Don’t think for a minute that just because the eBags Crew Cooler II was created for flight attendants and pilots that you can’t have one too. And you should have one. It’s a great cooler for single-day outdoor adventures, such as the beach or park, as well as road trips, overnight travel, or long work days.
Bigger than a lunch box, but smaller than a typical cooler, the Crew Cooler II will hold lunch for two, or snacks for a small group, and then some. At 15″ x 10.5″ x 8.5″, with plenty of different compartments, it’s easy to stay organized. The main compartment has a zip-out liner that keeps your cold food cold, and makes for easy cleaning too. On top, there’s a nice zippered compartment with a full length mesh pocket in the lid. We really like the pockets on either side too, as they zip open and have elastic and mesh, perfect for carrying water bottles. The front folds down to reveal another zippered mesh pocket, as well as an elasticized one. Finally, the back has a pass through for attaching to a rolling bag, plus a window for the included ID card. Sturdy but comfortable hand straps and a detachable shoulder strap round things out. If you’re outfitting an actual crew (family or workers), you’ll be pleased with the eight color choices. Everyone can match and be part of the team, or each can have their own color.
We do a lot of road trips and day trips, and have really come to appreciate the Crew Cooler II. You can’t pass a full size cooler from the back seat of the car to the front very easily, and no one really wants to lug a big cooler to an out of the way picnic spot, when all you need to carry is some sandwiches and water plus a few snacks. Being able to separate the cold food from everything else is nice, and having a spot for dry stuff (when we remember napkins) is a bonus too. With all the pockets available, it would be a shame to use the Crew Cooler II only for food though. Since it also fits my Nexus 7 and headphones, allergy meds, spare phone charger, and various other “stuff”, plus lunch, it’s handy for work too. We’ve even used it as a stealthy camera bag on a few outings, when I didn’t want to advertise that I was carrying thousands of dollars in camera gear.
After several months and many miles, the Crew Cooler II still looks as good as the day it arrived. And if a zipper or stitching fails, eBags covers it under their lifetime warranty, making it an excellent value. You can find it at eBags.com, along with their whole line of innovative products for travel and every day use.
– Brian
Disclosure of Material Connection: We received the eBags Crew Cooler II for free from eBags.com, in consideration for review publication