Diana Lee @only1phoenixx

Whether you’re on a day trip in the city, an overnight adventure, or at an outdoor festival, you’ll likely be packing food along. Choosing a lightweight and versatile cooler like the Red Original Insulated Cooler Backpack goes beyond keeping your drinks and snacks cool – it can add to the experience of your plans.

Here are five practical uses for the Red Original Insulated Cooler Backpack and how I’ve used it:

1. Keeps drinks and food cool OR warm.
   Yes, the name suggests it keeps contents cool, but most people don’t utilize it for keeping food and other items warm.
   
   TIP – Want to change into something warm after surfing or a wintry SUP session? Put hot water into a reusable plastic bottle and place it at the bottom of the cooler bag. Then, put your change of clothes on top of it. The heat emitted from the bottle will be trapped inside the pack, keeping clothes, socks, or mitts warm and toasty.

2. Protects fragile gear.
   The padded and tall, upright pack means I can store my camera gear, bottles of wine, and other items that I don’t want to be crushed or damaged in transportation.

3. Keeps your stuff waterproof.
   The fully waterproof shell and waterproof, leakproof zipper keep the pack airtight, preventing water from getting in (or leaking out). 

4. Protects temperature-sensitive stuff.
   The Red Original Insulated Cooler Backpack regulates the temperature inside the backpack, not letting the heat or cold outside affect its contents. So when your pack is in the car for long periods in the summer or winter, there’s a level of protection for food and non-food-related items that are sensitive to temperature. Things that can melt (e.g. candles) or spoil (e.g. fruits) have a chance!

I recently used the backpack at the Toronto Caribbean Carnival launch event to keep my make-up, camera, and coconut juice cool and unaffected by the 30+ degrees Celcius weather outside. Yay!

5. Comfortable As a 5’6” woman with a petite frame, the insulated cooler backpack features padded backing and straps, which fits me so comfortably that I don’t mind wearing it for long periods, like taking the ferry for a day on the Toronto Islands or commuting via public transit to pick up groceries. I can also wear the backpack while paddling as it sits high and balanced on my back.

The Red Original Insulated Cooler Backpack is a practical backpack that isn’t just for keeping drinks cold for beach days. This functional backpack is fantastic all year round for fun outdoor occasions and for running errands like grocery shopping. And it’s also made from recycled plastic bottles!

Diana Lee lives for adventure, the great outdoors and SUP! She is a certified SUP Instructor, a librarian, and a reporter for Get Out There Magazine. Find out what she’SUP to @only1phoenixx on Instagram and Twitter.