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The Ice Vault from

Summer is here and with it comes LOTS of heat for those of us who Jeep here in Arizona (yeah, I know, it's a dry heat....and I've heard it a thousand times).  Taking a cooler on the trail is not an option but rather a necessity.  But that doesn't mean summer in places like Minnesota, Virginia, California, Colorado, and Illinois (places that I have lived) is any picnic either....well, maybe Minnesota is on account of it only having two seasons, the 4th of July and Winter.  But seriously, having plenty of fluids on the trail, and I don't mean the kind you put in the engine or transmission, is a must.  And I recently found what I think is a most excellent cooler for the Jeep, the Ice Vault from JP Cooler.  JP Cooler is located right here in the Phoenix metro area and is owned by a Jeeper too.  Greg developed this cooler to fit in the space behind the rear seat in the short wheel based Jeeps.  However, as I found, it will also work just as well in a TJ that doesn't have a rear seat.

Now I realize that this Jeep mod is not exactly what anyone would call hard core.  But every now and then, it is nice to do a mod on Lady that it is quick and easy and in this case, doesn't even require me to pick up a wrench.  On top of that, this is also one of those mods that your significant other can buy for you (makes a great present) without the worry of getting the wrong thing, wrong size, etc. 
 

The first thing you notice about this 56 qt. cooler is its light weight and sturdy construction.  The carry handles wrap completely around the cooler to support it while carrying a full load of refreshments.  There is a convenient zippered pocket on the front of the cooler for you to stash what ever it is that goes into such places.  For me, a couple of those 12 oz. can cooler covers stays there, at the ready. 
 

For those days when you load the cooler to the max capacity (two cases of refreshments + ice), you can use the carry handles located at each end of the cooler.  For me, those handles also provide a means by which to secure the cooler to the factory roll bar, directly behind the front seats, as I don't have a rear seat to keep it tucked behind.
 

A removable insert is provided that sits flush on the bottom to give this soft sided cooler some reinforcement.  As I said, I was impressed with the construction.  Details such as this insert and other things like the quality of the stitching and the rugged zippers makes for a very nice product.  I've no doubt that this cooler will see use for quite some time to come.

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