or otherwise rise to the occasion.
It's hot as hell out, and it looks like it's going to get hotter. If you're unlucky enough to live without centralized air conditioning - or you want to leave your home with melting into a puddle of sweat - here are eight simple ways to stay cool all summer long.
1) A Cooling Pillow
Coop Home Goods Eden Pillow
Start with the most important part of your day: the part where you get to be a sleep. For hot heads, the Eden pillow is covered in breathable fabric and filled with cooling gel memory foam, so you can wake up every morning without a fresh coat of sweat across your brow.
$70, amazon.com
2) Portable AC
Honeywell MN12CES Portable Air Conditioner
If you don't live with AC, make the AC come to you. Honeywell's unit rolls around, so you can tote it from the bedroom to the living room and back again - as long as you have windows to hook it to. It's fairly quiet, too, and capable of cooling up to 450 square feet.
$400, amazon.com
3) A Blender
Nutri Ninja Pro Blender
Ninja's Nutri blender has blades strong enough to break down the summer's best produce for icy cold smoothies. Or you could use it to make frozen margs. Your call.
$70, amazon.com
4) Boozy Popsicles
Kettio Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds
Buying a pack of Otter Pops might feel juvenile, but freezing fruit juice with a healthy helping of liquor is decidedly adult. These cognac and strawberry popsicles will do the trick.
$32, amazon.com
5) Breathable Underwear
Uniqlo AIRism Boxer Briefs
Uniqlo uses fabric tech that releases heat and stays cools to the touch to keep you nice and dry...down there.
$8, uniqlo.com
6) A Cooler
Barebones Pathfinder Cooler
If you've got outdoor plans, you can pack plenty of water, soda, or beer in Barebones' surprisingly stylish and compact cooler. It holds 16 cans, has a bottle opener on the zipper, and comes with a detachable strap for easy (and comfortable) carrying.
$60, backcountry.com
7) A Personal Fan
Vornado Pivot 5 Whole Room Air Circulator Ice
On the hottest of days, just aim a fan directly at your face. Vornados are powerful machines, and this one is also quiet and small with multiple speeds.
$45, target.com
8) A Day at the Movies
AMC Theatre Gift Card
When all else fails, movie theaters tend to crank their AC to the absolute max. There are some promising blockbusters coming out this summer, too. Don't forget the popcorn.
From $25, amazon.com
Man, it's a hot one.