Inventor seeks market for jackets

FLORENCE - The technology has been tested and proved sound.

John Locker says all he needs to make his cooling garment successful is for someone such as Oprah Winfrey to wear it around for a few days.

Locker, a Florence entrepreneur, has experimented with the cooling technology for more than six years. He has made vests, jackets and other garments. All perform the same task: Cool the body on even the hottest day.

There's just one catch. "Engineeringwise, it's a great success," Locker said. "Marketing, not so much. Stylewise, it just hasn't been a hit.

He calls the vests and jackets he produces "my labor of love" and "my ugly stepchild." He said it's unlikely the jackets ever will produce a huge profit.

"Everyone who tries them seems to absolutely love them for what they can do," Locker said, "Some people say they cool them off, but they're just not cool to wear.

"If Oprah ever decided she wanted one of these garments, you couldn't make enough of them."

Instead of waiting for Oprah, Locker is exploring other uses for his product, which involves an aluminum mesh knitted together that serves the same purpose as a shade tree.

He is working with researchers at Auburn University on the project. His technology is being used to produce capes that cool Auburn football players and covers on greens at Augusta National golf course where the Masters is played.

The University of North Alabama is working with Locker to place covers over soccer goals at the practice field next to Flowers Hall. That will turn the goals into an area where football players can cool down during practices on the artificial turf.

"We probably have a dozen products," Locker said. "We're doing a lot of research, and we're trying to market them. They've been hard to get off the ground, though."

Locker, 57, owner of Xton Inc. in Florence, hasn't stopped trying. "If you quit, nothing is going to happen," he said.

Locker named the jackets "Chiller." He said the material lowers temperature by providing shade and helping air circulate around the body. He said the jackets deflect 60 percent of radiant heat from the sun or other sources.

The process also allows tiny spaces between the aluminum mesh material, and the body is further cooled when air flows through.

Locker said he has given away 10 times more garments and other products than he has sold. He has hopes of getting the technology into enough hands that eventually someone will take notice and want to make a major purchase.

"We'll keep exploring until something hits," he said.

Locker was in Auburn last week putting one of his covers on a chicken house. He said the cover will keep things cooler inside. The experiment will monitor inside temperatures, and positive results will mean another marketing campaign.

His product is covering a huge portion of a high school football field in Virginia and is being used on older buildings to help reduce cooling costs. Augusta National has covered 10 of its 18 greens to protect grass from the sweltering summer heat.

As far as the garments are concerned, runners, golfers, fishermen, tennis players and other people who are outdoors a lot during the summer have tried them and reported positive results.

Locker is also talking to firefighters, construction workers and safety crews.

"Heat is increasingly becoming a safety concern and people are looking for ways to do their jobs outside and reduce heat-related risks," he said.

Locker said he contacted the Florence Recreation Department about using the product to cover its playgrounds. He said he recently checked the temperature on equipment at one playground and found it was 135 degrees "and it wasn't particularly hot that day.

"Skin can actually burn at 120 degrees, so it seems obvious there is a need there. I can't help but think we're going to find a cost-effective and durable product."

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.