We were initially pumped about this array of features, though our excitement lessened throughout testing. 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. The Trailmate wheeled cooler from Igloo is designed to withstand rough terrain and take the party wherever you go.
Head out to your favorite picnic spot with your meal packed in the igloo soft cooler™ Journey 70 qt. A built-in stand on the lid provides space to store your mobile device. Igloo Trailmate Journey 70 Cooler – Gray/Black – With Trailmate, nothing gets in fun’s way. Igloo built an up-for-anything cooler so it’ll roll right over rough terrain like it’s on a paved path.
The huge wheels have excellent grips and, combined with the glide handle, allow you to easily tow the ice chest over rough terrain. In addition to the mobility aspect, there are tons of other awesome features that very few other coolers can say that they have. This includes things such as a butler try, storage pocket, built-in bottle openers, food basket, optional LED light, and more.
The telescoping trolley handle is easy to slide in and out when you need it. It also doubles as a front handle for those igloo trailmate few occasions you may actually need to pick your cooler up. Don’t need the steak and eggs, but bringing all the beer?
As you probably would expect, the tests using more ice did better. For instance, the Igloo Trailmate Liddup also comes with built-in LED lights on the inside. This is very helpful for those times that you are using your cooler at night and it is difficult to see. And to provide additional support, there are a couple of aluminum stands (with equally aggressive grip) on the front of the cooler.
In our testing we had it going up trails, sitting out in the 90+ degree heat and opened and closed the door to keep grabbing beers. It kept some ice up to the 4 days even with all of these conditions! As always the ambient temperature and how often you open the cooler will dictate how long the ice will stay. Up against some pretty intense competition, the Igloo Trailmate didn’t turn any heads in our torturous insulation testing.
The Liddup comes in a gray/red combo and the Marine comes in white (similar to all of Igloo’s other marine-inspired products). The combination of the aggressive wheels and the rigid exposed metal makes for a very tough and intimidating look. And the layout of this cooler is unique and is sure to stand out from the crowd. We’ve discussed many of the ’s features related to convenience and usability.
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.
They include a lack of rotomolded insulation, a lack of thick rubber gasket, and lack of a more advanced latch system that creates a tighter seal. Igloo states that their Trailmate Line has up to 4 days of ice retention. Compared to premium rotomolded coolers with huge gaskets and aggressive latches, 4 days would not be anything amazing. For most people, having enough ice to last for a long weekend is more than enough. To help with body toughness and ice life, Igloo has installed a thick layer of Ultratherm insulation in addition to its patented Cool Riser Technology.