Carrying a fridge on your back sounds like a ridiculous idea. But what if you can make it a battery-powered portable fridge around the same size as one of those backpack coolers? That’s exactly what they did with the IceCo GoPack12.
That’s right, they made a 12V portable fridge in a backpack cooler form factor, allowing you to walk around with a backpack that’s actively cooling your drinks and snacks right behind you. No need to choose between one of those large portable fridges designed to live semi-permanently in the boot of your car or a backpack cooler that passively keeps your drinks chilled – this thing combines them into one handy tool that’s bound to find plenty of use in the outdoors.
The IceCo GoPack12 is, basically, a backpack cooler with a built-in compressor, allowing it to actively keep the air inside its 13.5-quart main compartment cold. According to the outfit, it can reach temperatures as low as 21 degrees Fahrenheit, well below water’s 32-degree Fahrenheit melting point. This means, it won’t just keep your food fresh and your drinks cold, it will even keep your ice cream from melting and your frozen meats from thawing out, even as you walk under the hot summer sun. The compressor, by the way, can work even when the whole thing is tilted, ensuring the hassles of transport won’t get in the way of keeping all its contents cold.
It’s a single-zone design, so there’s only one large compartment that stays in the same temperature at all times. However, to maximize space, they include a flip-up divider that allows you to add a second layer, making it easier to organize all the food and drinks you’re taking with you. It opens from the top, so you’ll need to take it off and set it down to actually get a drink, with a sealed dual-zipper closure ensuring it stays shut the whole time.
The IceCo GoPack12 can run on the go via an included 250Wh external battery pack meant to slide in an exterior pocket in front of the backpack. According to the outfit, it can run for up to 10.5 hours when set to 32 degrees Fahrenheit at half load, which gives it pretty good portable function. Since the battery’s external, you can take it out at any time for charging. To conserve battery charge, you can also plug it in to either a 12V or 24V power source when you’re in the car.
It comes with backpack-style dual straps for distributing the load evenly across your shoulders, while a detachable strap allows you to carry it like a messenger bag if you prefer to go that route. Dimensions are 14.8 x 19.3 x 9.9 inches (width x height x depth), with a weight of 15.7 pounds, so while it’s not all that unwieldy, it does take some effort to carry, especially once filled up with enough food and drinks. Other features include a display strip at the bottom showing the current temperature, capacitive buttons for on-the-fly temperature adjustment, foam insulation, a noise level of under 30 decibels, and a removable waterproof TPU outer.
The IceCo GoPack12 is available now, priced at $424.15 with a battery included.