The cooler caught my eye with the unique styling and the large wheels in the back. These two round discs are the most redeeming feature of the whole cooler. At just over 35 pounds, the Trailmate is also one of the lightest wheeled models we tested.
This allows a bit more cold air to escape than we would have hoped. That being said, the inclusion of thick walls, Cool Riser Technology, and Ultratherm insulation do help make up for some of this. Ice life will igloo soft cooler vary depending on how much (and what type) of ice you use, but you can typically expect from 40 to 85 hours of ice life. The next most notable feature is the glide handle that also doubles as a butler tray.
Love learning about all the new products that we get to test? Overall, it tackled the trail, even fully loaded with ice and beer, in remarkable fashion. This is great, so everyone has easy access to their cold beverage of choice. It also had two attachments for either fishing poles or an umbrella. I’ll use the umbrella attachment the most, as it’s never a bad idea to find some extra shade on a hot day. We tactically designed each Trailmate softside with comfortable, hands-free carry features, water-resistant zippers and a fully welded exterior that effortlessly withstands dirt, sand and water.
Good looks, many talents (aka handy and effortless-to-haul features) and an easygoing nature. You’ll get long-lasting, extended ice retention with the Trailmate, thanks to the THERMECOOL™ (it’s eco-friendly!) insulated lid/body and Cool Riser Technology®. Why we didn’t quite reach the 4-day mark that Igloo suggested, it wasn’t far off. Most people aren’t going to use this much ice as it would take up way too much valuable storage volume. The wheels, which are essential to the operation of these coolers, are made of tough plastic so you don’t have to worry about them popping. For instance, the Liddup also comes with built-in LED lights on the inside.
However, 4 days should be easily attained with a decent amount of ice used. The Igloo Trailmate 70 is the best rolling cooler for the money we have tested to date. This is a pretty bold statement considering we have reviewed a ton of wheeled coolers in the past. However, this claim is easily defended considering the superior ice retention and the included features/accessories.