Customer Reviews

Chattnooga Colpac Cold Therapy, Blue Vinyl, 11 X 21 (Oversize), 6.95-Pound

5 star:		(105)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Well, its a cold pack that does the same thing as a lot of other cold packs do- cools down an injured or inflammed area. However these packs have a lot of "cool" features users just love, such as...

-they're made of this gel that enables them to keep their shape
-they cool fairly quickly
-will give you around 20 good minutes of cool
-last most people years
-are the kind used by a lot of physical therapy clinics
-they're portable

As you can see, these aren't your $5 Walmart ice packs and you get what you pay for. So who should get them? Anyone who has a chronic ache or pain they want to get rid of or an injury they need to treat with ice to decrease pain and swelling. Handy to have around, don't think twice about getting one if you're in the market. Those struggling with elbow tendinitis might also want to check out Treat Your Own Tennis Elbow.

Product: Chattnooga ColPac

I've had knee surgery, and back surgery, and these are far and away the best cold packs I've tried (as of this writing). Both of the physical therapy centers I've frequented use them extensively, I own three myself, and plan to get several more, so that I use them in rotation, two at work, two at home, and one for travel between. They're also handy for picnic coolers (to drape over the contents inside a cooler, to keep them cold from the top down). I sometimes use my 'travel' spare to keep highly perishable (or frozen) groceries extra cool while transporting them from the store to home.

STRENGTHS:
* They're very pliable (they get firmer with once you get below -10F, but are still sufficiently pliable down to -15F) and conform well to your body ... this one is ideal for the back, and the knee. Because they're pliablem, they're extra freezer-friendly - you can fold them in half to take up less space in there, or leave them flat for faster re-chilling.
* They chill fairly quickly, and hold a fair amount of cold. They claim 30 mins, but it's really only 20, with direct contact ... 30 if you fold it in half, and put a towel over it, before applying it.
* Long life - I've had mine for 3 years, and so far only one of them has lost seal and begun to develop a bubble inside.

MINOR NITS:
* Because they're so pliable, you sometimes have to put them on a hard surface and sorta stretch and squish them back into proper rectangular shape, with an even thickness.
* I wish these were about 10-15% thicker, so that they held their cold just a tad longer otherwise, they're nearly perfect.

Highly recommended.

p.s. There are two versions of this product. According to the sales clerk I spoke to at Chattanoga just now, the blue vinyl ones (which I own) are made by one manufacturer, and have a 1 year warrantee. The black polyurethane ones are made by a different manufacturer, and supposedly feel the same, but only have a 6 month warrantee.

p.p.s. Watch out for venders who try to rip you off by advertising an artificially low sale price, and then try to sock it to you with absurd S&H costs. For instance, I just shopped 2 different suppliers here on amazon with an order for 3 of these ... one of them only wanted $8 total S&H (reasonable), and the other had a cheaper list price but wanted $30 for S&H (scam alert !). It pays to comparison shop.

Not the same anymore. I've used this brand of cold pack for many years, but these are noticeably different. The plastic cover is much thinner and softer; hence will tear easier. The gel (when thawed) is very much oozier, making it difficult to get in the freezer in a flat position. It wants to run to one end or ends up all lumpy. AND the main issue is these do not stay cold nearly as long as my previous versions. I will probably not purchase again and will look for some other brand that is more like these used to be. One other note, why doesn't the manufacturer include a fitted, washable fabric cover for these? I'm tired of trying to wrap these in towels or something else when using. I'd gladly pay a couple of dollars more for this and it would help to protect the plastic from tearing, as well. Anyone agree?

I bought this after having shoulder surgery. I tried two or three of the fancy ice packs for shoulders, and none of them worked very well. This one is large enough to cover the entire shoulder and upper chest/back, feels very durable, and is still cold after being on for 30 minutes.

Take this, put it in a thin pillow case, and wrap an ace bandage around it. Works perfectly for just about any body part.

This mfg makes the best ice pack EVER! Don't waste your time with ANY other product out on the market. I've been using 2 of these guys for 10 years now and have never had a single problem with them. They last 30+ minutes of icey coldness even after all of these years of use. Durable as hell!

My physical therapist used these on me 10 years ago, and unfortunately, Amazon wasn't around to purchase from, so you potential buyers...well, the world is your oyster. Get a couple of these and leave them in your freezer, well, till hell freezes over! Ice is the numero uno therapy for almost any injury, so having a couple in the deep freeze will make you happy when you're not feeling so good.

My colpac started leaking after a week. I purchased another hoping I just had a defective one, same problem happened again. They get very cold but the seams crack and leak gray slime.

I have two - one 11x14 and one 11x21. I needed ice packs for my knees after marathon training and my physical therapist suggested 11x14 but once I used it I realized the larger size is better for knees. I prefer the 11x21 because it wraps around my knees better. These stay cold for a long time, and don't sweat much, don't leak and don't take up much space in the freezer.

Initially, I loved this ice pack. It is large enough to ice any area of my body. Shoulder front and back at the same time and lower back and hip. However, today one of the seams just opened up with no stress on it. I have emailed the seller and will update if and when I hear back. Four months use is pretty poor.

Unlike some other packs, this baby gets ICE cold. It doesn't stay cold super long, but it does work and it's pretty robust. I just wish they made one with velcro to hold it in place. And I agree with the other reviewer, it can get a little wet - in the freezer an icy layer builds up, which in turn melts on your shirts. So wipe it down before use.

I have chronic back pain issues & as a result need to use ice paks 3-4 hours/day, and anytime I'm driving more than 30 mins. This ice pak is a great size & retains a cold temperature for a long period of time. Given this, these paks are a godsend BUT the seams always burst within a few months of usage - causing the seams to leak/ooze a greenish brown gel --- all over my clothes and furniture. They are good for short-term usage, but do not withstand the test of time in my household.

As someone who is going to need this type of product for the rest of my life, the cost of replacing them over a long term period would ultimately become prohibitive. It's not worth the hassle to repack/ship or the $8 S&H expense to return the defective ones every time they burst, either. I tried reinforcing the damaged seams with silicone, duct tape, cloth tape & super glue - nothing worked.

I would pay more for a more durable product - and can't understand why they don't have the gel solution contained in another interior freeze pak or reinforce the seal on the seams to prevent bursting/leakage.