Stackable, square and surprisingly light, Dometic’s new Recon coolers promise serious cold retention and smarter packing for touring life on the road.
Dometic’s new range of Recon Coolers was designed with two clear goals in mind: maximising space efficiency while delivering capable insulation. The result is a set of hard and soft coolers of different sizes that stack together and are easy to pack when travelling. Yet they still have two inches of insulation to keep supplies cold.
With Dometic claiming the Recon is its smartest and most versatile cooler yet, built as a system for real-world use, the brand suggested we try them for ourselves. Over the past month, we’ve been travelling with the 16L and 41L versions of the Recon Hardside — the hard-body coolers. If you’re wanting maximum cold storage, there’s also a 61L version.
The new Dometic Recon Coolers are stackable and space efficient
Square, stackable and space-efficient
My first impression was how great the Dometic Recon Hardside Coolers look. The square edges have an almost military equipment impression, minus the ‘Glow’ colour variant’s happy mango orange exterior. There is a Silt grey option if you think the Glow is too lairy.
Dometic achieved the efficient square shapes by injection moulding the coolers. This manufacturing process allows for more precise, complex shapes such as the flush-mounted handles and integrated tie-down points, eliminating protruding parts that waste space when packed. Injection moulding forces melted plastic into a mould cavity. Once the plastic is cooled, the mould can be removed from the outside.
Most other coolers are roto-moulded, a process where powdered plastic is placed into a hollow mould. The mould is rotated on every axis within an oven, causing the plastic to melt and take the shape of the mould. Roto-moulding cannot produce the sharp angles of the Dometic Recon Cooler range, so it occupies more space for the same capacity.
By using injection moulding with welded seams, Dometic also achieved a build that is about 30 per cent lighter than traditional roto-moulded coolers of the same internal volume. Interestingly, while researching coolers, I found that the 41L Recon's internal capacity is truly 41L, whereas competitors’ similarly sized products were as low as 33L. On the universally recognised volume scale, the 41L Recon Hardside Cooler holds 67 cans (with no ice).
Lightweight and they pack a punch
You can fit plenty inside the Recon Coolers and the divider helps keep things organised (61L size shown)
Designed for real-world touring
The main advantage of the Dometic Recon Cooler range is how they neatly pack inside vehicles or vans. The cube-shaped design fits alongside our storage boxes and equipment, making them ideal for storing between the seats on the floor of our van. Non-skid feet keep them in place. The lid opens from either end or can be removed entirely, allowing quick access without having to take it out of the car. The soft-grip recessed handles easily deploy for straightforward carrying. The 16L model features sturdy web carry handles with a grip that locks together for comfortable transport. Meanwhile, a rubberised lid provides a comfortable seat and reduces the likelihood of stacked items shifting.
Sturdy handles on the 41L version
To gauge the cooler’s efficiency, we filled the 41L Recon with two bags of ice and the 16L with one bag, each with a six-pack of cold cans. I opened the lids twice a day to simulate typical use and to check how things were going. In 28–32°C daytime temperatures on the NSW North Coast, all the ice was all gone in both coolers after four days — but the drinks were still cold in the thawed water after five days.
We didn’t need the coolers when travelling, and they made a perfect storage box for my camera equipment — well protected from damage and nice and cool when left in the car when parked.
Accessories and final thoughts
Dometic Recon Cooler accessories include dividers that slot into the interior walls and double as a chopping board, as well as neatly fitting storage trays and magnetised drain plugs to prevent them from getting lost.
The dividers double as chopping boards
Add the tap and turn your cooler into a drink dispenser
My favourite piece of gear, though, is the included tap for the cooler that turns it into a never-ending cold drink container for long shifts working in hot conditions. If you want to take it to the next level there is a 360-degree rotating tap available separately.
Dometic is a worldwide outdoor tech company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Dometic has approximately 7000 staff members globally and markets its products in more than 100 countries.
The 16L Dometic Recon Hardside costs $325*, the 41L is $499* and the 61L is $599*.
All are available via the Dometic website.
*Prices subject to change.
The Dometic Recon Cooler is a versatile bit of gear to have around camp
THE NEXT STEP
If you want to learn the latest caravan news, find the most innovative new caravans and camping gear or get inspired to plan your next adventure on the open road in the Aussie great outdoors, subscribe to our weekly newsletter. We promise to send you only the best content.
Related articles:
Dometic | Enerdrive: The evolution of off-grid camping
Gear review: The new Dometic PSC Soft Cooler | 19L
Camps 13 review: Australia’s new free and budget camping guide
Testing Dometic’s new Recon Coolers: stackable, strong, smart