KUIU Built a Cooler for Outdoorsmen. I Like it for Tradesmen.

One of the reasons I love the outdoor industry is how many products cross over to legit jobsite use for professional tradesmen. Like many of you, when I’m off the clock, my recreational pursuits are outside, so any gear I can find to pull double-duty in both aspects of my life increases its value. The KUIU Kodiak 2000 Cooler Backpack was designed with hunters in mind, but the onboard storage made me think about its potential applications in the construction, landscaping, and agricultural spaces.

I got my hands on one and have been gauging its potential as an EDC cooler to cover your on and off the clock needs. In this review, I’ll walk you through what I discovered about its storage, how long it holds ice, carrying comfort, and how well it can fit into your work life.

KUIU Kodiak 2000 Cooler Backpack Storage

I have other soft coolers that I often use, but KUIU’s addition of storage space sets it apart. I don’t need a ton of storage space for gear since any tools I carry have their own boxes. But if I can combine my cooler and EDC backpack into one, that’s a win.

Here’s what I normally carry in my backpack:

• Rain jacket
• Rain pants
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Flashlight
• Body wipes (Duke Cannon Cold Shower)
• Electrolyte powder
• Phone power supply and cord
• Laptop
• Document folders

I can fit most of those items in the Kodiak’s storage spaces with room to spare for an extra layer or spare shirt. However, there are some limitations, starting with the sunscreen and bug spray. Since I don’t want to store them where they could leak onto my other gear, I put them in a Ziploc bag to keep the liquids contained. Alternatively, you could use a separate pouch and attach it to one of the numerous clip and lash points around the exterior.

Laptop and document storage is the main issue. While you could fit a small laptop or tablet in the rear compartment, it doesn’t have a padded sleeve to protect it and keep it from moving around. Considering the outdoor activities KUIU primarily designed this for, I’m not disappointed. In fact, I would have been surprised if they included it. So, it’s not so much a miss on their part as a limitation of expanding its role into trade work.

Fortunately, environmental conditions aren’t a concern for my stored gear thanks to construction that earns an IPX7 waterproof rating. The Kodiak 2000 uses TIZIP MasterSeal zippers, which make the cooler and storage compartments fully waterproof and airtight, even if they’re submerged. KUIU includes several tubes of lubricant to keep the zippers performing optimally. Incidentally, it also floats, but that’s true for almost every cooler available.

KUIU Kodiak 2000 Cooler Backpack Ice Retention

Of course, storage is only half the story. Its function as a cooler is the other.

In terms of internal capacity, I measured its opening as about 5 x 11 inches and the depth as 18 inches, allowing it to hold up to 20 pounds of ice or 28 twelve-ounce cans. Of course, you’ll almost always carry a mix, but that gives you an idea of how much space you have to work with.

For my needs, there’s easily enough room for a day’s worth of hydration, lunch, and snacks, even on the most brutal Florida summer days.

Between the inner and outer shells, there’s closed-cell foam insulation. That’s a common choice for a soft cooler, but I noticed KUIU’s is about an inch thick, which is more than most and should translate to better temperature retention.

How long it holds ice is heavily dependent on the external temperature and how often you open it. To get an idea, I loaded it up with 20 pounds of ice and set it on my shaded back porch. During my tests, our temperatures ranged from around 70°F for the lows to 90°F for our highs. I only opened the cooler once I could no longer hear ice when I shook it.

Under those conditions, it took 3 1/2 days for the ice to completely melt. For a soft-sided cooler, this is outstanding ice retention. To put that in perspective, that’s 1/2 a day longer than I measured with Yeti’s now-discontinued BackFlip backpack cooler. The thicker insulation and airtight seal clearly make a difference, especially compared to typical day-trip coolers designed for the beach or picnics.

Carrying the KUIU Kodiak 2000 Cooler Backpack

KUIU didn’t relegate the backpack function of this pack to an afterthought. Considering the quality of their other packs, I expected nothing less.

There’s generous padding against your back, along with channeling for airflow. The shoulder straps are also comfortably padded. Combined, they ease the pressure on contact points when you’re fully loaded.

There’s a chest strap with a broad range of adjustment in both height and width. There’s a removable hip belt as well. For the construction-focused testing I did, there wasn’t much need for it. However, if you’re in the agricultural or forestry sectors and have a longer hike to your work zone, you may want it on.

Overall, I found there was plenty of adjustability to create a genuinely comfortable fit, and the range seems wide enough to easily accommodate most body types.

Additional Highlights

• Water Bottle Pocket: Keep your water close by in a stretch bottle pocket
• Bonus Pouch: Includes a welded wallet/phone/key pouch
• Lash Down Points: Tie down the cooler to your truck bed, ATV/UTV, or boat to keep it from tipping or falling out
• Color Options: Available in Stone (featured), Valo, and Verde colors

Should You Buy It?

If your primary needs are to store your nutrition and hydration for the day, there are less expensive options than KUIU’s cooler backpack. For this to be worth it for you, the combination of the cooler and waterproof storage in a backpack configuration is what earns its keep.

For hunting, fishing, and some hiking applications, it’s a purpose-built solution that’s well designed and well built. Based on my experience with KUIU, I wasn’t worried about it meeting those expectations.

But the question I set out to answer is whether it can cross over as a serious jobsite option that can combine my need to store food and drink, plus the non-tool gear I carry every day. The answer is yes, but it’s not for everyone.

It’s a fantastic solution to support you and maybe one other person for the day. It’s especially helpful in construction trades where you have to carry everything you need for the day in your vehicle. Its smaller footprint than most hardshell coolers is also helpful to keep the bed of your truck from getting overcrowded.

However, if you’re supporting multiple people on your crew, especially with food and drink, there isn’t enough space for everything you’ll need. You’re better off with a quality hard cooler and storing your other gear in a separate backpack. Also, if a laptop or tablet is part of your daily work life, you’ll need to carry it separately.

So, while some days’ plans may require more storage, there are many when the Kodiak 2000 is a great fit for my regular work and recreational pursuits.

Like what you see? You can order yours at KUIU.com for $399.

Specifications

• Shell Material: 840D Matte Nylon Ether-Type TPU
• Base Material: 840D High Tenacity Hypalon
• Zippers: TIZIP MasterSeal
• Insulation: Premium closed-cell foam
• Liner: FDA food-grade
• Volume: 2000 cubic inches/32 liters
• Exterior Dimensions: 24.5 x 12.5 x 12.25 inches
• Weight: 5.3 pounds with all straps