THE Icey Tek Super Bag is a top-of-the-line soft cooler. It comes in two sizes – 110cm and 150cm. Both sizes are 20cm wide at the base and 40cm high.
There has been a spike in cooler bag interest since their recent development. They are fantastic for smaller boats as they don’t take up much space. They come in a range of sizes and can hold fish of all sizes, up to large tuna.
Icey Tek has taken the common cooler bag and used their 25 years of high-quality hard cooler knowledge to take their design, application and performance to the next level.
The Super Bag has a few obvious features when comparing it to standard models. The seams are welded and sealed. For those that have ever used a sealed wetsuit compared to stitched in cold winter water, you know the difference. The welded seals will hold water and prevent liquid seepage, which is ideal for an ice slurry. The reinforced seams drastically reduce temperature exchange between the internal and external environments of the bag with an air-tight construction.
The Icey Tek super bag has a 20mm thick insulation layer between the outer and inner layering. This feature makes a huge difference in the product’s application. Research into ice slurries shows that they are the best way to lower the temperature of a fish you intend to take home to eat. This understanding has been extended to confirm that holding fish in a cold environment for an extended period will improve longevity and taste in the long term. A large tuna of 100kg requires 48 hours in a slurry to optimise the yield. For smaller fish like large kingfish or Spanish mackerel, which the 110cm and 150cm models are ideal for need 24 hours to firm up. The insulation and overall design brought in by Icey Tek will hold the cold temperature of the slurry for a much longer period, reducing the risk of spoilage.
A benefit of having the insulation on the super bag is that it cushions the fish for the run-in. Any chop that the boat has to put up with will be transferred onto the flesh of the fish if they bang up against a hard surface. The padding will reduce bruising and blood getting into the precious flesh.
The other major improvement in the engineering of the super bag is the material used on the outer and inner shell. The outer fabric is made from Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) which is a food-grade plastic. Cheaper designs use PVC which can be porous, increasing the risk of bacterial stains such as blood, which can leave the bag stinky. TPU is watertight and on the inside super smooth so it can be hosed off easily for a clean.
An accessory to the Icey Tek portfolio is its Gel Bricks. These frozen blocks are a replacement for ice. The design of the gel bricks is flat and hard coming in 2L and 4L sizes, designed to take a battering. They are filled with a non-toxic gel that extends the thawing time longer than regular ice. These bricks are water-tight and will not melt into the contents of the cooler. When fish comes into contact with fresh it can lead to spoilage. Gel bricks are also ideal for an ice slurry made using salt water. The saltwater will also hold its lower temperature for longer, conduction from the water touching the fish will lower the temperature of the fish faster. One of the best uses of these bricks is that they can be used over and over again, avoiding trips to the servo for bags of ice that are chlorinated, expensive and made with single-use plastic.
The Icey Tek super bag is a product that stands out due to the quality of the engineering and materials. The consumer will pay more for a product of this calibre, in my opinion, it is fantastic value for money. The super bag is a cooler that is more of a hybrid between a hard and soft cooler that will hold ice for extended periods.
I went out for a session and caught a mixed bag of fish that comfortably fit into the bag with room for more. 2 x 65 cm snapper, 2 x 55cm flathead, 1 x 50 cm sampson fish. I had 3 2L gel blocks which is the equivalent in literage of slightly more than a bag of ice. I decided to add 1 bag of ice to the saltwater slurry. The gel blocks were still cold and icy when the ice had melted. Using both made for a very cold environment in the slurry. I think the bag can hold 3 bags of ice. 6 x 2L gel blocks would be enough for no ice needed at all.
The handles on the bag are made very well and could probably manage to withstand a fair bit of weight. However, the Icey Tek website suggests to carry from the bottom of the bag if it is full. I decided to use the handles as the bag was probably 20kg in total weight and the handles worked really well.
I came home to fish that had been cared for and left them overnight to further firm them up. Once completed I got the garden hose out for a simple spray of the gel bricks and bag to clean them. They didn’t hold any smell or residue of the catch. I also found the single screw plug helpful for draining the slurry and rinsing.
