Things are heating up here at our Columbus, Indiana Tallman Equipment headquarters and our Addison, IL location (to be honest, we don’t think it ever cools down at our Lake City, FL facility). After a wet and wild spring, summer is bringing the heat (and the mosquitoes). Fortunately, there is still time to get equipped with everything you and your crew need to make it through these hot days without losing your cool. Tallman Equipment is dedicated to being your one stop shop for linemen, and in addition to our usual selection of all the tools and gear linemen need, we have some special offerings to help you get through the season in comfort.

The first order of business when working outside in the heat is staying hydrated. The second order of business is remembering the first order of business. The third order of business is remember that the second order of business is the first order of business.

The thing about staying hydrated is sometimes you need more than just water to replenish what you are losing in sweat. When you are sweating, you’re losing electrolytes, and electrolyte imbalances can lead to cramps and confusion or worse. The last thing you need when you’re in the middle of installing a new transformer is having your hands cramp up because you forgot the first three orders of business. Fortunately, Tallman Equipment has you covered.

Stay Hydrated

For the times when water is not enough not only did Working Athlete strike the perfect balance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium to feed your body the right amount of the right electrolytes, they added zinc to support your body’s absorption of water and vitamin-c to nourish your immune system. Stock up on these Working Athlete Base Hydration packets for your crew. Each bag contains 30 single serve packets to give your team the boost they need with their water intake.

There is nothing more satisfying than a cold drink on a hot day (unless you’re one of those weirdos who drinks hot coffee to “cool down”). To keep your choice of hydration at optimal temperature, check out the Tallman Equipment engraved RTIC 30oz Tumbler. It’s the perfect way to ensure that each sip as refreshing as it should be. Make sure you keep drinking. If you aren’t sweating then you aren’t cooling, and things get bad fast.

Tallman Equipment carries a variety of RTIC Coolers to fit your crew’s needs. Whether you need a small soft sided option or a bigger hard sided bear proof cooler with wheels that can keep ice for days at a time, we have what you need.

Fight the Sun

Your mom always insisted on slathering the SPF 30 on you before you played in the sun. Yeah, you hated it, but you sure hated it worse when you did get sunburned. And modern medicine has made it clear that the threat of sun damage extends well beyond surface discomfort. Your skin is your body’s first line of defense and deserves to be maintained. Fight back against the assault from the sun with Rainbow Tech Sunscreen. The sunscreen comes in three versions: spray on, single use packets, and bottles. It is specially formulated to be non-greasy for utility use so you can keep a better grip on your tools.

For the time’s when you don’t have to wear a hard hat, nothing beats a trucker’s hats for keeping the sun off of your face and allow airflow to your head. Tallman has a variety of premium Richardson 112 snapback hats available to keep you feeling as cool as you look (and trust me, nothing screams cool like sporting a Tallman Equipment branded trucker cap. Real recognizes real.).

Fight the Bugs

Summer means bugs and Rainbow Tech has the right solution for whatever bugs you are facing.  The Tick and Mosquito repellent is designed for used with FR clothing, and the ever popular Jungle Formula is available as an aerosol spray and in boxes of 50 wipes for easy application. Rainbow also offers a Wasp and Ant Killer for those unpleasant infestations like you might find in and around transformer boxes and other equipment.

Keep Your Cool

It is amazing what difference a cool breeze can make. The simple action of air moving across your skin accelerates the evaporation of perspiration, and boosts your body’s ability to regulate temperature. This is not always so simple when covered with PPE, but Klein Tools has innovated new ways to cool with Hard Hat Cooling Fans that offer either lightweight axial fans at the base of the hard hat that can be directed up into the hat or down on the neck or a fan that directly pipes into the breeze into the shell of your hard hat.

Add some extra cooling power with a Chill-Its Evaporative Cooling Bandana. Supplement your ability to sweat with this lightweight bandana. It stays hydrated for hours to assist in aiding temperature regulation. Plus, sometimes it just feels nice to have a cool wet cloth on your hot forehead.

For more advice on how to keep your cool this summer, check out our blog on “Are You Making These 5 Heat Related Illness Mistakes?” with some more insights on beating the heat (and some wisdom from your mom).

Trust Tallman

Tallman Equipment has been providing all the best tools, equipment, and service for linemen for over 70 years. We know if it is hot and humid in our shop (which is definitely true today), it is probably worse for linemen in the field. Our appreciation for the work linemen due runs deep, and it is why we have dedicated ourselves to service the ones who keep the lights on. Whether you need seasonal gear to battle the elements or evergreen tools to last you for years to come, Tallman Equipment has all the best tools and equipment to help linemen get the job done.

For more about Tallman Equipment, read up on The 1952 Society here, learn more about Tallman’s history, and check out how our rubber testing department can keep your rubber inventory tested and compliant.