Mountainsmith Deluxe Cooler Cube : Meals on Wheels

I'm the gal with the gear, so naturally, I own the mother of all coolers, a honking big stainless steel model that's perfect for weekend car camping. But most of the time, I don't need the capacity (or want the weight) of a monster cooler. Mountainsmith's Deluxe Cooler Cube is the perfect answer to my picnic and travel food storage needs.

First, I love the bright aqua blue color with contrasting black carrying straps, mesh side pockets, and zippers. Aesthetics count big for me. It's just more fun to use gear that looks good.

The Deluxe Cooler Cube's exterior is made out of a tough ripstop material for durability, and the interior is made out of a seam-sealed PVC-free material. The bag is insulated, so I can toss in some frozen cooler blocks to keep my food fresh for hours. Seriously. I tested the insulation by leaving a bottle of water and a container of carrot juice in there for more than four hours (it might have been five or six because I left the house to run errands and forgot all about it). When I finally remembered to check the bag, my juice was chilled and fresh.

With insulation I can trust, I'm no longer limited to peanut butter and bagels. I can back fancy pasta salads, leafy greens, chopped up fruit, a cheese platter, whatever I want to eat. If my beverage bottles or food containers sweat or leak it's not a problem because the lining is waterproof. I love that. (I have a Shamwow and a bottle of tap water in my car at all times, so I can easily clean out my cooler and containers on the spot.

The Deluxe Cooler Cube has side mesh pouches, which are ideal for my SIGG water bottles or a roll of cloth napkins in one and a container of Preserve Cutlery in the other. There's a thin sleeve on the back of the bag where I stash my Preserve plates. The front of the back has a zippered pouch that folds down into a drinks holder. There's room for four bottles of beer or, in my case, carrot juice. The Cube even has a bottle opener that's attached to top zipper. Very handy.

Because I'm so organized, I can pack my Deluxe Cooler Cube with a day's worth of food for a group of three or four people. I start with a bottle of wine for my guests. Then I pack the pasta salad in my SIGG Maxi size aluminum box, fruit salad in another Maxi box, spiced broccoli in a SIGG Mini box, and pita bread slices in another Mini box. Plus, two frozen chillers. By the time we get back from our hike, our feast is chilled and ready to serve.

Underneath the lid, there's a flat pocket where I stash condiment packets and other flat items.

Dimensions: 15 L x 15 D x 7.5 W

Bottom Line: Hands down one of the most useful outdoor items I have. It's the perfect picnic pack. It's also ideal for transporting food for potlucks. I can't wait to take it on my cross-country train ride this summer. -- E.D. (April 09)

Price : $40, Click here to shop/purchase at Amazon.com, or click here for ebags-20% off.

Manufacturer's Site : www.mountainsmith.com

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