Lights, Cooler, Action
The Orca LiddUp cooler lights your way to the perfect beverage.
The Orca LiddUp cooler is one of those things you didn’t even know you needed. Well, okay, you probably don’t need it, but it’s pretty cool. In fact, the Orca motto is “Make Every Moment Cool.”
The cooler is a partnership between Orca, whose American-made coolers follow in the footsteps of brands like Yeti, and LiddUp, a brand that got its start on the show Shark Tank.
We were impressed with the cooler’s functionality on summer cruises throughout the Northeast. It does everything expected of high-end coolers: keeps beverages cold all day, has extremely durable construction that lends itself to becoming an extra seat in the cockpit, and has a drainage spout.
Things get unusual, though, when you pop the cooler’s heavy-duty, whale-tail-shaped fasteners. The 33-liter cooler holds 56 cans that are easily identifiable in the dark thanks to the LiddUp LEDs that activate when the lid is opened. No more rummaging around blindly with your hands immersed in ice water for the right type of beverage.
The LEDs are powered by four AA batteries which will likely last quite a while unless the lid is accidentally left open for long periods of time. Not cool.
Weighing in at 25 pounds empty, this cooler is a two-person haul when filled with ice and drinks. Some users might think that’s a pain, but others might point to the durable construction that lends this cooler an ultra-rugged feel.
At $349, the Orca LiddUp is roughly $100 more expensive than its competitors. I’m not sure if the lighting capabilities are worth that much, but perhaps you can’t put a price on cool. These brands are betting on it.
