Hiking Backpack w/ Built-in Cooler

During the summer of 2019, 25 classmates and I ventured into the backcountry of Utah to fully immerse ourselves in the outdoor exploration and recreation culture. For some of us, being so far from home - let alone 50 miles from the nearest public bathroom - was quite the challenge. For those of us familiar with the territory, it was like home away from home.

We met up with the owner of a local cooler company that specializes in kayak and boat cooling solutions. They went by the name “Canyon Coolers”. While the trip was not sponsored by them (and I have no affiliation with them beyond their express permission to use their logo/name for this project), we were encouraged to include their likeness in our designs to - at the very least - facilitate a more involved and lasting relationship. I have not been in contact with them since.

I did however, get selected to take my design to the Iowa State Fair and present it at Iowa State University’s entrepreneur program “Standing Innovation”. While I did not move past the second of 4 rounds, I gained a lot of valuable insight on speaking to large crowds.