Assessing the performance of a conceptual tight-fitting body mapping sportswear (BMS) kit in a warm dry environment

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the actual performance of a conceptual body mapping sportswear (BMS) kit while doing different activities in a warm dry condition. Eight subjects participated in this study and each subject underwent two trials. Each trial was composed of 40 min treadmill walking at 5.0 km/h, 10 min resting, 20 min treadmill running at 10.0 km/h and a final 20 min resting. All trials were performed in a chamber where the Ta=30±0.5 °C, RH=40±5 % and vair=0.17±0.05 m/s. Human physiological and perceptual responses in CON (i.e., traditional cotton sportswear) and BMS were measured and compared. It was found that both physiological responses (such as core temperature, mean skin temperature, mean torso temperature, mean body temperature and hear rate) and local subjective sensations (e.g., thermal sensation) were improved in BMS during the running phase as well as the second recovery phase. It was thus concluded that the conceptual BMS kit does have advantages over traditional cotton sportswear in terms of improvements on both physiological responses and local subjective sensations.