It may require a firm push to securely close the lid as well. The very radical business of producing products people love. Party anywhere you want with the ultimate all-terrain cooler.
We built our up-for-anything cooler so it’ll roll right over rough terrain like it’s on a paved path. The Igloo Trailmate Cooler is a new product by Igloo that aims to bring more mobility to a large cooler. By incorporating huge wheels and an intuitive glide handle, the Trailmate turns into a very easy-to-use ice chest that can go over some pretty rough terrain. In addition to this, you will find tons of great additional features and the styling isn’t bad, either. The Igloo Trailmate Journey is a burly, wheeled cooler with a 70qt capacity. Keep 112 beverage cans cold in this cooler, which has two oversized rugged wheels, a telescoping handle, and built-in bottle openers.
As for the hardware, it is made of stainless steel which is also rust-resistant and extremely tough. In the case of the Trailmate Marine, it comes with special UV inhibitors built into the wall. They help to protect against sun damage (which can be a major concern in marine settings). You will also find an antimicrobial liner that helps to offset bacteria growth and is very easy to clean up as well.
And we have seen instances where a cooler loaded with features ends up having subpar ice performance as a result of all of these additional features. The next most notable feature is the glide handle that also doubles as a butler tray. This igloo water cooler feature is something that you will find on very few other coolers on the market and it is a great way to stand out from the crowd while having a nifty feature. A cooler that boasts a ton of features and is ready to tackle the trail.
It is large enough to fit all of the food and drinks for a decent-sized group while still not being overly large to the point that it is a challenge to transport and store. But for someone after the maximum storage space, the 70-quart model may prove to be a bit limited. On numerous occasions, we found our hand searching for a front handle that doesn’t exist, only to latch onto the bottom of the little white box nestled on the front. Unfortunately, that little white box slides up and off the cooler as soon as you apply pressure – not a great handle, so the retracted trolley arm will have to do. Our least favorite aspect in terms of usability is the drain found in this cooler. Though it has a wide channel to help empty it of meltwater, the inside of the drain also is turned into a protruding tunnel into the interior by a white plastic tube.
The interior has been treated with a stain and odor resistant coating so the cooler always stays fresh. While you will pay more for the Igloo Trailmate than most other Igloo products, we still feel that it is a bargain for what you are getting. The sheer number of great accessories justifies a lot of this higher asking price and even as a simple cooler, it does a decent enough job to not make us gasp too much at the asking price. As for toughness, the cooler is comprised of an aluminum frame and utilizes stainless steel hardware. You don’t have to worry about this ice chest falling apart when you are towing it to your next adventure. However, it still won’t be quite as tough as the simpler premium coolers on the market from Yeti, RTIC, Engel, etc.
The handle is located right above both of these storage areas. Of all the wheeled coolers with telescopic/collapsing handles we have tested and reviewed, the handle on the Trailmate is the most robust. We tested pulling and pushing the cooler when filled to capacity with ice and the over sized wheels and handle rolled without issue. Igloo also includes a tray/cutting board which lays on top of the extended handled. When the tray not in use, this can be placed on the inside of the cooler lid. One of the major selling points of the Igloo Trailmate, in our eyes, is the myriad of features that come standard with this cooler.
First, you have the butler tray that is built into the inside of the lid. Second, there is a removable dry storage box on the front of the cooler so you can and keep the phone/keys in there without fear of water or sand damaging then. As we mentioned in the opening, we feel the Trailmate is the best bang for the buck when it comes to wheeled igloo soft cooler coolers. 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.
At the front, the Trailmate has two more storage compartments, one of which is a waterproof storage compartment for your phone or wallet, for example. The lid contains four cup holders and a stand for your phone or tablet. In the cooler there is a basket to keep things cold that should not get wet. With the included tray, you turn the pull-up bar into an additional workspace. At the bottom you will find two more holders for a beach umbrella or fishing rods.
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. In which case this level of insulation will surely get you through a single warm summer’s day. The Trailmate Journey features an included dry food basket, storage compartment, fishing rod slots, and a massive interior space.