Koolatron Kook Kaddy Until recently, I could be described as a minimalist when it comes to outdoor adventures. My MO was "less is more." Then my approach was put to the test upon seeing the wonders of a couple camping accessories I now view as mandatory. My change of heart began on a recent multi-day mountain biking trip. After a brutal day of eye-popping singletrack we returned to camp and to our pleasant surprise- ice cold bevies kept perfectly chilled in a Koolatron 12-volt cooler. And I mean ice cold; the 36-quart Kool Kaddy cooler can maintain contents at a temperature approximately 40 to 45 Fahrenheit. That's colder than the frig at home! This large capacity cooler plugs into your SUV's 12-volt outlet or runs for up to three hours on it's internal battery. On the day of our departure, we loaded it up with drinks and perishables and operated it with the AC Adapter plugged into the vehicle's cigarette lighter. Once at camp we used the cooler's own battery the first day and then recharged it, using a rechargeable power unit made by Brunton to keep everything ice cold through the second day. The large capacity Kooler is ideal for long road trips, tailgate parties or vehicle supported wilderness adventures. Weighing 15 pounds, we learned that it's best to load pre-cooled food or drinks into the cooler. As a rule of thumb, it takes about one hour per pound of material loaded into the cooler to bring it from room temperature down to maximum cold. This baby was designed as a cooler; so don't expect to have ice cubes for your favorite blender. That said, the Kooler would keep frozen foods solidly frozen for quite some time. The cooler is extremely well insulated and provided us with many hours of refrigeration, even when switched off. Of course, keeping the cooler in the shade and not opening it every other minute can extend the "cool" period. Then again it all depends on what's in it. — MountainZone Staff Photos courtesy of Nissan Xterra [Top] [MountainZone.com Home]