Veto Pro Pac, known for their pocketed tool bags, recently launched new cooler bags.
Common features include a zipper-less airtight cooler compartment with a magnetic latch, a removable liner, 1″ thick rigid expanded polypropylene foam insulation, a zippered exterior pocket, waterproof overmolded base, removable carrying handle, and shoulder strap.
The bags also have reflective accents for user safety.
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Veto LBC-10 Cooler Bag
The LBC-10, described by Veto as a large lunchbox cooler, measures 15″ W x 12″ D x 13.5″.
The new coolers can hold up to 12 long-neck bottles, 12 16oz cans, or 16 12oz cans.
It has a total storage volume of 700 cubic inches, or 11.5 liters, and it’s not clear whether this includes the front zippered accessory compartment.
Price: $200
Colors: Carbon Gray, Olive Green
Veto LBC-15 Cooler Bag
There’s also the LBC-15, which has a couple of extra features.
To start off, the LBC-15 has a total capacity of 1007 cubic inches, or 16.5 liters. Veto says that 305 cubic inches, or 5 liters, of this is non-insulated storage within the lid.
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The “large lunchbox cooler with expanded storage” measures 17″ W x 13″ D x 16″ H, and has a larger lid with room for a dry storage tray.
The LBC-15 has a higher max payload capacity of 30 lbs, compared to 25 lbs for the LBC-10, and is a little heavier too. The LBC-15 weighs 8.5 lbs empty, and the LBC-10 weighs 7 lbs.
Veto Pro Pac engineered this model with additional side and rear pockets. The rear pocket is sized for “an eReader or small tablet computer,” and the open side pockets can hold miscellaneous accessories.
Price: $230
Colors: Carbon Gray, Olive Green
Veto ice packs, ICE36, are sold separately.
Discussion
$200+ seems pricey for a large lunchbox-sized foam-insulated cooler.
Then again, the Yeti Hopper 12 cooler is $250.
Milwaukee Tool’s 21 quart cooler bag is currently $45.
Even the Milwaukee Packout-compatible cooler bag is $75.
Carhartt has an insulated 12-can 2-compartment cooler bag for just under $30, and it’s available in a bunch of different colors.
I can see the appeal in Veto Pro Pac’s new cooler bags, mainly in how it resembles their tool bags, but I see it as more of a luxury item than a practical one.
This is an interesting direction for the brand, and more of an adjacent product rather than being a core focus.
I just know that readers are going to – deservingly – criticize the price of the Veto cooler bags. Independent of that, what do you think about the designs?
Why buy the Veto coolers over say the $75 Packout cooler bag?
Steve L
Not saying a Veto cooler is worth the price. Seems expensive to hold a lunch but Yeti seems to sell a lot of soft coolers.
Veto has priced the coolers on the same level as their tool bags. No surprise there. If you bought or are considering one of their tool bags you might add a cooler.
Matt S.
I’d need to see more about this magnetic closure before I trust it not to dump everything out
James
Love veto bags and have about 10 in various sizes. Can’t see any scenario where I’d want one of these…
Mark M.
Agree with James. I’ve got the Veto TP4B and would buy another one in an instant if something happened to mine, it’s my grab-and-go for just about anything. But to pay that much for a lunch cooler? Nahh. I’d buy the Carhartt or something generic if I had the need for something. RTIC might be another option, their stuff has proven to be 80% the utility of bigger brands at about 30% the cost.
Dan
I love my Veto pack and this seems like a nice cooler. I especially like the single point closure as opposed to a zipper which is a pain to deal with while on the road. That said, at the price, it doesn’t offer enough to pry me away from the RTIC soft cooler that I already have.
Jeff
Comparing the Veto and Yeti against the Milwaukee ones is like comparing the Milwaukee ones versus a brown paper bag. There is that much of a difference in the insulation levels between them. I own both and each has different uses.
IronWood
I have a Veto bag and a tool pouch. I love them, and I think they’re worth the money if you’re using them a lot. That said, I’d never spend that kind of money on a lunch cooler. In the past I’ve had cheaper soft coolers that were fine and I’ve used a hard Igloo Playmate for like ten years now. If the Playmate ever gets run over I’ll buy another one.
Ron
I could never spend that much on a cooler, but I do own a nice soft sided cooler that I got from Costco for half the cost of others. And also a blow molded Yeti style cooler I got for under $40 around Christmas time from Lowe’s. I tried that Carhartt lunch box shown above and it was a huge letdown. But this link will take you to some really really good coolers for the price. I use the small one as a lunch box everyday. Sorry I just can’t justify the cost of some of these coolers nowadays.
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-soft-sided-cooler
Robert
Seems aimed at Yeti. So the real question is will Veto eat Yeti’s lunch?
Stuart
With these colors? Unlikely.
John
Veto and Yeti are targeting different markets in general. Yeti is a ‘lifestyle’ brand for recreation and outdoors, veto is for tradesmen. It’ll be interesting to see if Veto tries to capture some of the recreation market.
Cray-Ymp
I like the design and I like Veto products. I’ve had the XXL-F for over a decade. It still works and looks like the day I got it. This lunchbox should last a long time.
Alternatively – the Festool Cooltainer comes with a cup and you can sit on it while eating lunch. It’s only $150 retail and $89 at hartville. I like mine. I like being able stack the box with the other systainers carrying all at once on the dolly. (I think this is my first post. I love this site. )
Jimbo
I could see it having success with a different demographic. Fisherman or oiydoor pohotographers for example. The features may appeal to them. For the normal tradesman maybe not from what others are saying. The quick access magnetic top and rubberized base are features those other bags miss. The yeti has those loops to add your own accessories though so that may be a miss on this one in relation. If a different demographic picks it up it may drive further adoption of veto bags for alt uses.
Azlehria
Especially at these prices, I’m sticking with my plastic cube cooler. Holds about 4.5 pounds of ice with 8 “quarts” of Generic-ade plus 2-4 energy drinks, and still has ice in it after 12 hours in 100°+. Textured flat top and enough strength to stand on it without deforming.
Cost me like $10 at Walmart. Think it was their Ozark brand.
eddiesky
FYI- If you have similar small cooler, I would recommend ditching those plastic Blue Ice products for something more practical and smaller: Techni Ice packs. You can size and cut to fit, soak in water, then store in freezer for cooler use, without taking up as much space as the plastic hard packs. They last much longer than gel packs too.
This is link to manufacturer page but I got mine online elsewhere. (if Stuart can provide an Amazon referral link…)
https://techniice.com/collections/reusable-dry-ice-packs
Stuart
Looks interesting. This is? https://www.amazon.com/Techni-Reusable-Packs-Sheet-Special/dp/B000ZOWG62/?tag=toolguyd-20
Reminds me of Cooler Shock – https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Shock-lunch-size-packs/dp/B078FR9CND/?tag=toolguyd-20
I recently ordered Arctic Ice Alaskan Series – https://www.amazon.com/Alaskan-Reusable-Ice-Coolers-Lasting/dp/B00H50YOC8/?th=1&tag=toolguyd-20&psc=1
I understand the benefits of the other hydratable packs, but like plastic-encased ice packs better.
Eric
One thing to mention is these bags qualify for their spring promo. Price is steep for a lunch box but at least you get another tool bag for it.