It took me exactly three seconds to unfold the new Flip-Box cooler by Sport Brella and lock its parts into place. And with that I had a cooler capable of keeping 45 cans under 40 degrees for six hours without ice.
The beauty of the Flip-Box for boaters is that when not in use, it easily folds back up and can be stowed without eating into a ton of space. At first glance it looks like the cooler is made from heavy-duty Styrofoam but it’s actually made from Neopolen P, a heavy-duty polypropylene used to make things like bike helmets. The material is known for having good heat and cold retaining properties, which lends well to cooler duty. It’s way sturdier than Styrofoam for sure, but still not as durable as a rotomolded plastic cooler.
The six-hour iceless claim comes from the manufacturer; based on keeping the beverages chilled at 33 degrees before storing them in the cooler. I found that without ice, it kept the surface temperature of sodas grabbed from my fridge at under 40 degrees for about four hours when left in direct sunlight on an 80-degree day. But when I added ice (which reduces storage capacity) it kept drinks cool as long as a comparably sized plastic cooler.
The Flip-box measure 18.5” x 10” x 16.5” fully assembled, which translates into a 26-quart capacity. Sport Brella also makes an XL version ($39.99) with a 41-quart capacity that holds 60 cans.
$29.99 sport-brella.com/coolers
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