I just discovered the existence of a dry bag/ice cooler combination. Called the Icemule Cooler, the site claims that their product is completely leak-proof, which also means that its contents are protected from outside water intrusion. They claim that it has been field-tested in kayaks, is extremely durable, deflates and folds up for storage and has backpack features.
My question is, has anybody used this product? I had thought about the need for something like this, looked on the net without finding anything that looked like it met my needs and gave up until I came across this accidentally today while doing another search. A dry bag that doubles as a cooler seems ideal for kayaking, but it seems not enough of us know something about this product.
I wonder how well it fits into hatches? The dimensions are 16” tall when closed and 12” inches at the base. I’m not sure whether that is a round diameter or if it is oblong to fit into smaller hatches. Being soft, I suppose it could be adjusted by the extent of filling in order to fit a smaller hatch. I was only able to find one review on the IceMule Cooler and it was very positive.
Below, is a link to the site (do you have this cooler?) and a link to the review.
http://www.icemulecooler.com/index.html
http://4alloutdoors.org/?page_id=988
I have a cheap zip-up (not dry bag) air-insulated blow up cooler that fits into my hatches, but it is flimsy and subject to leaking. The one above seems like it would be ideal for paddling. If you have used if you know of this product, I would like to have your feedback.
Make your own
McCrea gave me one of his. Small drybag with internal minicell insulation. Keeps 3 beers cold all day. Well, 3 beers don’t last all day, I usually finish them off too quickly to allow them them to warm up.
Andy
But, Andy . . .
The IceMule people claim their cooler holds 18 cans (interpret beers) plus ice!
Not that I need 18 cans of beer, but one has to think of one’s fellow paddlers. Plus, there’s the sandwiches and dip . . . and, did I say a cooler in which to place the fish you catch?
I’m a solo kayak paddler…
I usually don’t expect to share. When I need to transport 18 beers, that’s what Fat Elmo does for me. I just bring a cooler and he transports it in his canoe.
Andy
FE loves to take coolers
I think we should make a canoe out of various sized coolers just for him. Maybe just duct tape them together until they generally look canoe-ish.
jim
All right, rub it in . . .
Not everybody has a FatElmo with a canoe!
This product apparently has been around for years . . . surely somebody on pnet must be using it. I have been on the lookout for a waterproof cooler option and a waterproof backpack option and apparently this does both - serves as a provisional backpack with the strapping, or can be slipped into a dedicated backpack.
Maybe the only thing this product has fallen short on is more aggressive marketing.
re: IceMule insulated drybag cooler
Great discussion! My name is James Collie - I run Roam It Gear, LLC and am the inventor of the IceMule. The idea was simple - a waterproof cooler - one that would carry ice, keep it cold and intact for as long as possible, and not leak - no matter whether you are paddling, hiking, hanging out at the beach, or doing a trail run. I wanted one I could carry by itself or in my pack or boat. I couldn’t believe that one didn’t exist so I got a little obsessed and finally came up with the idea of an insulated drybag after trying many, many other (less successful) designs…
Although we sold the product in a limited way 10 years ago, we really just launched Roam It Gear this year to broadly distribute the product through http://www.icemulecooler.com …
What questions can I answer?
Well!
James,
For me you can answer questions about distributorship. I do local and online sales of various outdoor and activity based items and would love to chat about including this product.
Mike
Dat polecat, Andy…
dun't 'splain ta ye pilgrims dat ah' do carry his'ems koolers.... but ett an' drink everythin' in dem - then ah' never give 'em back! Dat good-fer-nuttin' 'yakin' varmint's too old an' dumb ta recollect dat he gave dem ta me in de foyst place. He thinks he keeps losin' dem along wit his'em's cameras.
Me'reckon's ah' gots at least 57 coolers (an' a couple cameras an' GPS's) fro' dat bum so far. Anybody want ta buy a kooler fer cheap?
FE
CEO
Koolers-Be-Us
hatch size
do you have any plans for a smaller cooler that would fit in a standard day hatch? I would be all over that.
Paul
bump (second that idea!)
One small problem…
It will probably be banned in Missouri.
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=chat&tid=1173584
-rs (not my state, so no problem here)
re: Icemule insulated drybag
Mike,
Drop me a line at james@icemulecooler.com and we can connect - I’d love to talk about it!
-James
re: IceMule
We have made a smaller prototype and there seems to be great demand for it. However, I’m not yet happy with the quality so it’s not in market yet…
That said, take a look at the video here http://roamit.clickcom.com (please excuse the wind noise!) and note that the cooler is entirely flexible - which means that it will fit most anywhere (depending on how much you have packing into it). Also - we have an unconditional 30-day guarantee so there’s no risk to try it!
Click
Email sent.
thanks jecollie
But a smaller one would sell for me. Looking at that video there isn’t a spot on my boats where it would fit without squishing it down. I have a polar bear cooler which does really well (haven’t tried to turn it upside down to see if it leaks or not though)but I normally put it in the bow hatch because I can’t quite squeeze it into the day hatch.
think 6 inch subway sub, large bottle of juice, a couple of string cheese and some plums and a couple of cliff bars. Oh an one of those blue ice thingies.
or better yet, forget the subway sub and instead put in 5 mini bagels with avocado and vegemite!!!
day paddle cooler would be perfect.
Paul
feel free to e-mail me if anything like that comes up.
Well, I think I’m going to get this . .
It seems to meet multiple functions which other dry bags and coolers don’t.
It is both a backpack/dedicated backpack liner; As a drybag cooler, it seals water out as well as in (no contamination risk); It insulates to keep heat in in the cold season (many kayakers paddle in freezing weather (not me!). It is a lightweight, multifunction item: insulating AND watertight. Also, for kayak anglers, it can be used to keep fish catch fresh (bring your lunch, eat, and paddle back with your fresh catch).
And, as suggested earlier, it would be useful to have a smaller sized version as well.