Summer and its high temps are coming. If escape to cooler high altitude or the wintery southern hemisphere is not possible, we’ll soon be sliding around together on warm granite with wet skin. While we moan about the conditions and await grippy September’s arrival, we’ll need to make it through the summer sessions without butchering a bloody mess at the end of our fingers.
I’ve already pulled out my little portable fan a few times during this year’s hot spring season. While I loaf around between attempts, the fan’s luxurious breeze keeps my tips cooler and drier. If I can find a cave or vent of cold air to blow on my tips, even better.
The fan doesn’t solve all my problems. Each attempt still ends with pink tips but spending most of the day with dry skin still makes a big difference. The softer and wetter skin gets, the easier it is for granite to shred it. The fan means less wear and less pain as the session progresses.
The O2 Cool is a 5 inch fan. Loaded up with 4 AA batteries, it weighs just under 300 grams. It is compact and easily slips into a bag with shoes and chalk bag.
The only complaint I’ve heard is that some folks have had trouble with the power switch being bumped to the on position while they are hiking. Since the fan is so quite, they don’t even notice and arrive to their project with drained batteries. Removing the batteries or placing a piece of tape over the switch helps.
I ordered my fan from Amazon a while ago but just the other day I saw them for sale in Squamish at Shoppers Drug Mart for only $14.99. Shoppers even has a 10 inch beast that runs on 6 D batteries for $29.99. The fans are in the seasonal section near the cash register.