What are ICEVENTS®? FAQ
ICEVENTS®: Ventilated Padding is the Future
Traditional foam padding is a relic of the past. It traps heat, absorbs sweat, gains water weight, and eventually develops a permanent odor. At Qore Performance®, we replaced outdated foam with ICEVENTS®. These ultra-lightweight ventilated padding solutions use advanced honeycomb technology to distribute load and facilitate both convective and evaporative cooling.
ICEVENTS® ultralight ventilated, impact-absorbing padding honeycomb technology promotes airflow under kit while dispersing load. ICEVENTS® are trusted by hundreds of thousands of U.S. and Allied military, law enforcement, security contractors, and prepared citizens. ICEVENTS® can be applied to plate carrier and chest rig shoulder straps, the interior of plate carrier plate bags via ICEVENTS® Pontoons, the interior of gun belts, on the body facing side of your OWB Holster setup or anywhere else padding is needed on your gear.
Whether you are training, on deployment, or in the backcountry, ICEVENTS® provide the airflow and comfort required for peak performance. Below is our exhaustive FAQ for this high-performance ventilated padding. Click each topic to expand for detailed answers, technical specs, and instructional videos.
ICEVENTS® are high-performance ventilated padding designed to replace traditional foam. They are made from a proprietary honeycomb thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) called Stimulite®. Unlike foam, which acts as an insulator, ICEVENTS® are 90% air by volume. This creates a physical stand-off gap between your body and your gear to facilitate omnidirectional airflow, providing primary convective cooling as well as evaporative cooling.
Unlike foam and spacer mesh, which compress and trap heat, ICEVENTS® maintain their structure under load. This ventilated padding allows heat to escape rather than absorbing it. Additionally, while spacer mesh can become a "sweat sponge" over time, ICEVENTS® remain hydrophobic and antimicrobial.
Stimulite® is an aerospace-grade honeycomb material used in the cockpits of the F/A-18 Hornet and V-22 Osprey. It outperforms traditional foam in three critical areas:
- Thermal Regulation: It facilitates convective cooling by allowing air to move freely.
- Hydrophobic: This ventilated padding cannot absorb water or sweat, so it never gains weight.
- Antimicrobial: Resistance to bacteria is baked in at the molecular level to prevent gear funk and skin irritation.
Understanding the difference between different cooling methods is key to staying mission ready:
| Product | Primary Cooling | Physical Form | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICEVENTS® | Convective/Evaporative | Flexible Honeycomb | General ventilated padding; arid/temperate climates; heavy load distribution. |
| ICEPLATE® | Conductive (Active) | Hard-cell Water Plate | Extreme heat/humidity; direct skin contact; hydration + thermoregulation. |
| ICEFLASK® | Conductive (Active) | Hard-cell Bottle | Everyday carry; vehicle use; handheld conductive cooling. |
While both share the same technology, the shape is optimized for specific gear interfaces. However, these shapes are not locked to specific uses and can be used anywhere on the body where you need ventilated padding to avoid the shortcomings of traditional foam, like added water weight and sweat odor accumulation.
- ICEVENTS® Classic: Features a wider profile optimized for heavy load bearing. Designed to be worn with collared uniforms or combat shirts.
- ICEVENTS® Aero: Features a contoured shape optimized for minimalist setups. Designed to be worn with T-shirts or low-collar shirts to prevent neck chafing.
Mounting ventilated padding is straightforward. Most kits use Velcro® One-Wrap to secure around straps, while holster pads use adhesive hook tape for hard surfaces like the Safariland UBL. Below are setup guides for the most common configurations:
Yes. If your plate carrier has a "slick" interior and lacks loop Velcro fields, you can use the CATAMARAN Gen 3. CATAMARAN is a universal Velcro field adapter that wraps around your armor plate or plate bag to create a secure mounting surface for ICEVENTS® Classic Pontoons or an IMS Pro Gen 3.
This allow you to integrate ventilated padding and thermoregulation technology into your existing kit without the need for permanent modifications like sewing or messy adhesive.
Absolutely. ICEVENTS® are modular ventilated padding. Because they are hydrophobic and antimicrobial, they can be utilized anywhere traditional padding is used. Users frequently repurpose them for backpack strap padding, inside combat pant knee pockets, vehicle seat cushions, or heavy equipment straps to eliminate hot spots.
ICEVENTS® are brand agnostic. They work with almost any plate carrier, chest rig, or belt system including Crye Precision, Spiritus Systems, Ferro Concepts, Safariland, Blue Force Gear, and Mystery Ranch. If your gear has a strap or a flat surface, you can likely integrate this ventilated padding.
Cleaning is simple because the material is hydrophobic. Rinse with fresh water and a mild soap then shake them out. They dry almost instantly. Do not use a machine dryer as extreme heat can damage the TPE structure.
ICEVENTS® are built for extreme environments. This ventilated padding remains effective and flexible from -40°F to 198°F, making them suitable for everything from arctic operations to desert deployments.
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