4 Great Ways to Stay Cool in the Heat on Surveillance Assignments

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It seems as though every year surveillance investigators seek information on how to keep cool in their surveillance vehicles as summer approaches. Most recently an investigator in Las Vegas asked this:

“How do you keep your car cool during the summer months? I live in Las Vegas and the inside of my car gets so hot. Please Help.”

In this article, I am going to share 4 ways to stay cool in your surveillance vehicle on hot days.

Use Cooling Devices in Your Surveillance Vehicle

In the earlier 2000s there wasn’t really anything on the market that really satisfied an investigator’s need with staying cool in a surveillance vehicle. There are probably still videos floating around of do-it-yourself devices that investigators devised however I have never known an investigator to create devices other than the person who made the do-it-yourself video.

Over the years I have stumbled upon many different gadgets that may help with keeping cool on hot days. So let’s get into these devices.

Ontel Arctic Chill 2.0

The Arctic Chill 2.0 is sold at Walmart and on Amazon and appears to have mixed reviews.  This compact fan has been said to cool off very small spaces and is designed really to be pointed at a person.  Some people love it and some people are unimpressed by it.  It is relatively inexpensive to find out if it will help you in your vehicle.

The Portable Neck Fan by Scurry (Model X-8)

This dual-fan isn’t pleasing to the eye however with two fans blasting air at you from a short distance, it will make life a little more comfortable for you in the heat.

The great thing about this is that you don’t have to hold the fan up to your face as it rests on the back of your next and is adjustable.  

It has a rechargeable 2000mAh battery within it and has three speeds available to pick just the right amount of breeze you receive.  One of the cool features is you can charge it from your laptop.

The adjustability makes it easy to do other tasks like working on your computer or holding a video camera.

It also has aroma therapy options and can light up with fun colors if you are into that sort of thing. 

This device is adjustable and the fans are quite powerful considering how small it is.

In a vehicle with the windows closed, it will blow air on ya at a high rate but it will likely be blowing hot air on you. Like the previous device, with the windows down slightly or completely, you will find this device to cool you off better than with the windows up completely.

The device is very useful when outdoors even on a hot day however you will stand out more with two fans resting on your neck.

The device is comfortable to wear and would also recommend having this neck fan in your vehicle as an additional resource to cool yourself off.

This fan can last anywhere from 2 to 8 hours depending on the fan speed you use. Not too bad for those long surveillance days.  It takes approximately 3 hours to charge completely.

The best part about this device I think is the price. On Amazon, you can find this portable fan at $11.99 with nearly 7,000 reviews with 4.5 total stars.

Bladeless Hanging Neck Fan

The Bladeless Hanging Neck Fan is a well-built sturdy-feeling neck fan that can take the bite out of some of the heat while sitting in a surveillance vehicle.

This fan alone will not cool you down completely if you are in your surveillance vehicle on an extremely hot day with the windows up. With the windows down slightly or completely this device will assist in cooling you off a little more than the breeze from having your windows down.

The vents on top of this adjustable device blow up towards your face which is a good design. The device is comfortable to wear around your neck and looks like headphones to anyone else.

Charge time is listed as 6 hours on the box however I don’t know how accurate that is. The usage time for a device is listed between 5 and 12 hours depending on the speed you use (there are 3 speeds).

For the price, this might just be worth having in your vehicle to use within your vehicle or to possibly use while on foot during surveillance assignments.

Rechargeable Portable Handheld Fan (F9-Fan by Yuntuo) 

This portable handheld fan hits that affordable price range at $11.89 as of the writing of this article and is a top pick on Amazon for this category with over 4,000 reviews giving this about a 4.5-star rating overall.

You can hold this in your hand or stick it on your dashboard and have it point towards you.  

It has three speeds to choose from and that also dictates how long the battery will last which is anywhere from 6 to 16 hours.  It comes with a 4400 mAh rechargeable battery and can be charged in a various amount of ways like most devices these days.

It comes in a variety of colors and is small enough to take with you or store in your vehicle without taking up too much room.

IcyBreeze V2 Pro Portable Air Conditioner & Cooler

Remember earlier when I mentioned folks would create a cooling device for their vehicle. This is basically what people were trying to create. A cooler that actually worked as an air conditioner.  If you are looking for probably a reliable device that will cool off your vehicle during hot days. This is probably the best option of them all however it comes with a heavier price tag and it will take up some space in your vehicle. 

Another great thing about IcyBreeze is that it isn’t just an AC unit, it is also a cooler so you can keep food and drinks cold while on surveillance.  Having cold beverages is never a bad thing to have in your vehicle during a hot day. 

It comes with a 6AH Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery and charger. This battery lasts about 4 hours.  

There is an option for purchasing additional accessories like a 110v power supply and additional batteries. With a power supply, you could run it off the battery of your vehicle or off a large battery bank if you have one already.  

This by far is probably the best solution for private investigators if running your vehicle isn’t an option.  

Window Shades

Window shades alone aren’t the perfect answer to staying cool in your vehicle but in combination with some of the smaller affordable van devices, they can certainly help deflect the sun and keep your vehicle slightly cooler on hot days.  

And generally speaking, if you are conducting surveillance, you will be using the shade to keep your vehicle dark so as not to be seen within your surveillance vehicle.  

Window shades are relatively inexpensive and serve multiple purposes. Be sure to always have one in your vehicle. 

Window Tint

If you are a surveillance investigator then you should have a tint on the windows of your vehicle.  Window tint on a vehicle will lower the temperature on a hot day.  It doesn’t keep all the heat out but it surely helps keep your vehicle a little cooler than without tinted windows.

Be sure to always follow the laws in your area.

Run Your Vehicle and Air Conditioning

Sometimes the heat is just unbearable and no cooling device is going to cut into the heat like running your air conditioner within your vehicle.  If you don’t have to have a view of your subject’s residence or an unobstructed view, then parking along the route of departure might be your best option.

Parking a bit down the road with even a partial view allows for you to run your vehicle and air conditioning as long as you need to. If someone approaches your vehicle whether it be a police officer or a neighbor, provide a suitable pretext and maintain your position.  

Final Thoughts on Keeping Cool on Surveillance Assignments

Depending on where you live it can get extremely hot during the summer months. I spent 16 years in the field conducting surveillance assignments and I know how hot it can get. If you can’t run your vehicle and run your air conditioning then a combination of some of these devices may be your best bet to take some of the stings out of the heat in your vehicle.

Do what you can during the summer. Stay safe and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.