Field-testing the summer cool-down cape in the fields.

June is the rainy season in Japan, when both the temperature and humidity rise dramatically, and even once we get into June and the “rainy season” is over, the modest drop in mugginess gets offset by even hotter weather.

Basically, it’s going to be hot, sweaty weather for the next few months, and our Japanese-language reporter Masanuki Sunakoma has already gone looking for relief, with his search bringing him to the Como Life Back Sunshade Cover Back Sunshade Cover Sun Protection Sheet Sunlight Cut UV Cut Heat Countermeasure Aluminum Vapor Deposition Sheet Mesh Sheet Belt-Inclusive Adjustable Size Easy to Put On Non-Sweaty Work Convenient Agriculture Farming Gardening Fishing Leisure Sports and Sports Viewing, as the item is officially listed on Amazon Japan.

▼ We’d say you could call it the CLBSCBSCSPSSCUCHCAVDSMSBIASEPONWCAFGFLSSV for short, but that’s still insanely long.

Manufactured in China and sold through Saitama Prefecture’s Como Life, the CLBSCBSCSPSSCUCHCAVDSMSBIASEPONWCAFGFLSSV, or just the “Back Sunshade Cover,” is a simple concept. You know those reflective sunscreens you put up on the inside of your car when it’s parked in the sun to keep the interior cool? This is basically the same idea, except you’re putting the shade on your back, like a cape.

A clever touch is that the aluminum sheet is mesh, so that even though it keeps the sun from hitting your back, any cooling breeze that might be blowing can still make its way through. The length of the straps can be adjusted, too, for a secure but comfortable fit, and because the design leaves both of your hands free, the Back Sunshade Cover won’t get in the way of whatever outdoor activities you have planned.

We paid 1,198 yen (US$7.75) for our CLBSCBSCSPSSCUCHCAVDSMSBIASEPONWCAFGFLSSV, and once it arrived, Masanuki headed out into the merciless midday heat to field-test it.

So, first thing first: the Back Sunshade Cover is pretty dorky-looking, Masanuki feels. Sure, it’s essentially a heat-deflecting cape, which sounds like the sort of thing a cool superhero or tokusatsu show star would wear. Slipping it on, though, Masanuki felt like nothing so much as a big, shiny turtle.

However, in case you ran out of stamina before reading the entre, non-acronym version of the CLBSCBSCSPSSCUCHCAVDSMSBIASEPONWCAFGFLSSV’s name, we’ll reiterate that none of those Ss or the F stand for “stylish” or “fashionable.” The Back Sunshade Cover is all about keeping you cool in temperature, so does it do that?

Initially, Masanuki was disappointed, but it turns out this was due to user error. The sunshade’s material does indeed reflect enough sunlight that it should keep you noticeably cooler, especially with the ample ventilation provided by the mesh material. However, with Masanuki still feeling extremely self-conscious wearing it, he could feel his internal temperature rising and promting sweating because of how embarrassed he was about how he looked.

But like we said, this was a user error, of the mental sort. As Masanuki focused on the gardening he was outside to do, instead of on how we looked, he began to feel cooler and cooler. Eventually, he stopped thinking about his appearance entirely, and when he did, he was able to reap the full benefits of the Back Sunshade Cover, and yep, it was much more comfortable than being outside with just a shirt between him and the sun’s rays.

As a matter of fact, after giving it some more careful consideration, Masanuki thinks even the appearance might be a plus, as something this reflective should help keep him safe by making him super-noticeable to cars when he’s out jogging after sundown.

So in the end, Masanuki gives the CLBSCBSCSPSSCUCHCAVDSMSBIASEPONWCAFGFLSSV a thumbs up, and thinks it’s a great investment for staying cool in the hot months ahead, even if the low 1,198-yen price doesn’t account for the possible extra cost to your pride.

Related: CLBSCBSCSPSSCUCHCAVDSMSBIASEPONWCAFGFLSSV on Amazon Japan
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