Cor - hot, isn't it? We've finally got the summer we've spent all winter wishing for, but tell that to anyone on the Underground, where temperatures regularly exceed the level deemed safe to transport cattle.
The capital has been treated to heatwaves galore this summer, and if you’re reaching the point where a fan just isn’t cutting it, help is at hand.
Sony claims to have the cooling artillery that the sticky, the sweaty, and the sick of it need in its portable cooling device, the Reon Pocket Pro.
The tech brand may be better known for its TV and audio devices, but it’s also working to keep flustered commuters and travellers cool with this innovation. Think of it as wearable air-con. It consists of a small unit resting on a neckband, designed to be worn at the back of the neck, under a shirt or dress. Inside, a heat dissipation fan and dual thermo-modules work to keep sweat at bay by cooling your upper half. It also heats up, meaning you can keep using the device in deepest winter when summer heatwaves are a distant memory.
It all sounds frightfully futuristic, but does it work? And what does wearing it feel like? I took the Reon Pocket Pro to the streets of London on some of the hottest days of the summer to find out.
See my in-depth review below.
Sony Reon Pocket Pro key specs
- Dimensions: 130 x 58 x 170mm
- Weight: 247g
- Operating time: 15 hours in Smart Cooling mode
- Charging time: 2 hours
- Protection: Splash- and sweat-resistant
- App control: If you want it
Design
The light grey plastic gadget isn’t exactly what you’d accuse of being a looker, but if you’re fed up of turning up to meetings with sweat stains and pit patches, it’s a small hit to take. Besides, it’s designed to do its job, not make a fashion statement. It's virtually undetectable under a shirt or long hair, unless you have the posture of Quasimodo. That’s another unexpected plus: it works best if you’re sitting perfectly upright, so it keeps your spinal alignment in check too.
The curved body houses all the cooling hardware the Reon needs to work, in addition to the long-lasting battery that can run for up to 15 hours in Smart Mode. Meanwhile, a sensor plate, which detects temperature, humidity and proximity, sits against the skin, deploying cooling or warming sensations depending on the forecast.
Performance
Designed to sit against the top of the spine, rubber arms snake around the collarbone to keep it in place; wearing it feels like having a pygmy robot monkey clinging on for a piggyback ride.
The controls, which are on either side of the Sony Reon Pocket Pro, are refreshingly streamlined. There is a dual-function on/off switch and a Smart Mode that automatically adjusts to your body temperature. I found that the cool sensation eased up when I walked off the sweltering street and into the air-conditioned office, and vice versa when I headed back out for lunch. But if you’re desperate for a quick, cooling blast, you can manually crank it up across five levels up to icy cold. Bonus: it can warm too, so there’s year-round appeal in using it when it’s cold outside.
The Reon is super discreet: the fan inside is barely audible. I could just about pick up its white noise in a silent room, unlike the din you often get from hand fans.
Since it’s USB-C chargeable, there’s no need to lug about more wires - your phone's charger should be perfectly capable of working double duty.
Another benefit? While you can operate the Sony Reon Pocket Pro manually, there is also a companion app if you prefer using your phone, which I found to be a better option for boosting cooling power when you’re on the move instead of wrestling on and off my neck.
Cost - is it worth the price?
Will we all be sporting a Reon Pocket Pro on our backs soon? Light in weight if not in price, the localised cooling does work. It's like wearing a regenerating ice pack that never, ever drips.
It probably won't save you from the furnace that is the Central line in summer (but really, can anything?), but it does take the edge off and help you keep your cool.
Verdict
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Sony Reon Pocket Pro
If you’re reaching the point in the summer where a fan just isn’t cutting it, help is at hand thanks to Sony. The tech giant, best known for TVs and audio gadgets, has a portable cooling device called the Reon Pocket Pro.
The small gadget, to be worn around the neck and resting on the back of the spine, uses a heat dissipation fan and dual thermo-modules to keep users cool, dispelling cooling or warming sensations through a large sensor plate.
Light in weight if not in price, the localised cooling does work. It's like wearing a regenerating ice pack that never, ever drips. Plus, it's super discreet: the fan inside is barely audible. I could just about pick up its white noise in a silent room, and it is undetectable under long hair, too.
Will we all be wearing one soon? Look, it probably won't save you from the furnace of the Underground in summertime (can anything?), but it does take the edge off and help you keep your cool.
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