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REI Backpack CoolerOnly At REI
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REI Backpack Cooler

Item # 765260

$56.50

Item qualifies for annual
REI Member Refund (typically 10%)

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Set out on a picnicking adventure keeping your food and beverages cold on the go stashed in the REI Backpack Cooler.

  • 2 insulated compartments with removable waterproof, wipe-clean linings keep perishable items chilled; materials are 100% free of PVC
  • Trail-pack technology guides the design—padded, adjustable shoulder straps, sternum strap and stowable nylon waistbelt ensure a comfortable load
  • Stowable lash straps let you bring along a picnic blanket
  • Mesh side pockets hold bottled beverages
  • Bag is padded on all sides to protect contents

Imported.

Item 765260

REI Backpack Cooler Specs

Specification

Description

Weight2 lbs. 4 oz.
Capacity22 liters
Dimensions17.9 x 12.2 x 8.5 inches
MaterialPolyester

REI Backpack Cooler Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
REI Backpack Cooler
 
4.0

(based on 9 reviews)

89%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Durable (6)
  • Retains temperature well (6)
  • Good capacity (5)
  • Easy to drain (4)
  • Good grip (3)

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Day trips (7)
    • Campgrounds (5)
    • Reviewer Profile:
    • Avid adventurer (4), Casual adventurer (4)

    Reviewed by 9 customers

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    Displaying reviews 1-9

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    Jun

    2

    2008

    (30 of 49 customers found this review helpful)

     
    1.0

    So disappointed...

    By Ben the unsatisfied customer

    from Monterrey, MX

    About Me Casual/ Recreational

    Pros

    • Good Capacity

    Cons

    • Have leaks
    • Spills

    Best Uses

      Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

      Me and my girlfriend were planning a camp with some beers and wine and whe thought that this could be the perfect cooler for us since we needed to hike like 6 miles. So, just for a test, we put like 8 bottles of beer and a lot of ice (good capacity) but in just 10 to 15 minutes it started to leak! [...]

      Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

      (30 of 49 customers found this review helpful)

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      Nov

      14

      2008

      (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

       
      5.0

      "everything and more"

      By rokhoppr

      from Jersey Shore

      About Me Avid Adventurer

      Site Member

      Pros

        Cons

        • None

        Best Uses

          Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

          I use this product to pack lunches and baby bottles when we go out as a family. The back pack feature is great because hand are kept free! I only use freezer packs, which cuts down on condensation and any excess water in the liners. I have had no problems with the liners leaking and everything stays cold. I am very happy with this purchase.

          • Gift:
          • No

          Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

          (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

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          Jul

          2

          2009

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          Wish I had one 20 years ago!

          By Roadtrekie

          from Sausalito, CA

          About Me Avid Adventurer

          Site Member

          Pros

          • Durable
          • Good Grip
          • Retains Temperature Well
          • Very comfortable

          Cons

          • Narrow compartments

          Best Uses

          • Campgrounds
          • Day Trips
          • Festivals
          • Picnics
          • Urban Camping

          Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

          I bought this because I couldn't get to any of the several different coolers I already own and wanted to buy something different. It is relatively expensive, but...
          I use it with hard plastic ice packs that are the same width as the compartments. Four stay frozen for two days in the trunk of my car which gets hot as a pistol during the day but drops to 50 degrees at night.
          The design is a tradeoff--the compartments are narrow and deep. If they used just one you'd have your stuff rattling around in a droopy bag on your back--not too comfortable. Splitting the space in two keeps things stable, and probably cooler. I've hiked five miles on rough terrain with it loaded full and found it very comfortable and stable. My friends were very pleasantly surprised to see what I pulled from my pack. They didn't know it was a cooler!
          The zippers are great, curved to allow you to peel the top open to get to your stuff. You have to be careful not to catch the interior material when zipping up, but they don't stick by themselves.
          Great idea for making friends on a hot hike. At least for as long as the drinks last!

          • Gift:
          • No

          Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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          Jan

          6

          2009

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

           
          4.0

          Awesome..except on it's side

          By White House!!!

          from New Orleans, LA

          About Me Outdoor Professional

          Site Member

          Pros

          • Durable
          • Easy To Drain
          • Good Capacity
          • Retains Temperature Well

          Cons

          • Spills

          Best Uses

          • Campgrounds
          • Day Trips
          • River Trips

          Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

          I took it to Big Bend National Park this New Year and it worked great. It held a 12 pack cold overnight and there was still ice the next day for ice water in the desert. The liners work excellent as long as you don't let the bag lay on it's side. Even after dumping out the water and ice the insulation kept the the 12 pack cold for another day. There are more than adequate straps and the shoulder straps are very well padded since beer, ice, and water can get really heavy. I am truly ready for Jazz fest this year. The strap at the bottom was a nice surprise and is perfect for carrying a blanket or an extra jacket. I was looking for the best backpack cooler on the market and I found it with this bag!

          • Gift:
          • Yes

          Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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          Sep

          28

          2008

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          Great internal liner.

          By Kauai64

          from New York

          About Me Avid Adventurer

          Site Member

          Pros

          • Durable
          • Easy To Drain
          • Good Capacity
          • Retains Temperature Well

          Cons

          • Breakable

          Best Uses

          • Campgrounds
          • Day Trips
          • River Trips

          Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

          This back pack can hold a lot of 12oz. cans and has a seperate pocket for sandwiches or other items that may need to be kept cold. There are only 3 internal pockets with 2 side pockets for small water bottles. Great for the pool.

          • Gift:
          • No

          Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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          Jul

          20

          2009

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          3.0

          Good but capacity smaller than expected

          By foodee

          from Edison, NJ

          About Me Casual Adventurer

          Pros

          • Durable
          • Easy To Drain
          • Good Grip
          • Quality hiking backpack
          • Retains Temperature Well

          Cons

          • Capacity
          • Smaller mesh holder

          Best Uses

          • Backcountry Camping
          • Campgrounds
          • Day Trips

          Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

          This backpack cooler is well-made with well-padded shoulder straps to comfortably carry your food while hiking. There is also a large uninsulated pocket for your napkins and other utensils and condiments. Additionally, there are two lashes for a picnic blanket.

          However, there are several disadvantages: 1) the two side mesh pockets for water bottles are small and will NOT fit a typical 32 oz. Nalgene water bottle, 2) the two insulated compartments (each about 4 inches in depth)are each somewhat small relative to the bag's overall dimensions. It would be more space-efficient to have only one large insulated compartment to allow for a larger space and the ability to put in picnic containers which are usually larger than 4 inches in diameter.

          We were able to fit 3 types of cold-cuts (about 2 lb. total), 6 plums, 8 hard rolls, 5 ice packs of various sizes, 4 granola bars, 4 cheese sticks and 2 Nalgene bottles and 2 kid's Sigg bottles (stowed in the mesh pockets) into the pack for a picnic in the woods. The heavy insulation kept everything cool for 6 hours. However, we were frustrated that the mesh bottle holders are so small that we could only use them for the kid's Sigg bottles and not for our Nalgene ones. Thus, much of the precious cooler space was taken up by our Nalgene bottles.

          Overall, it is a well-made cooler bag for hiking. All other cooler backpacks that we evaluated did not have such nicely padded shoulder straps. I just wished that it had one larger insulated compartment and two larger mesh bottle holders.

          • Gift:
          • No

          Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

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          Jul

          20

          2009

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          FANTASTIC COOLER

          By pabloman

          from Chicago, L

          About Me Casual Adventurer

          Pros

          • Durable
          • Easy To Drain
          • Good Capacity
          • Good Grip
          • No Plastic Taste
          • Retains Temperature Well

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • Beach trips
            • Day Trips
            • Travel

            Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

            I bought this cooler for a trip out east. Packed it with some bottled water that i put in the freezer the night before to ice up. Drove from Chicago to Scranton, PA. Stopped for the night, made it out to Rhode Island the next day. The water bottles were still half iced and everything in the cooler stayed nice and cold. Well made with removable liners where the ice goes so there are no soggy sandwiches. Elastic mesh pockets on the side for items. Two different "cooler" compartments and one front pocket. Handy straps on the bottom for carrying a blanket. Chest straps for those heavy loads. Kept things cool all day at the beach. Friends and family were all over it and want their own. Highly recommended!

            • Gift:
            • No

            Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

            (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

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            Oct

            10

            2009

             
            3.0

            Follow-up: Leaky liners

            By Roadtrekie

            from Marin County, CA

            About Me Avid Adventurer

            Site Member

            Pros

              Cons

                Best Uses

                • Campgrounds
                • Day Trips

                Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

                After using this cooler daily for several months, I find that the liners are susceptible to developing inexplicable holes. I have never put anything sharp in. Some places it looks like there was a fold that developed into a tear, other places there are just little tears.
                The liners are well-made (no probs with the seams, velcro, etc., but the material used is apparently very fragile. I use blue ice containers rather than cubes, but occasionally have a water bottle in there that I don't screw tightly shut. I then get reminded of that when my back gets wet because the liners leak. Also not good for the car seat. I'm going to try patching with air mattress patches and will start putting everything in large zip-locks, but over-all, I'm disappointed in this weak point in an otherwise great backpack cooler.

                • Gift:
                • No

                Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

                Was this review helpful? Yes / No

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                Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

                Sep

                10

                2009

                (0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                 
                5.0

                Great product

                By Don

                from Lakewood, CO

                About Me Casual Adventurer

                Pros

                • Durable
                • Good Capacity
                • Retains Temperature Well

                Cons

                  Best Uses

                  • Day Trips

                  Comments about REI Backpack Cooler:

                  I use it every week on our outing. Pack lunch and drinks. Keeps cold things cold......

                  • Gift:
                  • No

                  Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

                  (0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

                  Was this review helpful? Yes / No

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                  Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

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