We can debate the merits of the clear bag policy all we want, but fact is, plenty of events and venues have long made it mandatory to use transparent containers for any gear you’re bringing in. It’s one of the reasons why transparent backpacks have become very popular. The Icemule Clear takes the transparent backpack and turns it into a soft cooler, allowing you to roll into your favorite music festival with a haul of cold drinks right on your back.
That’s right, Icemule made a clear backpack cooler, giving you an insulated pack you can use to keep drinks and snacks chilled when attending concerts, sporting events, and outdoor festivals with a clear bag mandate. No need to keep paying for overpriced drinks at the concession, as this lets you bring more reasonably-priced cold refreshments right from your favorite store.
The Icemule Clear is a soft cooler in a backpack form factor, with a styling similar to the outfit’s traditional backpack coolers. Except, in this case, it’s completely transparent, allowing security to see the contents in plain sight, so you can comply with any venue’s clear bag requirements. Why haven’t we seen transparent coolers before? Mostly because coolers tend to use foam for insulation and, as far as we know, no one has been able to make transparent foam just yet.
Instead of using foam as insulation like every other cooler in the planet (save for rare exceptions, like the Sovaro which uses cork or the Nutshell which uses coconut husk), this backpack cooler uses air to create separation between the bag’s main compartment and the hot air outside. That’s right, there’s an empty section between the exterior shell and the interior liner that’s meant to be filled with air, which should be enough to keep the contents insulated for a decent amount of time.
The Icemule Clear has an air valve that you use to fill that empty section with air to make sure your insulation is in place, while a rolltop locks in the main opening to keep cold air from escaping. Can this insulate as well as a regular foam-based soft cooler? No, it won’t. According to the outfit, their air-based insulation can keep ice for around a quarter of the time that traditional foam coolers can, so your drinks are probably not going to stay cold well into the wee hours. However, with a five to seven hour “chill time” rating, that should still keep you with chilled drinks for a few hours into whatever event you’re attending, which should be good enough for most events, save for the ones where you plan to stay overnight.
It comes in two sizes, 9L and 15L, so it seems like the outfit is sticking with small sizes for now. Truth be told, that should be a good idea, since this is something they’re clearly testing out. Considering how much bank clear backpack sellers are raking in from all this mandate, though, we imagine Icemule is going to expand this lineup sooner than later.
The Icemule Clear is priced starting at $100.
