Arctic Air Freedom: Portable Cooling on the Go – Our Review

I’ve been around the block more than a few times, and I definitely think this summer has been waaaaay hotter than any before. I’m pretty sure July broke the record for the hottest month ever. Staying cool can sometimes feel impossible, but it’s actually super important, and not just for comfort reasons — overheating can lead to heat stroke, lightheadedness, and generally just having a miserable time. (Duh!)

In fact, sometimes the heat is so bad that it actually starts to feel like a prison. I never want to leave my air-conditioned apartment to brave the hot city streets. I DEFINITELY don’t want to brave the sweltering subway system. I feel stuck at home and irritated that I’m stuck at home.

Until this product entered my life.

What Is Personal Air Conditioning?

Never has a name been so accurate as “Arctic Air Freedom.” It TRULY is freedom, and freedom has never felt so good. Freedom has never felt so COOL. I can venture outside again! I can take the subway without melting! I can sit on park benches and go for walks!

I’m not exaggerating when I say that Arctic Air Freedom turned my summer from almost completely intolerable to fun again the second I opened the package. It’s magic. Let me tell you more about it.

Simply put, Arctic Air Freedom is a cordless personal cooler. It rests around your neck in a manner very reminiscent of the Airpod Max — in fact, several of my friends have already mistaken it for a pair of headphones, thanks to the rounded edges and sleek white design. Tiny little vents run around the top edge, releasing cool air directly onto your neck and face.

Sweat dripping off the tip of your nose? Gone. Wiping the sweat off your upper lip? Say goodbye. The air blasting out of this thing really does feel like it’s coming straight from the Arctic.

I know trickle-down economics is a myth, but what about trickle-down cooling? Because it feels like once my face and neck can cool off, the rest of my body quickly follows. Once ice-cold air blasts my face, I can think more clearly. The world takes on its sparkle again. I’m less irritable and more likely to stop and smell the roses.

What Features Does Arctic Air Freedom Have?

This thing comes with three settings — low, medium, and high. When I have to take the subway or stand in direct sunlight for more than a minute, TRUST that I will have it blasting on “high.” I like medium for a nice maintenance cool and low for that 10 minutes after stepping inside an air-conditioned office or home when you’re actively cooling down but haven’t quite stopped sweating yet.

Aside from the different settings, do you know what else is nice about Arctic Air Freedom? It’s adjustable. Like a neck pillow, you can adjust the sizing to make it slightly looser or tighter around your neck. I tend to get claustrophobic fast — you’ll catch me dead before I sit in the middle seat on an airplane — so I really appreciate this adjustability, even if I do have a very average-sized neck.

And best of all, you can still use your hands! That’s kind of the whole point of this product — unlike a paper fan or those fan-mister things everyone has at Disney, it cools you off hands-free. I can swipe my Metro card, shop, carry groceries, and text, all while my personal A/C unit is blasting ice-cold air at my neck and face. It’s a gift from God.

How Is Arctic Air Freedom Powered?

Okay, let me answer some questions I already know you have. This product is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, meaning it runs for hours and doesn’t require an endless supply of batteries. (Your bank account will thank you!)

I typically charge mine in the evening for a few hours once or twice a week, and it’s good to go. It’s super lightweight, so I can easily throw it in a backpack or even a large purse when needed. I would definitely describe it as portable.

One thing to note, though, is you can’t bring lithium batteries in your carry-on onto a plane, so if you’re planning to travel with yours, you’ll have to check it. Let me share the journey my Arctic Air Freedom has gone on with me.

What Is Arctic Air Freedom Good For?

I’ve taken it into Yankee Stadium. I’ve taken it on all the subway lines. I’ve taken it biking around the city, taken it to the beach, and taken it to Central Park. I’ve taken it to a friend’s barbecue and waited in line for 45 minutes to be seated at the newest, hottest BBQ restaurant. As Ken put it when Barbie asked him if he had his rollerblades: I literally go nowhere without it!

I don’t have a lawn or garden, but I imagine if I did, using this to mow the lawn or water plants would be a no-brainer. It turns every sweaty outdoor task from something you’re actively dreading to just another thing on your to-do list — nothing to be feared or procrastinated.

It’s comfortable, lightweight, and a lifesaver this summer. Another thing I forgot to mention is that it’s super quiet, too! If I were the churchgoing type, I think I might even bring it to Sunday mass because it’s quiet enough not to disturb anyone else and because I think God Himself must have crafted this product.

I don’t know for sure that every summer for the rest of time will be this hot, but it certainly looks like we’re heading this way. Cities are naturally hotter because the buildings and pavements reflect heat, but even rural areas will be heating up. Whoever you are, wherever you live, I can almost guarantee that you could benefit from Arctic Air Freedom.

There’s nothing more miserable than feeling trapped by the heat, but with this in your back pocket, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. You can go wherever you want and stay cool. You can taste freedom again!

Is Arctic Air Freedom a Good Gift?

Even if you don’t venture out in the heat or live in an area that stays pretty cool, consider buying one for your heat-stricken friends. I received mine as a gift, and it changed my life. You know that old joke about pretending to be happy and grateful for a gift you don’t like? Like when your mom gives you the ugliest sweater of all time for Christmas, but instead of telling her how you feel, you thank her and then have to wear it all day long?

I experienced the opposite of that with this gift. I had to actively restrain myself to keep from blabbing about it to everyone I knew. Maybe that’s why this review is so dang long — I need to let my feelings out, or I’m going to explode.

Arctic Air Freedom for the Win

Okay, okay, I’ll wrap things up. My impression of this product is that I’ve never received something with quite so much bang for your buck. Luckily, Arctic Air offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you want to try it out but aren’t quite sold yet, you can go ahead and do that and still get a full refund if it doesn’t meet your expectations.

If I were a betting woman, I’d bet against that happening. I’d bet you’ll put it on and never take it off again.