There’s no shortage of insulated bags out there for folks who prefer chilling their drinks in an ice box that doesn’t look like a traditional cooler. It’s just a nicer way to bring cold beverages along. Problem is, once people see an Igloo, Yeti, or some other popular cooler branding in front of the bag, you’ve all but given away the fact that you’ve got chilled refreshments on hand. The Cotopaxi Hielo 12L Del Dia Cooler Bag offers a way more discreet alternative.
Looking more like a boxy messenger than a soft cooler, the bag comes in a stylish design that could pass off as an everyday bag for use in school, at work, and anywhere else you need to bring a small amount of gear. While it looks more structured than most messengers, the appearance really makes it look like a camera bag or some other case for specialty equipment, with a cooler likely being one of the last things on our mind. Suffice to say, no one’s going to guess you’ve got cold beer on hand any time soon.
The Cotopaxi Hielo 12L Del Dia Cooler Bag is a small 12-liter soft cooler, with room inside to accommodate just a dozen cans of your favorite drinks (less, of course, when you’re adding ice to the mix). We know, that’s not much, but it should be enough to keep you and a friend adequately supplied with cold drinks for the day, whether you’re hanging out at the beach, having a picnic at the local campgrounds, or exploring a city on holiday. It measures just 18 x 14 x 5.5 inches (width x height x depth) and weighs just under two pounds when empty, so it’s small enough to carry around everywhere you go.
The walls of the bag are semi-rigid, so it retains its boxy shape whether it’s empty or filled up. Unlike most cooler bags, which typically use zippered openings, this one has a roll top buckle closure that effectively seals in the interior while making it look more like a regular messenger.
The Cotopaxi Hielo 12L Del Dia Cooler Bag has a large opening with a metal frame that allows it to stay wide-mouthed when opened for easy access to all your drinks inside, while a welded waterproof lining ensures any water and moisture stays inside the container. Outside, it has a carrying strap for slinging over your shoulder, a grab handle at the back, and a small pocket on one side sized to hold a water bottle to hold whatever drink you’re currently chugging.
Construction is heavy-duty nylon and polyester fabric for the shell, with the insulation cut in foam. Since this is part of the outfit’s Del Dia collection, both the fabrics and the foam are repurposed from excess materials used by other factories. And yes, it’s very colorful, with the outfit basically allowing their sewers to put together any fabric combo they like, so you get a whole load of color combos to choose from.
The Cotopaxi Hielo 12L Del Dia Cooler Bag is available now, priced at $100.