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Heatstroke is a medical emergency. The UK averages around 2,000 heat-related deaths per year, and that number spikes sharply during heatwaves. Standard emergency preparedness guidance covers food, water, and shelter — but the ability to actively cool the body during a heatwave, power outage in summer, or outdoor emergency is a capability most UK households don’t have. A cooling towel addresses that gap with a product that weighs almost nothing and takes up almost no space.
The Sukeen Cooling Towel works by evaporation: soak it, wring it out, snap it to activate the cooling effect. Wet skin loses heat; the towel keeps the contact surface damp and the evaporation active. It maintains this effect for up to 3 hours per use, comes in a portable pouch with a carabiner clip, and has been bought nearly 11,000 times on Amazon UK with a 4.5-star rating. At £29.07, it costs less than a single GP visit for heat-related illness.
Sukeen Cooling Towels (x4 pack)
A pack of 4 evaporative cooling towels that need only water to activate — up to 3 hours of active cooling, reusable indefinitely, and compact enough to clip to any bag with carabiners and pouches.
Current Price at time of writing: £18.43
Rated: 4.5/5 ⭐ from 10,984 reviews
How It Works
The towel is made from a hyper-evaporative mesh material. Soak it in water, wring out the excess, and snap it — the rapid movement activates the cooling effect by distributing moisture through the mesh. Drape it around the neck, place it on pulse points (wrists, inner elbow, forehead), or use it as a compress on overheated skin.
The cooling effect lasts up to 3 hours depending on conditions — faster evaporation in dry heat means more cooling but shorter duration; humidity slows evaporation and reduces the effect. In high summer UK conditions (moderate heat, variable humidity), expect 2–3 hours of active cooling per soak. Rinse and re-activate as needed.
Heatwave Emergency Preparedness
For UK households, the specific scenarios where this matters:
- Power cut in summer: Without a fan or air conditioning, a long hot power cut creates heat risk, particularly for elderly residents, young children, and people with medical conditions.
- Heatwave without air conditioning: The majority of UK homes have no air conditioning. A cooling towel is not a substitute, but it is meaningful cooling support.
- Outdoor activity in unexpected heat: Walking, cycling, or working outdoors in a UK heatwave creates heat illness risk that most people underestimate.
- Evacuation in summer: Walking to a meeting point or shelter in hot conditions with a loaded bag is physically demanding. Active cooling extends safe activity time.
No Chemicals — Reusable Indefinitely
The towel contains no chemicals. The cooling is purely evaporative. It can be washed, re-used, and stored indefinitely. The pouch keeps it from drying out completely during storage, extending the time between activations. If stored dry, just re-soak. If salt from sweat is reducing cooling efficiency (as the product notes), rinse to clear the salt and re-activate.
Grab Bag Use
The pouch folds to approximately the size of a small water bottle and weighs almost nothing. The carabiner clip allows it to attach to a bag exterior. For a 72-hour grab bag that may be used in summer conditions, this adds a capability that a foil emergency blanket does not provide — the blanket retains heat; the cooling towel removes it.
Sukeen Cooling Towels (x4 pack)
A pack of 4 evaporative cooling towels that need only water to activate — up to 3 hours of active cooling, reusable indefinitely, and compact enough to clip to any bag with carabiners and pouches.
Current Price at time of writing: £18.43
Rated: 4.5/5 ⭐ from 10,984 reviews
What the Rest of the Team Think
🦆 Keith the Prepper
I had developed a cooling vest using frozen water bottles sewn into a tactical vest which my wife described as “both dangerous and a waste of a good vest.” The Sukeen towel is significantly lighter, requires no freezing, and takes up a fraction of the space. My wife uses hers during her morning walks in summer. My cooling vest is in the shed with the other projects. Five stars for the towel.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🪖 Black Panther
Heat management is a genuine operational concern in warm-weather field deployments. The cooling towel is a low-weight, no-power core temperature management option. In a UK context the scenarios are less extreme than a desert deployment but the principle stands — heat impairs decision-making and physical performance. Four stars — good kit, the carabiner pouch is the right idea.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🤡 Camping Clown
I have a £280 phase change cooling vest used by professional athletes and industrial workers. I also have four Sukeen towels. At festivals, outdoor events, and on long summer walks the towels get used constantly. The vest is extraordinary but not exactly practical for everyday use. The towel costs £29 and fits in a pocket. Both have their place. The towel’s place is everywhere.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐾 Weekend Warrior
Pickle overheats on long summer walks — Pomeranians have a thick double coat that makes them heat-sensitive. I use the Sukeen towel on her scruff and belly when she’s panting hard. It genuinely helps — she calms down and recovers faster. I also wear one myself but it’s primarily about Pickle. She appears to tolerate it and has not bitten the towel, which I take as endorsement. Five stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐕 Pickle
“Snorgle!”
(Translation: “The cold wet thing goes on my belly when I am hot. I did not request it. But it does work and I am willing to accept it. Dad is pleased with himself. The towel has my cautious endorsement. Snorgle.”)
🐔 Chicken Licken
UK summers are getting hotter. I’ve been saying this since before it became mainstream to say it, for reasons I can’t discuss here, but the point is the preparation is the same regardless of the cause. The Sukeen towel requires only water to function. Water is the one resource even they can’t remove entirely. Five stars. Buy several. Store them near your water supply.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Calm Clarissa
The summer emergency protocol includes heatwave provisions: blinds closed in east and west-facing rooms by 9am, cooling towels in the bathroom and kitchen accessible by both household members, water intake targets adjusted for temperature. Janet’s heatwave protocol is laminated and on the fridge, seasonal side displayed June–September. The Sukeen towel is specifically named on the sheet. It is a well-made product.
✅✅✅✅✅
💄 Survivl Gurl
Festival season essential. I pack two — one for neck, one for wrists. They photograph well which is helpful but they also genuinely work which is more to the point. The carabiner clip on the pouch is the detail that makes this actually usable as an everyday carry item rather than something that stays at the bottom of a bag. Five stars, buy the colour that matches your summer aesthetic, they all work the same.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌿 Aroura
Water applied with intention carries healing energy and there is something deeply aligned about a product that uses the earth’s own evaporative principle to cool the body. I infuse the water I soak mine with with a clear quartz crystal before applying. Does this improve performance? Energetically, I believe so. Physically, the science is already doing the work either way. Both are welcome. Namaste 🙏
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pros and Cons
Pros
- No power, no chemicals — just water
- Up to 3 hours cooling per soak
- Reusable indefinitely — just re-soak
- Carabiner pouch for bag attachment
- Works on pets as well as humans
Cons
- Less effective in high humidity — evaporation slows in humid conditions
- Needs water source to re-activate — plan water access in prolonged emergencies
- Cools by surface contact — not a substitute for air conditioning or shade
- Salt from sweat reduces effectiveness — rinse regularly
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the cooling effect last?
Up to 3 hours per soak in typical conditions. Hot, dry conditions (more evaporation) may provide shorter but more intense cooling. Humid conditions slow evaporation and reduce both the cooling effect and the duration.
Where should I apply it for maximum effect?
The neck, wrists, inner elbow, and forehead are pulse points where cooling is most effective — these areas have blood vessels close to the surface and cooling them circulates cooler blood through the body.
Can I use this in a power cut?
Yes — the towel requires only water, which is available even during a power cut. If the power cut is in summer and temperatures are high, this is a meaningful cooling tool alongside keeping blinds closed, avoiding sun-facing rooms, and drinking cold water.
Can I use this on my dog?
Yes. Place the wet towel on the dog’s scruff, belly, and paws — areas with less fur where cooling contact is more effective. Do not leave a dog unattended with the towel as they may attempt to eat it.
How do I store it?
Store it in the pouch, either damp or dry. If stored for long perios, ensure some the towel is dry to prevent mildew. If stored dry, it reactivates fully with a fresh soak. The towel does not degrade with storage.
Build Your Resilience
Further Reading: Related Guides
- Heatwave Survival Guide
- Heatwave Powercut Guide
- 72-Hour Grab Bag Guide
- Protect Your Skin From the Sun
All our guides can be found listed on our resilience hub.
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