There’s nothing more welcome at a super-sunny beach BBQ than thirst-quenching gulps of icy beverages. But once you leave home or your vacation resort, and head out for a day on the sand, how do you make sure your drinks "keep their cool"?
Luckily, experts on outdoor gear have all you beach lovers in mind come summertime. So among the many options for keeping your canned and bottled juices, beers, and sodas frosty cold are these pretty amazing finds. From ice substitutes and ice makers, to insulated coolers on wheels or backpack-style. (*this post contains affiliate links)
Outdoor Gear for Cold Drinks: Our Editor’s Picks
Portable, lightweight, easy to clean, can stand up to the elements, and—most importantly—can keep things cold, cold, cold! Those are the winning points of our product picks for you.
Ice Packs or Cubes in a Tub
Regular ice cubes don’t stand a chance in sweltering temps. So check out these smart substitutes that you pre-freeze at home. They stay ice-cold longer while you’re outdoors, don’t melt down to a watery mess, and can be used again and again!
Choose from the YETI ICE Refreezable Reusable Cooler Ice Pack (1 – from Amazon) made of heavy-duty plastic, or Icy Cools Reusable Ice Cubes (2 – from The Container Store) that you can drop into drinks or pack into a cooler.
Or if you happen to have a power source out on the beach, you can tote along this compact and lightweight Magic Chef 27 lbs Portable Countertop Ice Maker (3 – from Macy’s). Just add water, and it makes ice in as little as 7 minutes.
And to hold all that ice plus your drinks stash? Load them into this CreativeWare 8.5 Gallon Party Tub (4 – from Amazon) to keep those thirst-quenchers right within reach.
Coolers That Deliver On the Go!
Portability is key when you need to lug food, drinks and supplies out onto the beach. So these finds easily got our vote!
The ICEMULE Classic™ Medium 15L (5 – from Icemule Coolers) is a soft, insulated carrier that is ergonomically designed to be carried like a backpack. It comes in a larger and smaller size, and a selection of stylish colors.
The lightweight Camco Pop-Up Cooler (6 – available on Amazon) pops open for use and collapses flat for storage.
The Picnic Plus Dash Rolling Cooler (7 – from The Picnic World) is fully insulated, and ensures easy transport with a double-wheeled base and an extendable handle, plus handy outside pockets and a shoulder strap.
SCOUT The Stiff One Cooler Bag (8 – found on Amazon) is a soft, insulated beach bag with a hard bottom, making it collapsible and handy to tote along—while looking chic in different patterns!