Let’s start with the one thing that you may have already heard and read about many times before considering a portable cooler in the first place; roto-molded construction. Their first cooler saw the light back in 1947 and there was nothing but progress, innovation and more creation ever sense. It has
a 70-quart capacity that can fit up to 112, 12-ounce cans and is available for $339.99. The ECOCOOLER Trailmate is made with post-consumer recycled plastic. It has a 70-quart capacity that can fit up to 112, 12-ounce cans. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.
The plug leash – a great feature for any cooler – is attached in a way that we had a pretty hard time unscrewing the actual plug, and typically had to use two hands to accomplish. The extra boxes and fishing rod holders on the outside kept popping off when we lifted the cooler or pushed it up against something in a certain way. The butler tray isn’t quite the right size to fit snugly in the trolley handle, and so slides a lot when in place. We did find the internal dry basket and two bottle openers on the outside to be fairly useful though.
This was a cooler I had my eye on for years and finally snagged one to test out. The cooler caught my eye with the unique styling and the large wheels in the back. With the Igloo Glide telescopic handle system and oversized smooth-ride wheels, the Trailmate is not only practical but ergonomic and easy to transport. This is a cool-looking product that will stand out next to most other brands and models.
Moreover, the Igloo Trailmate Journey 70 Qt Cooler has a horizontal dual-trigger steel Glide handle that has locking & telescoping functions. When it comes to storage, it can cool oz cans and even has tie-down hooks for added carry options. It has big, strong, inflatable 9-inch wheels so is good on rough terrain and a strong metal handle that pulls up from the side and doesn’t seem to have the retracting problems the Trailmate has. Some customers have complained with having to replace the hinges on the cooler the longer they own it as well as other customers having quality issues when they purchase their product. Each Igloo Trailmate also comes with a dry food basket for the inside of the cooler.
This cooler is even beach-ready with a couple of holes to hold a beach umbrella or fishing rod. There are a number of exterior storage pocket to hold items like sunscreen, bug spray or a book and a dedicated slot in the lid that holds your mobile device upright where you can easily view it. This is the sort of cooler we’d go for here at Coolector HQ and it is definitely going to serve your camping and BBQ endeavours well. The Igloo Trailmate, due to its many additional features, large size, and decent ice life, does fetch a higher asking price than most other Igloo products.
The Igloo managed to hold refreshing brew temperatures at or below 50º for an additional several hours, for a total of 3.4 days of cold beers. Though we aren’t totally shocked at this lackluster performance when considering the Trailmate is a relatively thin cooler, standing up to some rather thick, rotomolded competition. And realistically, a wheeled cooler like this is less likely to be your choice to strap into your canoe for that 10-day whitewater trip, and more likely to be your choice for a picnic in the park. In which case this level of insulation will surely get you through a single warm summer’s day. The Cooler Series is a relatively new offering by the popular cooler company, Igloo.
This cooler others impressive ice retention, more features than most competitors, yet doesn’t break the bank. Prices are constantly fluctuating, but normally the Trailmate can be picked up for under $250. Some may find this price point to be steep, but a comparison of a similar sized roto molded cooler will reveal the value. For example, the Yeti 75 is nearly $200 more expensive and does not have wheels nor the added features as outlined above. It goes without saying that the Trailmate is the perfect beach, tailgating or surf fishing cooler capable of handling rugged terrain at a reasonable price. Head out to your favorite picnic spot with your meal packed in the
™ Journey 70 qt.