Editor’s Note: This article is presented by our partners at Dometic.
There truly is nothing as satisfying as a cold post-surf beer. Emphasis on “cold.” And conversely, there’s nothing as mildly disappointing as the lukewarm post-surf beer. Sure, it’s still a post-surf beer, but the level of refreshment is drastically reduced, and when shared, it’s often accompanied by the caveat: “They’re not cold but…” You get the drift. Nobody really wants a lukewarm beer.
With that in mind, you’ve got a few different options for ensuring the coldness of your brews. You can leave your beers in the fridge until the last second before you leave the house, wrap them in a towel and keep your sesh short in the hopes that your post-surf beer is still cold when you get out. You can throw it in a cooler with some ice, and yes, that beer will be cold, but you’ll be dealing with melted ice when you get home. Or, you can avoid all the hassle, plant those suckers in one of Dometic’s awesome powered coolers, and turn it on. Yeah, it’s that easy.
Dometic’s line of CFX3 Powered Coolers are perfect for surf trips, life on the road, and everything in between. Photo: Dometic
Dometic has been well-known by surfers and the outdoors-oriented “down under” for years now (as well as RV-ers here in the U.S.) thanks to their line of powered coolers and other accessories for life on the road like awnings and ventilation. These products are thoughtfully designed, and it shows. Take the powered coolers – they’re good for a lot more than just the post-surf beer. Pack some leftovers for a mid-surf refuel, take perishables on multi-day camping trips worry-free, even ice cream if you really want to flaunt your newfound powers of mobile refrigeration. Temperature-sensitive medications, baby formula, the possibilities are endless. A Dometic powered cooler is simply a super efficient fridge/freezer for your car.
The Dometic CFX3 25 in action. Photo: Dometic
All you need is some power to keep it running, and thankfully, not a whole lot of it. In testing, we were astonished by the power-efficiency of the Dometic CFX3 25. We turned it on, came back a few hours later, and the 500-watt-per-hour battery it was running off of had only drained a few percentage points. The coolers achieve this amazing feat with supreme efficiency. With the lid closed, sturdy insulation keeps the cold in, and the compressor will only activate as needed to achieve or maintain the set temperature.
The cooler works off of both AC and DC, capable of being plugged into a standard electrical outlet or a 12-volt car plug, and with customizable battery-protection, you can be sure you won’t wake up the next morning with a dead car battery. They’re also super quiet – no loud compressor keeping you up at night, and a convenient app lets you keep track of the cooler’s current status, as well as historical power consumption so you know your limits and can plan your next trip accordingly.
The Dometic CFX3 25 has enough room for 40 cans – its relatively small size packs a punch. Photo: Dometic
We tried the CFX3 25, the smallest powered cooler with a 25-liter capacity, but these CFX3 coolers range in sizes of up to 100-liters for van lifers or larger groups, as well as Dual Zone (allowing for freezing and refrigerating at the same time) and Ice Maker configurations built to tackle whatever the road throws at you.
Dometic also has a line of installable refrigerators for vanlife or RV builds, an all-new, center-console refrigerator, awnings, air conditioners, and a variety of other accessories for life on the road. Dometic’s motto is “mobile living, made easy,” and they certainly live up to the claim.
Editor’s Note: Dometic is currently running its “12 Days of Dometic” sale through December 17, with great deals on powered coolers, portable power, accessories, and more. Check it out here.
Hooked up to the PLB40 portable battery. Photo: Dometic
