3 Major Tests for the Ice Mule Cooler – A Soft Esky Review

Jan 17

One thing I’ve learnt about getting outdoors is that some of the best spots require a bit of effort getting to, but the rewards are worth it.

And anything that makes that journey a little bit easier always helps…..especially when children are factored into the equation. We gave the Ice Mule Cooler a run for it’s money and checked it out to see if it could pass 3 major tests……

**Enjoying a Family Adventure with the IceMule Cooler**

Test 1: Does it Really keep things Cold?

Our first experience ‘testing’ the IceMule Cooler (20L Classic) was whilst camping on a tropical island for several days (well someone has to do it). In this case the cooler didn’t really need to be carried anywhere far, it just needed to stay cold (super cold) and keep our ‘important’ beverages chilled.

**The IceMule managed to keep these beers on ice for 24 hours whilst we were camping!!**

Ice was placed into the IceMule Cooler, a little bit of air into the outer layer (which acts as an insulator) and lo and behold, 24 hours later there were chilled beverages and actual ice left in the cooler. And this was with the kids constantly diving in and out of it all day to get their drinks out of it.

No. 1 Test Passed! The Ice Mule Cooler is awesome at keeping things cold.

Test 2: Is it Comfortable?

The IceMule Cooler is a soft esky that is designed to sling over your shoulder and saves you the normal hassles of carting what can feel like a brick around for the day. I can’t say I’ve found too many eskies that are ergonomic and easy to carry around for any length of time. Have you?

**We tested the IceMule Cooler on a variety of adventures**

We did own a soft esky on wheels for a while BUT we found ourselves leaving the wheels at home and lugging it around instead. Most places we go, ‘wheels’ don’t suit the ground we’re walking on, so with respect to carrying a load of ‘cold’ stuff in, the IceMule Cooler was a definite plus in this category.

**We managed to empty the Ice Mule Cooler on most trips**

Sure, it’s a little heavy on the one shoulder when you initially walk into your ‘picnic’ spot (especially if you’ve packed a lot of drinks) BUT funnily enough, when you’re walking back out there’s not many weight issues at all (particularly if you’ve eaten and drunk all the contents like us).

Number 2 Test Passed! The Ice Mule Cooler beats lugging in the old brick style esky.

Test 3: Is it Practical?

It’s definitely easy to pack your food and drinks and ice packs (or ice) into the IceMule Cooler. Of course you do have to be mindful of what you’ve packed on the bottom and what’s sitting on top but that’s a dilemma you’ll have with most esky designs. And the beauty lies in it's soft design as it really does squeeze into any spot ready for adventure.

**You can squeeze the Ice Mule into just about any place**

Opening and shutting it up again is a bit of a pain, as you do need to fold the top over a few times to keep the cold in and waterproof. There’s no easy access here (via a flap) BUT it does mean that everything stays just that little bit cooler because of the folding seal at the top. We found that when we’d stopped for a while we didn’t need to be that particular on how many times the top was folded over and that seemed to work OK – and all the stuff inside still kept cool.

Another big plus is that the IceMule Cooler is easy to clean and dry out and it packs down really well (into a small tube) and can be easily stored away. The rest of our eskies seem to have taken up one whole shelf in our storage cupboard. Not the IceMule Cooler, it rolls away to towel size and can be squeezed in with the swim gear ready to grab at any moment.

Number 3 Test Passed! The Ice Mule Cooler is functional, easy to use and easy to store away.

What are the negatives?

For us the light blue colour has meant that there are already marks on it after its first week camping BUT other colours are available (and you can always give it a good soap down when you return), and I guess a light colour means that the esky doesn't absorb too much heat from the sun.

**The light colour of the IceMule Cooler has meant it’s got a bit grubby after all its adventures…..**

Initially the IceMule Cooler was a little tricky remembering to fold it the correct way before picking it up to go (its important as to get it right as there's potential to damage the IceMule) – However, this is just a matter of reading the instructions properly and getting into a system.

Final Conclusion

For a soft cooler/esky the Ice Mule Cooler is a winner. It can keep things as cold as a hard esky (thanks to it’s insulating layer of air), it’s comfy enough to trek with it on your back, it’s robust enough to take some knocks whilst outdoors AND it rolls up for easy storage.Good things to Know:

Keeps ice intact for up to 24 hours
It works like a dry bag and even floats!
Rolls up for easy storage
Heavy-duty embossed with PolarLayer insulation and no zippers

**The Ice Mule Cooler actually floats & it can double as a dry bag if necessary**

Does this sound like the cooler/esky for you? Share with me any questions you might have about the Ice Mule Cooler.

If you head to my Facebook page NOW there is a competition on until 20th Jan 2016 to WIN a 10 litre Classic IceMule Cooler for Australia Day 2016. Click for the link HERE > AdventureMumma Facebook Page.

Please NOTE: We received a 20 litre IceMule Cooler complimentary BUT all views, opinions and photos in this article are %100 my own.

If you missed out on the competition (Michelle S from Victoria was the winner) and are interested in learning more or purchasing an Ice Mule Click HERE >> IceMule Coolers