It's Try-Day Friday! August 6, 2010

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Product: TrackPack Cooler


Website: http://www.trackpackcoolers.com/

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/TrackPackCooler

The TrackPack Cooler website asks, "Have you ever had to walk miles dragging a full cooler when all you wanted to do was stop and grab a drink?"

Chances are, if you've taken a cooler to the beach, a picnic, a sporting event, or any location where you have to park a distance away from your destination and hike in, you can relate to that scenario.

I know from personal experience that even coolers with wheels - though a step above carrying a non-wheeled one by the handles - can be a pain to trudge over uneven surfaces like a dirt lot or mushy ones like wet grass.

The TrackPack Cooler addresses those concerns and more with a clever concept: replace that clunky old cooler with a sleek new one that you wear, backpack style - leaving your hands free and eliminating the need to contend with difficult ground surfaces.

TrackPack takes the wearable-cooler concept even further with several ingenious design innovations.

Remember the second part of the question above - wanting to stop and get a cold can of soda out of the cooler while hiking to your destination? Under normal circumstances, you would need to stop, free up your hands, open the cooler, dig through the ice, take out a can, open it, and then continue your trek with only one free hand - because the other hand would be holding the can.

The TrackPack cooler solves that dilemma with its bilateral "beverage access ports." Simply reach back with either hand and undo a Velcro tab, and a can of soda is easily dispensed to you. Remarkably, the next can in line drops down into the dispenser, like buying a bottle of pop at the convenience store. When the cooler is not being worn, it stands on its own and the cans are still accessible.

Watch a video demonstration of the TrackPack Cooler:



The cooler itself holds 20 12-ounce cans (16-ounce cans won't work), comes with three removable, reusable freezer gel-packs, and has an extra "dry" pocket for storing other items. Fully loaded, it weighs in at 24 pounds - similar to a high-school student's backpack when full of books. People with back problems may want to take that into consideration before purchasing.

Because it uses gel packs rather than actual ice to provide cooling, there is no problem with leaking from melting ice.

For NASCAR fans wondering about bringing the cooler into racetracks, the TrackPack website maintains a list of tracks on its FAQ page where the coolers may be used. The current list includes Atlanta, Bristol, Charlotte, Indy, Texas and more.

Thanks to the generosity of the TrackPack Coolers company, I was able to try one out for myself. When I first picked up the backpack, I was a little surprised by its firmness compared to a typical school or hiking backpack. That is due to the hard plastic dispenser trays that fit inside the cooler and hold the actual cans.

Once you put the backpack on and adjust the straps to fit, it is quite comfortable. Reaching back to retrieve a can from the beverage access port takes a little practice, since you are finding the flap and grabbing the can by feel - not be sight - behind your back. Of course, if you are walking with friends, they could easily help out.

The TrackPack website states, "When you're on the go and portability, access, and hands-free movement are your main cooler concerns, make sure you have the most versatile cooler ever designed: The TrackPack Cooler."

In my experience, these claims are valid. The cooler is indeed portable and allows for hands-free access of cans while you're moving. The gel packs do need to be frozen prior to use and it's also recommended to chill the cans before placing them in the cooler for best results.

If you frequently hike or attend outdoor events, give a TrackPack Cooler a try. It's a big step up from dragging an awkward wheeled cooler through beach sand, wet grass, loose gravel or other challenging surfaces, and best of all, your hands remain free for other things.