Solo Windchill Cooler
-
Client
-
Industry
-
Services
The Opportunity
From fire to ice: Expanding the Solo ecosystem
When Solo Brands acquired IcyBreeze, a portable cooler that doubled as a personal air conditioner, they saw untapped potential. The product had a loyal niche following and Solo saw an opportunity to elevate its quality and finish to match its premium outdoor lineup. As Solo prepared to move manufacturing to a new location, they used the moment to rethink everything—from form to function to brand integration.
It was the company’s first foray into the “cooling” category, expanding their dominance beyond fire pits into new territory. To succeed, the product needed to feel at home within the Solo family: elevated, intentional, and built for performance.
Smart Design was brought in to help reimagine the IcyBreeze cooler. We refined its design, functionality, and brand language to transform it from a clunky, niche product into one that fit seamlessly into Solo’s growing outdoor ecosystem.
Our Process
From research to refresh
We began with a deep dive into the cooling landscape by conducting a competitive audit, user interviews, and field research to understand how and where people actually used the product. From tailgates and youth sports games to fishing trips and camping sites, we observed how users interacted with their coolers and how the IcyBreeze fit (and fell short) in those environments.
Our early research confirmed appreciation for the dual cooling feature and revealed opportunities to make the product feel as refined and intuitive as the Solo brand itself. Those insights guided every step of our design process.
Precision engineering for peak chill
Over the first several weeks, we synthesized user feedback and market trends into opportunity areas ranging from form factor to modularity. We generated a wide set of design concepts that explored how to make cooling the hero of the experience, while also adding new, functional features like detachable cupholders, tabletop extensions, and umbrella mounts.
Once concepts were aligned, our team moved into detailed design and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) exploration. Collaborating closely with Solo’s engineering team and new manufacturing partners, we worked in an agile iterative process. We rapidly adapted to new constraints and insights as they emerged. We also took this opportunity to refine component locations to optimize the airflow intake area, along with redesigning the placement and orientation of internal mechanisms (tubes, fans and heat exchanger).
Speaking the Solo design language
Midway through the project, the scope evolved: IcyBreeze would officially fold under the Solo Brands umbrella. That meant a full redesign guided by Solo’s Visual Brand Language (VBL) and rethinking the product’s form, materials, and details.
A reimagined handle
Integrated seamlessly into the form for improved balance and usability.
A new control panel
Larger and more intuitive for easy access to fan speed, cooling modes, and USB ports.
CMF refinements
That elevate the product from a low-cost cooler to a premium outdoor essential.
A reorganized hose and tubing system
That nests neatly into the body for a cleaner, more premium look.
Throughout, we ensured the design allowed for the addition of modular accessories, setting the foundation for an expandable ecosystem in the future. To ensure seamless execution from design to production, we delivered technical and design CAD, foam models for form refinement, CMF direction to guide material and color decisions, and interface layouts. Each phase building toward a final design that embodied Solo’s signature craftsmanship.
The Impact
Elevating a product. Expanding a brand.
The reimagined cooler launched successfully under the Solo Brands name, marking the company’s expansion into the cooling category and broadening their outdoor lifestyle offering beyond “fire.” The redesign didn’t just elevate the product, it redefined what a cooler could be: a functional centerpiece for comfort and social connection outdoors.
By blending cooling performance, modularity, and aesthetic appeal, the product now stands as a premium, multi-purpose solution. A status symbol among outdoor enthusiasts that delivers on both form and function.
The line’s new accessories have since launched, expanding Solo’s ecosystem and reinforcing its position as a leader in outdoor innovation. Designed for longevity and built from durable, higher-quality materials, the new cooler also embodies a more sustainable approach. It extends product life and reduces waste through thoughtful design.
In a market crowded with lookalike coolers, Solo’s entry now owns a unique space: a cooler that keeps your drinks—and you—cool.