This backpack cooler will keep your beers and snacks ice-cold at festivals this summer

Backpack coolers don’t get much, er, cooler than the IceMule Classic. It comes in different sizes for festivals, hiking and camping, and the dinky one costs under £40

(Image credit: Icemule)

When you’re packing for a festival or prepping for a longer stay at a campsite, keeping your pack weight down is essential so that you don’t collapse in a sweaty, aching heap by the time you arrive. We get it. We’re with you. That said, the fact remains: no-one likes warm beer (or sweaty food that’s meant to be cold). Enter the IceMule…  

Literally the coolest bag you’ll ever own, the IceMule Classic Backpack Cooler is a waterproof stash for housing cans and bottles of drinks, not to mention food that needs to be kept chilled. Our list of the best cool boxes and cool bags includes plenty of alternatives, but the IceMule has one very clever USP. This drybag-style sac is so darn good at keeping your drinks and snacks frosty-cold, it keeps ice solid for 24 hours. Imagine all the Fab ice lollies you could chuck in there…  

Oh, and did we mention this backpack cooler floats?

(Image credit: Icemule)

The IceMule Classic features a roll top and arm straps, and is designed to be comfy and easy to carry. From the festival to the beach, and from the campsite to the trail or even the river for a spot of fishing, the IceMule will handle the lot – and stay frosty on the inside even if you’re sweltering in the baking heat.

It manages this thanks to a dual-layer construction that utilises IceMule’s PolarLayer Insulation foam, while an air valve lets you add an extra hit of insulation should the mercury suddenly soar. That same valve is also a means for you to deflate the bag for better storage once you’ve finished using it. 

A welded construction adds durability and makes cleaning super-simple once you’re back home, while the dry-bag style roll closure ensures no rain or sea water gets in. A pair of padded backpack-style straps top off the offering, with smaller versions getting a slimline single padded strap instead.

(Image credit: Icemule)

The IceMule Classic is available in a full range of sizes depending on whether you want one to keep your picnic chilled, to continuously cool food and snacks cold on a day hike, or if you’re looking for maximum storage for hitting a festival or campsite:

  • The IceMule Classic Small offers 10-litres storage, weighs 725g and can pack in six cans plus ice.
  • The Classic Medium has a 15-litre capacity, weighs 907g and can pack in 12 cans of the good stuff plus ice.
  • Need a bigger backpack cooler? Sling the IceMule Classic Large over your shoulder, packing it with 18 cans in addition to ice. It weighs 952g and has double straps.
Mark Mayne

Mark Mayne has been covering tech, gadgets and outdoor innovation for longer than he can remember. A keen climber, mountaineer and scuba diver, he is also a dedicated weather enthusiast and flapjack consumption expert.