That is our assessment of the IceMule Professional Cooler.
My family and friends know that I like to take all types of day journeys and at all times, at all times, pack a cooler or two.
Relying on the kind of journey I’m taking, I’ve numerous sized coolers. For tenting journeys, we’ve got greater extra strong coolers. And for brief automobile journeys, I’ll take a smaller soft-sided cooler that may maintain 8 or so water bottles and some snacks.
However for day hikes and day journeys I typically struggled between bringing an enormous heavy cooler to maintain our meals and drinks chilly, or just forgo it to cary much less weight and use my climbing backpack.
And that’s the place the IceMule Professional cooler entered my life!
IceMule Professional Cooler Assessment – A Light-weight and Sturdy Delicate-Sided Backpack Cooler
IceMule Professional – Key Options and Supplies
The IceMule Professional is a superb all-around cooler that may really take a look at the boundaries of what you suppose a backpack cooler will be.
An enormous improve from the only strap IceMule Traditional, the IceMule Professional is a full-fledged backpack.
It’s additionally a full-fledged cooler. No joke. We recurrently use this cooler as our weekend/highway journey cooler.
The IceMule Professional Massive 23L weighs solely 3.2 lbs out of the field, but can maintain as much as 18 customary cans PLUS ice.
Frankly, I used to be capable of get far more into the IceMule Professional than I anticipated. It’s greater than you’d suppose, and packed full it was fairly near the restrict of weight that I can maintain with my dangerous knee.
The IceMule Professional was capable of stand the checks that we put regular coolers by means of – and it was ready to take action leak free, whereas holding our drinks chilly for near 48 hours (producer says 24 hours).
IceMule’s MuleSkin ET™ is critically thick exterior cloth, together with their equally as powerful MuleSkin EV™ inside layer. In addition they use a PolarLayer™ Insulation foam in-between the 2 layers. Altogether this mixture was powerful, sturdy, and performs nicely.
Total, we’re very happy with the general efficiency, worth, high quality and sturdiness of the IceMule Professional Cooler.
The one draw back, if any, was that it was a bit difficult to determine how you can correctly shut it up the primary time round. However no large deal. In any case, many merchandise have a little bit of a studying curve.
Completely different IceMule Professional Sizing Choices
The IceMule Professional Cooler is available in a number of sizes:
- Professional Massive 23L
- Professional X-Massive 33L
- Professional XX-Massive 40L
Personally, I discovered that the Professional Massive 23L was greater than sufficient for our wants. The primary journey we used it on was a week-long highway journey (non-camping).
Normally, I wish to take a mid-size Yeti Roadie Cooler, however typically discover that it’s simply sufficiently big to trigger me issues when packing our automobile.
With the IceMule Professional 23L, we had no such points. We have been capable of pack it into the again of the automobile in an area that different coolers can solely envy.
Clearly the X-Massive and XX-Massive will probably be greater and take up more room, however the IceMule Professional’s versatile materials and slim design makes it a way more managable cooler than any hard-sided cooler on the market.
I must also add that all the IceMule Professional Backpack Coolers have a 19″ opening on the high. In order that they develop into vertically bigger, however not wider.
Nonetheless, my suggestion could be to stay with the Professional Massive, until you’re a significantly tall and robust particular person.
IceMule Professional Technical Specs
IceMule Execs and Cons
Whereas I discovered that the professionals of utilizing the IceMule Professional far outweighed the cons, they’re nonetheless value noting.
Execs
- At 3.2 lbs, that is as light-weight a cooler as you will get for the capability
- The IM Air Valve helps so as to add insulation or decompress for storage
- Makes carrying your meals and drinks to exhausting to get to locations a lot, a lot simpler
- Backpack straps are snug and straightforward to make use of
- A water-proof MuleSkin ET™ outer layer, with an equally powerful MuleSkin EV™ inside layer, with PolarLayer™ Insulation maintain your meals and drinks chilly for as much as 24 hours
- It’s collapsible for straightforward storage and packing when not in use
Cons
- Can get pretty heavy for a mean person, when totally loaded
- A bit complicated to get closed correctly the primary time round
Greatest Makes use of
The IceMule Professional Cooler is a cooler with a backpack, not a backpack with a cooler.
It may be used for practically something you’ll be able to consider. Actually, we’d advocate getting to make use of for practically any journey.
It’s going to be nice for day hikes, boat journeys, weekend journeys, tenting journeys, highway journeys, and just about anything you’ll be able to consider.
How We Examined, Reviewed, And Rated The IceMule Professional
We love to check and assessment gear. You’ll discover us testing gear that we already personal and love, are buying for retail costs (identical to you), or gadgets which might be despatched to us by the producer.
Regardless of how we procure a product, our purpose is to completely take a look at and assessment every merchandise and price it towards its friends.
Our purpose is to stay as unbiased as doable.
We take tedious notes, and evaluate even the tiniest of particulars. Every little thing then goes right into a spreadsheet for evaluation from the size of the product to value comparisons, person scores, and many others
For the IceMule Professional, we spend days utilizing, testing and analyzing it on the next metrics:
- Efficiency
- Consolation
- High quality & Sturdiness
- Worth
- Ease of Use
- Portability
- Person Score
Total Rating
The entire above metrics are factored into our algorithm to create an Total Rating.
The IceMule Professional had fairly nice scores throughout all the classes, and got here in with an 8.5 general ranking.
Efficiency
Nothing is extra necessary in a cooler, than efficiency.
On this case, we’re particularly wanting on the cooler’s potential to maintain issues cool – an insulation ranking.
Plus, we additionally wish to take a look at if the capability ranking of 18 customary cans is right as nicely.
Given the producers declare that the IceMule Professional can maintain issues cool for twenty-four, it was a easy take a look at.
First we used freezer packs, after which we used ice. In each checks, the IceMule Professional carried out nice holding the drinks that we put inside cool for practically 48 hours.
Capability sensible, we discovered that the cooler can maintain the 18 cans that have been specified and extra for those who set up appropriately.
We gave the IceMule Professional a 7.5 out of 10 ranking on Efficiency general. It is a very excessive rating, particularly for a soft-sided cooler.
Consolation
As a result of this can be a backpack cooler, we additionally wish to price on consolation.
We discovered that carrying the backpack stuffed with beer at close to full capability was straightforward sufficient. The IceMule has padded ergonomically designed straps that make carrying a big load even simpler.
Now, once we packed the cooler stuffed with ice, it grew to become very heavy – nonetheless the the double padded straps labored their magic and eased the load.
We rated the IceMule Professional an 8 out of 10 for Consolation.
High quality and Sturdiness
The Professional 23L that we examined was a superb well-made product.
From the welded seams to the double padded straps, and the powerful as nails MuleSkin™ cloth, every part was made with prime quality craftsmanship.
Meltwater was no difficulty. The material held up nicely, and didn’t trigger any condensation or leaks elsewhere for us.
Whereas we noticed some person studies on the sturdiness of the straps, we imagine that these are extra one-off producer defects than any downside with the cooler itself.
We rated the IceMule Professional an 8 out of 10 for High quality and Sturdiness.
Worth
One of the simplest ways to evaluate the worth of any product is to check with its opponents. The IceMule Professional stacks up nicely to the competitors.
It isn’t the most cost effective soft-sided cooler available on the market, however given it’s measurement, capability, and supplies, we discovered the IceMule to be of nice worth.
We rated the IceMule Professional an 8 out of 10 for Worth.
Ease of Use
As mentioned earlier, there’s a little bit of a studying curve with how you can correctly fold and shut the cooler.
However as soon as you work that out, it is extremely straightforward to make use of. I cherished getting ice from an ice machine – I used to be capable of take the cooler on to it and never having to have any in-between ice-bucket sort machine.
Meltwater was straightforward sufficient to dump out. Most hard-sided coolers are awkward and hard to full drain. Not so, with the IceMule Professional.
We rated the IceMule Professional an 8 out of 10 for Ease of Use.
Portability
Most backpacks are simply that – moveable. Nonetheless, we wish to evaluate the IceMule Professional not solely to different soft-sided coolers, however hard-sided as nicely.
When stacked up towards hard-sided coolers, there is no such thing as a comparability on portability. The IceMule Professional wins.
Not solely was it straightforward to deliver wherever we wished, it was additionally very straightforward to fold up and pack up once we have been finished with it. This provides it good factors for portability!
We rated the IceMule Professional an 8 out of 10 for Portability.
Person Score
Final, however not least are person critiques!
We will get numerous nice suggestions from person critiques, however they aren’t good. The typical cooler proprietor received’t ever depart a assessment, so critiques are sometimes left by customers who both have a extremely favorable or unfavorable expertise.
Within the case of the IceMule Professional, nearly all the critiques have been favorable.
We learn by means of all the critiques, simply to make sure, however even the dangerous critiques all had one thing good to say. After taking that each one under consideration, we have been capable of end off our ranking.
We rated the IceMule Professional a 9.7 out of 10 for Person Score.
IceMule Professional FAQ:
How straightforward is it to make use of?
The IceMule Professional generally is a tad complicated to make use of the primary time round, however after a pair minutes of taking part in round with it and taking it out in your first journey, you received’t have any issues in any respect.
When you get the grasp of how you can fold the highest and clip, you’ll be headed out on the path very quickly.
How does the IceMule Professional cooler work?
The IceMule Professional cooler makes use of proprietary powerful as nails waterproof cloth and insulation to maintain your meals and drinks chilly for as much as 24 hours.
It’s a collapsible backpack smooth cooler, that weighs solely 3.5 lbs and is straightforward to retailer and pack away.
When full, you merely roll the highest of the cooler down after which clip it shut. Then you’ll be able to regulate the air utilizing the IM AirValve so as to add further insulation.
Are IceMule coolers well worth the cash?
In our opinion, sure.
They’re extra versatile than you’d ever count on and may use these coolers for something from a day on the seaside to weekend highway journeys and from tenting journeys to days out in your boat.
How lengthy do IceMule Professional coolers maintain issues cool for?
IceMule claims that the IceMule Professional retains issues cool for twenty-four hours. We discovered this to be totally true, and that actually IceMule Professional coolers can maintain meals and drinks chilly for even longer below the appropriate circumstances.
Nonetheless, after 24 hours we advocate replenishing with recent ice.
Is the IceMule Professional heavy when full?
Sure, the IceMule Professional Cooler could be very heavy when stuffed to full capability. For the typical particular person, we’d advocate the Massive 23L model, over the even greater XL and XXL sizes.
Our Verdict
The IceMule Professional Cooler features as a nice all-around cooler.
After our thorough take a look at and assessment, we scored it with a 8.5. You actually can’t get any higher than this soft-sided collapsable cooler.
Not solely is it made with powerful as nails cloth, however it retains your meals and drinks chilly for over 24 hours.
You received’t remorse making this buy. I do know I didn’t!
Additionally, remember to try how you can maintain meals chilly whereas tenting to just be sure you dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s. In terms of meals security, that is no joke!
