The Expedition
During an 18‑day, 2,000‑mile overland trek across the rugged back‑roads of California and Nevada, my 4x4 overland trailer suffered a sudden roll‑over early in the journey. My two ICECO APL20 coolers rode the impact, endured the tumble, and kept the food and drinks at the right temperature for the entire expedition, although looking like battlescard warriors. They performed flawlessly even though they had been compromised with broken latches and cracked hinges.
What Works Well
Thermal Hold - Maintained frozen meals and chilled drinks despite hours of desert heat. Keeps nutrition and morale intact on long trips.
Durability - Outer shells survived dents, dings, and the forces of a roll‑over. Proves ICECO’s rugged construction can handle abuse.
Ease of Securing - A few velcro straps kept the doors shut while navigating rough terrain with broken hinges and latches. Simple, inexpensive trail fix allowed the unit to perform out on the trail, the way all of off-roading is meant to be.
Insulation Quality - No frostbite on frozen items, no sweating on chilled items. Confirms the core insulation works as advertised.
The Battle Scars (my fault)
Physical Damage: Both units now bear scratches, dents and dings from the accident. True warriors. Nothing another set of covers will not solve.
Hinge & Latch Failure: The most critical issue is broken hinges and latches on each door, preventing a proper seal. This is 100% my fault, not the product. It withstood my actions, that says a lot.
Despite these scars, the refrigeration performance remains solid—thanks to the original engineering and the available protective covers I added.
Why This Review Matters - I DON'T NORMALLY DO REVIEWS
Authentic Field Test: Shows the APL20 can survive extreme conditions and still function. These two units took the abuse that they would not normally see in a lifetime in 18 days - dusty, rugged, hot, cold, wet, dry, violent and parked.
Clear Issue Identification: ICECO customer support made it simple to identify the failed parts (hinges and latches) and made the communication process easy to verify the situation and support.
Future Proofing: Once repaired, these coolers will continue to serve as live‑in testimonials for the brand within the over‑land community of their ruggedness and performance and a loyal customer moving forward.
Customer Service
I reached out to the ICECO support team for assistance in locating new latches and hinges. They reviewed my problem and helped me find a positive path of resolution as I thought I was bound to velcro straps forever or having to relieve these two of their duties permanently which would have been a very premature gesture. Outstanding products and customer service.
Recommended and would buy again - FIVE STARS
