decathlon

Olympic champion and  world record holder Ashton Eaton has been working with Nike to find new ways to help athletes feel refreshed and recharged. When Eaton competes in the decathlon he has to perform his best across 10 events over 2 days. To maximize his performance, he ideally would like to start each event feeling like it was his first; that involves reducing both mental and physical attrition. Eaton noticed he performed better after pouring water over his head and wondered if there was a more efficient (and less damp) way to gain the same results. Turns out Nike Sports Research Lab (NSRL) was already investigating the effects of facial cooling, finding out the face is 2 to 5 times more aware of surface temperature than elsewhere on our body. It was at this point that the Nike Apparel Innovation Team was brought onboard and a prototype was developed.

The end result of the collaboration is a fabric hood that covers the scalp, neck, and around the eyes. According to Sandy Bodecker, VP of Special Projects, Nike Innovation, the so-called Ice Hat utilizes