Basic Observations:
• The product webpage does not provide accurate product dimensions. The OlarHike 40-can cooler is 15 inches long by 12 inches wide by 11 inches high. That provides a capacity of 34 quarts.
• It should come as no surprise that a soft-sided cooler does not provide as much insulation as most hard-sided coolers. So don’t expect multi-day ice retention on hot days. The product description says that this cooler has 8 mm (0.31 inches) of insulation; not a lot, but typical for soft-sided coolers.
• As with many other soft-sided coolers, the manufacturer claims that this cooler is leak-proof. In my experience, no soft-sided cooler will stay leak-proof over the long term. You may avoid leaks for a time, but repeated collapsing for storage and opening up for use will eventually create leak points on the thin inner liner. That is just the fundamental nature of the beast.
• I choose to avoid the leak issue entirely by simply never putting loose ice or bagged ice directly into a soft-sided cooler. I use one of two alternative approaches: using hard-sided freezer packs instead of ice to keep things cool; or if that is not practical (as when camping), putting cubed ice into leak-proof wide-mouth containers before putting the containers into the cooler. I recommend the 96 fluid ounce (3 quarts) flexible wide mouth Nalgene canteen (available on Amazon) to hold the cubed ice. A wide spout canning funnel that fits into the 2-inch container mouth makes it easier to get the ice into the Nalgene canteen. Putting ice in a leak-proof container means that after the ice melts, you still have a container of cold water to continue keeping things cool without getting the contents of the cooler wet.
• I prefer to put the ice-filled containers on top of the items to be cooled rather than on the bottom of the cooler. Having the ice containers on top provides faster and more complete cooling because cold air chilled by the ice container sinks downward around all items to the bottom of the cooler. Having the ice container on top also makes it easier to tell when it is time to empty a container and re-fill it with new ice.
Positive Features:
• I ordered two coolers; they arrived promptly, each one individually boxed and packaged in a large slider-sealed plastic bag. Very nice packaging. The shipping boxes measure about 16.5 inches x 12.5 inches x 3 inches. The collapsed cooler is essentially that size.
• The cooler appears to be reasonably well made with a practical design; I especially like the combination of top and side handles in addition to the shoulder strap.
• The shoulder strap is detachable, making it easier to use the top or side handles for moving or carrying the cooler without things getting tangled in a dangling shoulder strap.
• The cooler has two useful pockets: a full-length zippered front pouch and a smaller mesh pouch on the back.
• The cooler has a load limit rating of 50 pounds, suggesting that you are unlikely to over-load it.
• The manufacturer provides a 30-day return-and-replacement period plus a generous 2-year warranty.
Drawbacks:
• There is no solid panel for the bottom of the cooler. That might be a problem if you load the cooler with a lot of weight. To better support heavy weight, you may want to add your own removable reinforcement panel, perhaps just a section from a sturdy cardboard box cut to the size of the cooler bottom. A plastic cutting board at least 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) thick that fits the bottom of the cooler would be a more durable solution. Amazon carries a Kessaku 4-pack of 15-inch by 12-inch plastic cutting boards that are 2 mm thick; the index tabs on these cutting boards could be cut off if they get in the way. Flexible plastic chopping mats also could be used, but it may require multiple mats to be stacked together to provide useful support.
• Another option for bottom support with this cooler would be a plastic dishpan that fits the 15-inch by 12-inch footprint of the cooler. I have some 8-quart plastic dishpans from a Dollar Tree store that are a near-perfect fit for the inside of the cooler. My plastic dishpans are only about 4.5 inches deep, but they would provide useful bottom support and could also hold a fair amount of loose ice cubes without any leak issues as long as the cooler stays upright. The Amazon website offers a number of similar plastic dishpans in 8 to 14 quart sizes that would fit inside this cooler.
• One of the 2 coolers I ordered came with dual zipper pulls on the lid; the second had only one zipper pull on the lid. Not a big deal for me, but this indicates that there is not a lot of product inspection at the Chinese manufacturing facility.
| Color | Grey |
|---|---|
| Size | 40-Can |
| Material Type | Aluminum, Expanded Polyethylene Foam |
| Power Source | No |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Brand | OlarHike |
| Manufacturer | cooler bag |
| Item Model Number | Large |
| Product Dimensions | 39.88 x 32 x 29.97 cm; 962 Grams |
| ASIN | B07NZPGHQL |
