Keep an eye out for a short spur trail between Sutton Bluff campground and Highway TT which leads to Grasshopper Hollow, the largest fen (peat-forming wetland) in non-glaciated North America. We stand by our high-quality products and your satisfaction is guaranteed. Water sources like rivers and streams may only be available seasonally. OT maps are a great resource to help identify places where you can access water. Whether you’re planning an epic thru-hike or an out-and-back weekend excursion, this guide will help you get started on your Missouri adventure.
After 24 hours, the RTIC still had about 50 percent solid ice, on par with Yeti’s Hopper BackFlip cooler. Also similar to the Hopper BackFlip, RTIC employs some serious premium insulation to help keep contents inside the cooler cold. Like the Yeti Hopper BackFlip, IceMule’s Boss is heavy-duty, rugged, and spendy.
Think about how you’ll use this cooler and look for models that cater to your pursuits. We narrowed it down to 15 popular choices to test in our New York City lab and in the real world. We picked items that had a wide range of price points and uses. Igloo’s Reactor backpack cooler performs nearly as well as coolers priced hundreds of dollars more than it. In terms of ice and cold-retention, after 24 hours, the Reactor had amounts of solid ice similar to the IceMule Boss and IceMule Pro.
It also includes loops to hang your trekking poles when not in use. Our testers also liked how comfortable and easy the pack was to carry—although they mentioned wanting to see a waist strap added to help distribute the weight. The waterproof ozark trail chair zipper was challenging for the testers to open but not as tough as other coolers. The abrasion-resistant material held up well in our lab testing, and the waterproof material kept liquids from falling in or out of the pack.
Most of the backpacks on this list have compartments for food or sleeping bags, water bottle pockets, attachment points for trekking poles, and rain covers. Look for the extras that are right for you and your intended activity, whether it’s multiple storage spaces for cutlery, anti-mildew fabric, or an attached bottle opener. You’ll also find ones explicitly built for specific activities—like overnight hikes into the woods, picnics, beach and water days, and hunting.
IceMule employs its double proprietary inner and outer fabric to boost durability. It also uses proprietary insulation to amp cold and ice-retention, making the Pro one of the best performers during our 24-hour ice test. A day after initially putting ice into the cooler pack, the internal temperature only raised about 7 degrees, and some solid ice remained. Pelican’s Dayventure Backpack Cooler had some of the best cold-retention among all coolers we tested in our Brooklyn lab. Twenty-four hours after filling it with ice and beverage cans, the internal temperature had increased only about 2.5 degrees. Like similar high-end soft and backpack coolers, Pelican uses dense closed-cell insulation to boost its cold-saving chops.
While it didn’t do as well at cold and ice-retention as other packs we tested, our testers loved how comfortable and easy it was to carry. They also enjoyed the cooler pack’s simplistic design and school backpack feel. One main issue with this pack is the leaking through the zipper. Our testers noted that this pack couldn’t be turned upside down if you use loose ice, which inevitably melts. But don’t let the simple design fool you—the Pro has some suped-up tech and features, making this pack a great option, especially if going onto the water is in your outdoor plans.
Whether you’re getting ready to head out hiking, going shopping, or traveling, this backpack is up to the job! It features a front zippered pocket for your accessories and keys and a large open main compartment for everything else. Make sure to let a friend or family member know what you’re doing and where you’re going. Tell someone how many days you’ll be gone and approximately where you think you’ll stay each night. Physically check in by filling out a backpacking card at dedicated trailheads. Also, learn the seven principles of “Leave No Trace” to keep the backcountry beautiful.