IceMule Classic Cooler Review
While traveling around Australia we use an Engel Fridge setup in the back of the car for our food. Plus we have a big cooler box that we keep bulk amounts of beer in. It’s a pretty good setup, but the one thing we have been lacking is something a little smaller, that doesn’t take up much space to use for day or afternoon trips.
For example, camping near a nice creek. One of our favorite things to do is spend the afternoon with our dogs enjoying a beer while swimming in the creek. I’m not getting the big Esky out of the car and carrying it all the way down the bank. Fully loaded, it’s over 60kg.
Same goes for a trip to the beach, or even a bush walk. We needed something easy to carry.
This is a problem that Jazz had been trying to solve for quite a while. Right on queue, I received an email from someone at IceMule Coolers. They had stopped by to tell me how much they were enjoying the website. After a bit of a chat they were lovely enough to send me a 15 Litre IceMule Classic Cooler to try out.
Well let me say straight-up that we are completely in love with the IceMule Cooler.
We have given it a hiding over the last couple of weeks:
- We took it with us on a 3 day houseboat adventure.
- It did 9 holes of golf with us on a Northern Territory outback golf course.
- It survived a Northern Territory 1st of July fireworks night.
- It’s been on an afternoon four-wheel-driving adventure on an abandoned cattle station.
Lets start from the beginning.
The one they sent us is the 15 Litre “Classic” version. When I first received the cooler, it had to be taken out of it’s tiny bag. My first thought is that “this thing is going to be a nightmare to get back in here.” NOT SO! There is a little air valve on the side of the cooler that lets you inflate and deflate the walls. Besides being super-convenient when carrying different items, it made it so easy to pack up into it’s little bag.
This is the first box it ticks. Size. As we all know, when packing for a camping trip, space is always an issue. While inside it’s little bag the IceMule Cooler will cram into the tightest of spots. But when setup, I was able to fit 12 beers and lots of ice into it.
But don’t all soft coolers leak? Not the IceMule Cooler.
100% waterproof.
Packed full of beer and ice, I threw it into the tray of my mate’s Landcruiser. We were driving through an old cattle station. We stopped a few times for a beer. At a waterhole, some old cattle yards and next to a creek. The cooler was thrown in and out of the tray at each stop and didn’t leak a drop.
Last week we were lucky enough to go out on a small houseboat for 3 nights. We took a smaller boat with us too as a tender and fishing boat. When we wanted to go for an afternoon fishing session, we would load up the cooler with some water and beers and jump into the smaller boat.
The IceMule Classic Cooler has a shoulder strap on it too, so I could load the boat in one go. I’d throw the beers over my shoulder, rods in one hand and tackle box in the other.
I’m looking forward to our next camping trip near a creek. I will be able to carry the cooler over my shoulder and still be able to have the dogs leads in my hands. That shoulder strap is a fantastic feature.
If you’ve read other reviews on this website, you may have noticed that we give all our stuff names. Our car for example is Ellen. Our camper trailer’s name is Portia. My GoPro’s name is Millhouse, and the list goes on. Our 15 litre IceMule Classic Cooler is part of the family now. It has a name. “Eddie”. Being a mule, Eddie is named after Donkey in the Shrek movies (voiced by Eddie Murphy).
Eddie is on our “must have” list and will make our travels so much more convenient and enjoyable for years to come.
>> Visit IceMule Coolers Australia here.
You can purchase the 15L Classic Cooler from their website, as well as other products they have available.
The Cooler that we have reviewed here is listed as $99.95 on their website*. While it’s not cheap, I would argue that it is excellent value for money. It’s a quality product that should last you years.
*Price accurate on 6/7/15
