EcoFlow's new camping gear is changing the great outdoors
With its new Glacier fridge and Wave 3 portable air conditioner, camping in Australia is going to be very different to when I was a kid.
I live in Sydney, and this year the weather pivoted seemingly overnight. We went from wet, cold and miserable to perfect camping weather, right about the time that EcoFlow announced its new GLACIER camping fridge and WAVE 3 portable air conditioner.
Coincidence? Probably. But it's still got me thinking about how different camping is these days to when I was a kid.
Gone are the struggles. You don't need to say goodbye to good food, with portable fridges and freezers that sit in your car and keep your food fresh. Or air conditioners in your tent that keep the temperature to a more bearable level.
Serious cooling power
The WAVE 3 is designed to make camping more comfortable. With 6,100 BTU of cooling capacity, it can drop the temperature in a small caravan or large tent by 8°C in just 15 minutes. That's genuinely useful when you're dealing with those 40°C+ summer days that seem to hit earlier and more frequently these days.
The biggest concern I have with this type of product going in is with battery life. The Wave 3 has an optional 1,024Wh add-on battery, which gives you up to eight hours of cooling. On a hot, Summer's night, that means you can actually sleep comfortably without needing to run a generator or drain your car battery.
The Wave 3 also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth app controls, so you can adjust the temperature from your sleeping bag.
The heating function (6,800 BTU) is equally capable, raising temperatures by 9°C in the same timeframe. Given Australia's unpredictable weather patterns, having both heating and cooling in one portable unit makes sense for year-round adventuring.
I always wanted a camping fridge!
When I was growing up, our eskies turned ice to water within a couple of days, tops. Your food would get all wet and soggy, and it was always good getting takeaway on the way home because it tasted like proper food.
The GLACIER Classic series offers three sizes – 35L, 45L, and 55L – with the largest capable of holding 90 cans or several days' worth of fresh food for a family.
The dual-zone capability lets you run one side as a fridge and the other as a freezer, or remove the divider entirely for larger items. The temperature range spans from -20°C to 20°C, meaning you can keep ice cream frozen or just chill drinks, depending on your needs.
With 43 hours of battery life in eco mode, the GLACIER Classic addresses one of camping's biggest frustrations: spoiled food. Add in the six different charging methods (including solar and car charging), and you've got a system that can genuinely keep food fresh for extended off-grid trips.
Camping? There's an app for that
Both devices integrate with EcoFlow's smartphone app, bringing smart home convenience to the campsite. The WAVE 3 even has a "Pet Care Smart Switch", which automatically adjusting temperature to keep pets safe during hot days when you're travelling with animals..
The GLACIER Classic's app integration provides real-time temperature monitoring and alerts, so you'll know immediately if something's wrong with your food storage. Small details like the integrated cutting board divider and dual-opening lid show make the product even more practical..
The price of convenience
This level of technology doesn't come cheap. The WAVE 3 starts at $1,699 (early bird pricing), while the GLACIER Classic ranges from $1,049 for the 35L model to $1,289 for the 55L version. Add batteries and accessories, and you're looking at a significant investment. Here's a full breakdown of the earlybird pricing, which is available until 30 September.:
- EcoFlow WAVE 3: From $1799 to $1699
- EcoFlow WAVE 3 Extra Battery: From $1299 to $1199
- EcoFlow WAVE 3 + Extra Battery bundle : From $3099 to $2629
- EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 35L : $1049
- EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 45L : From $1299 to $1219
- EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 55L : From $1399 to $1289
- EcoFlow GLACIER Classic Extra Battery: From $440 to $399
- EcoFlow GLACIER Classic 55L + Extra Battery bundle: From $1849 to $1569
Both products are available now through EcoFlow's Australian website, eBay, and Amazon.
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Nick Broughall
Nick Broughall
Nick Broughall
