One of the first things to note about it’s design is that it has a larger drainage hole and a tethered drain cap, which is a nice feature. I have lost a couple of drain caps in my day which makes the cooler unusable until a replacement arrives. Cooler’s have become somewhat of a status symbol in the outdoors and many equate the bigger brands with better quality.
I managed to fit my headlamp, lighter, map, compass, and some tp in the pocket. Fit and finish were pretty good — no loose seams or stitching. Stitches appeared evenly spaced and of uniform distance from the fabric edges. There is a lack of reinforcement on the pack’s taffeta bottom, though.
You may find it helpful to make a list of meals for each day you are out on the trail to ensure that you are not over- or under-packing for your trip. Outdoor activities such as hiking and biking, and also for school. The front and hip straps make it very comfortable and takes alot of the pressure of your shoulders and back. So there you have it, when looking at just the ability to keep ice cold over a period of 6 days the Pelican has just slightly won, but we are talking about decimal points. I have to say that I am very impressed with the performance of the Ozark Trail 45Q cooler. This cooler is not only smaller in its overall size but also a fraction of the price of the competition.
Trailspace’s community of gear reviewers has field-tested and rated the top daypacks. I’ve had this pack for 2 years and I’ve beaten the living daylights out of it and it still performs just as well as the day I bought it. Yes, you will most likely see differing results when adding ozark trail canopy cans or bottles into the mix. If you are adding warm drinks to your ice, you will see reductions in the overall length of time your ice will stay cold. The coolers remained in the same location for the duration of the 6 day test, only being opened to snap daily progress pictures.
It’s sized to fit every airline’s carry-on size requirements. My son and daughter each took one of these on a trip through Europe and they carried it on every plane, train, and bus they rode without any problems. It’s also small enough that it wasn’t inconvenient for them to have it with them everyday. Size is perfect for day trips, smaller individuals, and teens. Great for hiking in warm weather, thanks to the breathable construction, mesh straps, and hydration bladder hook up. Material is durable and will stand up to heavy duty use.
On one of the hottest days, the remote sensor reported temperatures exceeding 107 Degrees Fahrenheit while the air temp was in the high 80’s. The set-up was understandably a few steps shorter, which is always nice when setting up in the dark. More than once in the dark I’ve attached a rain fly upside down and we had to restart that particular step. This tent was close to foolproof when it came to the rain fly because it was already connected.
Ultimately, the good design for this product was that it was sized right for what I needed, both in dimensions and weight. Not too small, but not too large (and thus wasteful) – a Goldilocks design. After all, I had to be sensitive to weight as we were required to carry our own water for 10 miles as there were no options for filtering during that stretch. In the following paragraphs I share just a few design features that, in my opinion, make this a well-designed product. Of course it has no side water holsters, or lid pocket, or hipbelt strap, but I think that all contributes to its low weight.