We all know food tastes better outside, and numerous brands are making it easier for you to transport your food and beverages while keeping them hot or cold. Backpack coolers started popping up last year and they are now being joined by the insulated lunchbox that will keep that breakfast burrito warm for hours.
Both Yeti and Hydro Flask had insulated lunchboxes on display at Outdoor Retailer last month. The Hydro Flask Insulated Lunch Box comes in two sizes — Small (3.5 liters) and Large (5 liters) — and four different colors.
The insulation keeps your lunch cold or hot for hours, with a food-safe liner that makes for easy cleaning. There is a flexible handle for carrying and an internal mesh pocket for storing an ice pack or other small items. The Insulated Lunch Box retails for $45-$55 depening on size.
Yeti’s Daytrip Lunch Bag ($80) takes advantage of the brand’s closed-cell foam insulation to keep your lunch hot or cold until you are ready to eat. The food safe liner is leakproof and easy to clean, while the water-resistant exterior ensures your food doesn’t get soggy. A magnetic closure helps to trap in heat or cold, while an adjustable buckle cinches the bag down to just the required size.
Pelican joins Yeti and Hydro Flask in the backpack cooler department with their new Dayventure Backpack Cooler ($250). The cooler features separate wet and dry compartments with a small pocket for other essentials. The lower cooler is big enough to fit six tall boy cans with ice while the upper compartment is where you can store all the other items you will need for the day like clothes or food that doesn’t require refrigeration.
And if you are like me and hate how melting ice in your cooler gets everything wet and soggy, check out NeatIce. This waterproof bag keeps the ice contained as it melts, protecting all the contents of your cooler and helping to keep it clean. And instead of dumping out all the water when the ice melts, the NeatIce bag acts as a hydration reservoir with hose attachment so you can drink the melted ice. Simple yet brilliant idea.