Whenever you’re going on a camping party or a fishing trip, the one thing that must be at your side is a cooler. And if the trip turns out to be an extended one, then you will definitely need a cooler that can keep your essentials to an ice-cold temperature with good ice retention duration. The Igloo IMX 70 is the perfect choice in that regard. Our Igloo IMX 70 review covers everything that makes it the ultimate lightweight cooler with heavy-duty performance.
Before going into the details, let’s see the main features and measurements of the IMX 70 at a glance.
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Main Features & Measurements
- An Injection-molded cooler with UV inhibitors
- Ultratherm Insulation
- Cool Riser Technology
- Capacity: 70 quarts or 66 liters
- Weight: 25.8 lbs or 11.70 kgs
- Exterior measurement (L X W X H): 79.0 x 51.60 x 45.0 (centimeters)
- Interior measurement (L X W X H): 67.76 X 36.65 X 30.48 (centimeters)
Our Igloo IMX 70 Review: In-depth analysis
Cooling Capacity
Cool Riser Technology
The Cool Riser technology aims to improve the efficiency of the IMX 70 and so far, it has done quite a successful job. The main idea of this tech is an elevated cooler body – so your foods and drinks will stay cold for a longer duration even when the cooler is placed on a hot surface.
Ice Retention Quality
The Igloo IMX 70 has the Ultratherm (Igloo’s in-house technology) insulation that gives it a whopping 1-week ice retention duration.
To verify the claim, we tested its ice retention quality and the IMX 70 performed amazingly under 85-100 degrees. The Ice lasted for 6 days, which is 1 day short of what was offered. But an ice retention duration of 6 is still pretty awesome, right?
Marine Grade Latch
The IMX 70 comes with a marine-grade rubberized latch on both the body and the lid. This latch plays a great role in keeping your items cold for a longer duration.
In addition, the latch is another reason why the IMX 70 could provide 6 days of ice retention.
Design & Storage
Lightweight
As we’ve already learned, the Igloo IMX 70 weighs only 11.70 kgs while being able to store 66 liters. The reason behind this weight is their injection-molded construction which not only makes the IMX 70 super sturdy but also makes it approx. 40% lighter than the typical roto-molded coolers of similar capacity.
Storage Capacity
The Igloo IMX 70 can store up to 70 quarts or 66 liters. If you’d like to get an easier grasp on the capacity, it can store 105 12 oz cans. That’s 105 Carlsbergs or Coca-Colas. (Don’t hate me for being a Carlsberg man)
Wire Basket
One of the nifty features that come with the IMX 70 is definitely the wire basket. The wire basket will serve your purpose when you want your food ice-cold, but you’d like to keep it dry at the same time. However, we would like to point out that using the wire basket will take up a substantial amount of space. But a little bit of meticulous organizing will definitely sort it out.
Ease of Use
Easy to Carry
Despite having a bulky design, the IMX 70 comes with comfortable side grips that makes carrying the cooler quite easy. However, when you’re looking to carry it with the help of a friend, things get much easier.
The steel braided cables with plastic coating make the side handles durable as well as provide better grip even in wet conditions.
Durability
Super Tough Build
It’s no secret that a cooler has to face years of abuse. I mean literally, not a single person handles a cooler gently. So, make sure your cooler can take a beating before purchasing.
Thankfully, the injection-molded construction makes the Igloo IMX 70 very durable. Moreover, the UV inhibitors protect the cooler from the Sun.
The Anti-Skid feet prevent the cooler from swerving away on smooth surfaces.
One of the features that we liked most was the integrated single metal hinge that connects the lid to the body. Note that, the metal hinge is also self-stopping so it will remain open even in windy or wavy conditions.
Sturdy Design
This is one of the aspects where the Igloo IMX 70 lacks in quality. The IMX 70 comes with a rather bulky shape that makes it a hassle when you want to carry it by yourself. You will face a similar issue when you’ll try to place it in your car.
However, the design makes the cooler super sturdy and can withstand a person standing on top of it (yes, you heard that right), so that’s another plus.
Extra Secure
The IMX 70 provides T-grip latches similar to the standard coolers and they work pretty well. However, if you’d like to kick things up a notch – the lid comes with a locking point that’s compatible with any standard size locks.
There are also tie-down loops in at the side to secure the contents while on the road. At other times, they work quite well as towel holders!
Additional features
Drain Plug
Drain plugs are pretty common for Coolers. But the drain plug on the IMX 70 is simultaneously one of the best and worst plugs out there. The position of the drain plug is pretty solid. It is on the lower right side of the cooler and easily accessible.
The cap of the drain is looped on the body of the cooler. As a result, you won’t have to worry about losing it on your trip. But you won’t be able to take it out and clean it at the sink either.
The worst part about the drain plug has to be its position. The drain features a small hole and leaves out around 1 centimeter of water on a level surface. That means you’ll have to hold it at a 30-degree angle every time you want to clear out the water.
Bottle Opener and Cup Holder
The Igloo IMX 70 also comes with a bottle opener that can be found right in the middle where the lid connects. Although it looks a bit fragile, it gets the job done.
In addition, there are 4 cup holders on top of the cooler. To be precise, there are 4 self-draining cup holders that are perfect for one-time cups or 350ml cans.
Fish Ruler
You can find a ruler on top of the lid (above and under the Igloo logo). It was given there so you can measure the size of your catch on your fishing trip. But you can use it to measure the length of feet or anything else that you feel like measuring.
Pros
- Super Durable
- 6 days of Ice retention
- Extra Secure
- Relatively reasonable
- 5-year warranty (on normal use)
Cons
- Actual storage capacity turned out to be 52 liters (advertised 66)
- A poorly designed drainage system
- Bulky Design
Final Words
The Igloo IMX 70 is a lightweight cooler that delivers heavyweight performance. Despite the bulky design, the insulation technology and ice retention quality are enough to make the IMX 70 worth purchasing. There are certainly better options out there, but this one has the most reasonable price tag.