Fondofold-Bag
If you were to find an object that could completely dissect the American national character, outdoor culture, and consumption habits, it would undoubtedly be the Cooler—a portable insulated refrigerator, a "mobile refrigerator" etched into American daily life. It's not just a container for ice and soft drinks; it's a mirror reflecting the nation's unique relaxed, free, and open-minded approach to life.
In Europe, people carry glass bottles and canvas bags, and room-temperature drinks are readily available. But in America, a weekend without a cooler is incomplete.
In 1953, Richard Rami patented a portable refrigerator. Initially, it was a bulky galvanized iron box, used only by a few fishing and camping enthusiasts. Later, Coleman improved it with a plastic version, making it lightweight, durable, and affordable, instantly making it a household name. The word "cooler" completely replaced the old-fashioned "ice chest," becoming a universal term. Only in small Southern towns like Texas and Louisiana do older generations still call it a freezer.
The explosion of car culture ignited the demand for refrigerators. The United States is vast, with an extensive highway network, making road trips, beach vacations, forest fishing, and backyard barbecues mainstream pastimes. Almost every household keeps a refrigerator in their trunk, and gas stations have year-round self-service ice vending machines where you can buy a large bag of crushed ice for just a few dollars to fill a case with cola, beer, fresh-cut fruit, and raw meat. Hotels don't proactively provide toiletries, but they always offer free ice 24 hours a day. This obsession with "ice" is the most obvious cultural difference to outsiders.
Unlike old-fashioned household iceboxes, the core value of a cooler is its ability to keep food fresh anytime, anywhere, without electricity. A basic, inexpensive model can keep food cold for two or three days, while high-end heavy-duty coolers insulate against high temperatures, keeping ice for up to a week even under the scorching sun. Fishermen use them to store their catch, hunters to preserve fresh meat, campers to store food, and long-distance road trippers no longer need to rely on refrigerated shelves in convenience stores. From palm-sized single-person handheld ice packs to giant outdoor cases with wheels that can hold hundreds of cans of beverages, their sizes cover all aspects of life. There's even a dedicated "National Refrigerator Day" to commemorate this invention that has changed outdoor living.
Americans' fondness for ice and the widespread use of coolers are mutually reinforcing.
European coffee shop drinks are almost never served with ice, and East Asians are accustomed to warm water and room-temperature tea. However, in the US, a drink without a generous layer of ice is considered "inferior." After heavy, sweet and greasy hamburgers, fried chicken, and barbecued meats, iced soda, iced beer, and iced Americano are the standard fare, their icy texture quickly cutting through the richness. Long, hot summers and the prevalence of central air conditioning in homes have made Americans accustomed to low temperatures, with iced water and drinks a staple of every meal and season.
Coolers perfectly cater to this need: ice is made in the refrigerator at home and packed into an insulated box when out and about, ensuring a full box of cold drinks wherever you go. Picnics in parks, watching games at stadiums, camping by lakes—everyone gathers around the cooler to open drinks, the clinking of metal lids a signature background sound of American gatherings. It blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors, making the convenience of a refrigerator portable, perfectly aligning with the American lifestyle of not wanting to be confined by space and always wanting to connect with nature.
Americans love "cooler"
Globally, North America is the primary consumer region for insulated bags. In the approximately $5 billion global insulated bag market, the US accounts for about 21.2% of the global market share, while the UK market is projected to maintain a compound annual growth rate of approximately 5.43%.
While most Chinese food is heated, in the US, common lunches such as cereal, salads, and sandwiches are typically served cold. Therefore, the insulated bags widely used by American elementary and middle school students and office workers to carry their lunches are called "cooler bags." Tony, a cross-border e-commerce seller of insulated bags, explained, "This is a difference in food culture. Why is it called a 'cooler bag' instead of a 'warmer bag'? Because Americans prefer cold, icy food."
Another major group using insulated bags to carry food are truck drivers. According to data from the American Trucking Association (ATA), approximately 70% of freight in the US is transported by truck, and about 80% of the region relies entirely on truck transportation. In 2020, the number of truck drivers employed in the US was 3.36 million. Truck drivers, due to their long-distance transport needs, frequently use insulated bags to carry food.
Besides food preservation and long-distance road trips, insulated luggage is also commonly used for family picnics, recreational fishing, and camping parties. Almost all everyday food and beverages requiring low-temperature storage are stored in insulated luggage. According to brand manufacturers, insulated luggage can be broadly categorized into rotomolded, injection-molded, blow-molded, and foam-insulated cases. Most insulated cases offer a refrigeration time of 5-7 days or more. An 8.5L insulated case can hold approximately 12 bottles of cola, suitable for 2-4 people on a picnic; a 17L case can hold approximately 24 bottles of cola, suitable for 7-8 people; and a 26L case can hold approximately 30 bottles of cola, suitable for 10-12 people.
Insulated Bag Detailed Classification:
Usage Scenarios: Food preservation, family picnics, long-distance road trips, recreational fishing, camping parties.
Type: disposable, reusable (non-electric, electrically powered)
Material: Metal, plastic, foam, other
Capacity Less than 10 liters, 10-40 liters, 40-80 liters, Over 80 liters
The booming outdoor sports scene has fueled sales of insulated luggage, with many electric insulated boxes becoming bestsellers. According to a survey by the American Lamb Board and the 2022 North American Camping Report, one in two Americans would rather have a happy hour picnic than spend it in a bar; and among people aged six and older, over 50 million go camping.
“Most Americans own a pickup truck, and whether they're going shopping, to a game, or camping, they're used to using insulated boxes to pack food and drinks. People even use Coke bottles as a standard for measuring the capacity of insulated boxes, habitually saying how many bottles they can hold, like 6, 8, 12, or 24. On Amazon, they range from $9.99 to $40, with some higher-end models costing over $100, while the average price is around $15-20,” said Tony.
Known as the "Hermes of insulated bags," the American outdoor insulated bag brand Yeti's biggest selling point is its durability, while another major characteristic is its high price. Although Yeti products rarely go on sale, they consistently rank among the top sellers on Amazon. "Yeti has an insulated bag that can hold six cans of Coke, and it sells for $399. Chinese people probably can't even imagine it; with that money, I could buy a refrigerator, why would I buy that bag?"
Besides Yeti, other top-selling insulated bag brands on Amazon US include Coleman, IGLOO, Pelican, AO Coolers, ORCA Coolers, Arctic Zone, RTIC Outdoors, and Maelstrom.
