Outdoor comments
March/April 1994
By Guerry Dalrymple

Over the last few months I've had the opportunity to try some new products that make the outdoor experience more enjoyable. I'd like to share a couple of them with you they sure open doors for some of us!

KAFKA'S KOOL TIE developed, manufactured and marketed by Pam and Steve Kafka is taking the country, and some other places, by storm.

The principle is pretty simple - a cool bandana tied around your neck. We all know how well this works until the bandana gets warm or dry. Imagine if it didn't get warm or dry, but stayed cool for hours, sometimes all day.

The KOOL TIE is made of cotton or cotton polyester blend material that meets the Kafka's stringent quality checks. A neckerchief is fashioned containing a polymer that is OSHA approved as non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-carcinogenic, with good skin compatibility.

To activate Kafka's KOOL TIE, just place it in clean water for 15 to 30 minutes to hydrate the polymer. Remove it from the water, dry it off with a towel, and tie it around your neck. The results are unbelievable.

I've used the KOOL TIE on desert dove and quail hunts, working in the yard, fishing, and spending the day at the swapmeet. It stays cool for me all day, and I don't overheat like I used to.

Despite being re-hydrated many times, the KOOL TIE works as well now as it did the first time, and it's washable.
This was not the case with similar products I've tried, which caused skin rashes or just broke down after a few uses.

Wanting to get some other opinions, I asked the Dust Devils Quad Rugby Team to try the ties. Spray bottles, wet towels, and cool down breaks are pretty much a way for life for a Quad Rugby player. Those that have tried the KOOL TIE tell me they need the spray bottles and cold towels much less and can play longer without over-heating.

Some other applications with good results include firefighters, police officers, welders and delivery truck drivers.


Kafka's KOOL TIE has become very popular in Australia for many applications, both professional and recreational. Many professional fishing guides don't go out in the summer without their KOOL TIE. Golfers, runners, bikers-you name it-are finding the KOOL TIE helps to keep them cool. I recently was shown a letter from a professional sports trainer who is convinced the KOOL TIE belongs in the training camp. The KOOL TIE comes in hundreds of colors and patterns, and it's washable.

How about some more good news? You know how we pay rather high prices for products designed for the disabilities community. Kafka's KOOL TIE can be purchased for less than $15 and has a no-time-limit warranty on everything except the natural wear of the fabric.