If an inflatable SUP board and a cooler had a baby, it might look like a Stash.
Coming to market this spring, the Stash cooler is a new product category — the inflatable cooler.
Drawing from the manufacturing style of inflatable stand-up paddle boards (SUPs), the Stash is literally a soft fabric cooler that inflates into a rigid container.
If it’s anything like SUPs, it will be strong and durable when inflated, and compress to save space when deflated.
Stash Inflatable Coolers
Aimed squarely at the marine industry, the Stash cooler uses drop stitch manufacturing.
Basically, this means the inflatable chambers connect throughout with stitches that run across the air chambers. When the air chambers fill with air, these stitches become taught. They keep the walls from inflating further, and result in a strong, rigid structure.
This design is proven in SUPs, which feel soft when deflated, but rigid and hard when inflated. The coolers work on the same concept.
The coolers also use Primaloft synthetic down and metallic reflective insulation to keep the inside cold.
Size, Availability
Stash Coolers will be available May 2017. They are sold exclusively through certain West Marine locations and on westmarine.com.
The capacities range between 75 and 600 quarts. This covers small-group day use to massive commercial use. The largest size is nearly twice as large as the biggest YETI cooler on the market.
The prices are pretty eye-popping. The smallest model starts at $500. However, the largest cooler is right at $1,000, making the super big, 150-gallon tub a fairly good value compared to other marine coolers.
We’ve not yet seen these coolers in person, and can’t judge its performance or durability. But an inflatable cooler is an interesting concept for both storage and transportation. Inflatable SUPs are strong and durable, and it would stand to reason that these coolers should be, too.
We hope to put a Stash Cooler to the test soon to see if these are worthy of keeping your beer or catch-of-the-day icy cold.
