Gear Closet: CreekKooler Floating Cooler Review

CreekKooler Floating Cooler Here at The Adventure Blog we are lucky enough to have a lot of outdoor gear and products come through our doors. Some of it is super useful, well designed, and built to keep you alive in harsh conditions. Others are high tech gadgets and devices that have were created to enhance our time in the outdoors.

And occasionally we also get items that are just down-right fun to use. These products may not get the same level of attention as the gear that some of the big names in the industry produce, but they often fill a nice niche and provide us with a service we didn’t even know we needed. Such is the case with the CreekKooler, a handy little tow-behind cooler build specifically with paddlers in mind.

At first glance, the CreekKooler looks a lot like a miniature kayak that is roughly a meter in length. That’s by design, as the product is built to track through the water just like a boat, handling waves, rapids, and swells like the much larger watercraft that it resembles. The CreekKooler attaches to the back of a kayak, canoe, raft, or even SUP board, and is towed behind carrying precious cargo, like cold beverages, food, ice, and other items.

As the name implies, the CrrekKooler is intended to be used as a floating cooler with a capacity of 30 quarts (28 liters). It features double-walled construction and a high level of insulation, with the intent of keeping ice frozen for hours on end. An included lid helps seal the interior not only from outside heat, but water too.

This allows the cooler to maintain a consistent temperature within while also maintaining its structural integrity as well. With the lid firmly in place, you don’t have to worry about the mini-boat getting swamped with water and sinking mid-paddle or your favorite beverages getting warm before you’ve had a chance to enjoy them.

Other nice details include four built-in cup holders and durable rope handles on either end. The handles are useful when carrying the CreekKooler to and from the water and serve as two points when connected to your boat.

Meanwhile, the cup holders come in handy while lounging in the river, lake, or even a pool, giving you a place to set your drink without losing it in the water. The CK is even equipped with a mini flag holder to help it (and you!) stay more visible while out on the water.

In terms of performance on the water, the CreekKooler does surprisingly well. When attached to the back of a kayak or SUP board, it dutifully follows along like any good companion, rolling with waves and rapids very well.

When loaded down with ice, beverages, and food, it does add a bit of drag for sure and you’ll notice the added weight for a bit. But honestly it doesn’t take long before you’ve forgotten about the floating cooler that is hitched to the back of your boat as you glide along through the water as usual.

But later, when you remember it is back there, you’ll be glad you brought the CreekKooler along. It is incredibly convenient to have a floating cooler like this at your disposal, keeping drinks and food fresh and cool, even after hours out on the water.

The CK does a wonderful job of keeping ice frozen for extended periods of time, and while it is no Yeti Tundra in that regard, its no slouch either. Besides, when was the last time you saw someone towing a Yeti behind their kayak as they floated down the river?

The CreekKooler has become so popular in my household that we don’t just save it for use while paddling. We’ve taken it with us to pool parties and to our local neighborhood pool as well, and it has been a big hit with friends and family there too. You’ll no longer have to get out of the pool to grab a drink or get a snack. Everything is kept close at hand, with the built-in cup holders making the CK the center of attention throughout the proceedings.

Priced at $165, the CreekKooler is an affordable option for paddlers looking for a convenient way to bring food and drinks along with them on their outings.

The floating cooler is one of those pieces of gear that you didn’t really know you needed until you had one, at which point you’ll find all kinds of uses for it in and around the water. If you’re a frequent paddler, SUP practitioner, angler, or even boater, chances are you’ll find this to be a handy product to have at your disposal.

Find out more at the CreekKooler website.

Kraig Becker