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Industrial Design Firm Knack Creates an Unusual, Easy-to-Transport Drinks Cooler

The Ondago doesn't have wheels. It IS a wheel

By Rain Noe - August 11, 2021

Founded by industrial designer Kelly Custer, Knack Design Studio specializes in working with hardware brands to help them discover new product categories they can expand into. But to keep their skills sharpened, they also engage in internal projects, like this Ondago concept for a cooler with an unusual form factor.

"Fresh off the beach (and sweaty from exhaustion), it dawned on us that a cooler redesign was long overdue," the company writes. "Adventurous people, like us, enjoy socializing in the great outdoors, but coolers hold us back. The problem is that the coolers available today are heavy, clunky, and a pain to haul. Fueled by our own exhausting personal experiences with coolers, we drummed up the question: How might we reimagine a cooler to encourage adventure instead of limiting it?"

"We began by studying the pain points of today's coolers and discovered an opportunity space that no other coolers on the market could satisfy- being easy to transport in all terrains, especially sand."

Inspiration came from beach itself, where the team observed a specialty wheelchair built to tackle sand.

They also decided it would be desirable for the cooler itself to be buoyant, like the people traveling with it.

Coupled with the desire to make the cooler easier to transport, the team struck upon an insight: What if, instead of being a cooler with wheels, the cooler was the wheel? The idea for the Ondago was born.

Fittingly, the Ondago is intended to be made from recycled plastic recovered from the ocean.

While the Ondago appears to be a design exercise only, I'd be super-curious to see how this would do on the market.

Comments

George Mokray

a year ago

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Oh, they made a developed world version of the Hippo-Roller:
https://hipporoller.org
https://www.engineeringforchange.org/solutions/product/hippo-water-roller/

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Donald Jones

a year ago

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I for one, welcome, ice cold Bingo.

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Sean Thackston

a year ago

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looks like a cool concept, if a little gimmicky. I don't think the contents would mix up in transit, otherwise the handle would spin too.

I wonder how much of an improvement it is over the Igloo Cooler, nearest to the Ondago in the chart. That one looks pretty hardcore.

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dhaval tadvi

a year ago

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Great idea

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Zach W

a year ago

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nothing like giant bearings rolling through sand. Also bits of the "recycled rubber" would fall off into the beach. There's a reason coolers have hard sides, drop that on a rock and you'll lose a chunk of foam into the ocean. Fun paper concept, but not so great in real life.
-Also there's no tie-down points so good luck keeping it in your truck!

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- Thom Edley
  
  Zach W
  
  a year ago
  
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  I like how you have formatted your critique like a gently patronizing, sarcastic mom.
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Hyram Williams

a year ago

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I can see it puncturing / cracking aluminum cans and breaking glass. Limited to flat water and mountian dew. It will wash clothes pretty good. Mix ingredients fully.

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Jason Blandford

a year ago

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hope it doesn't shake the beers up while in transit!

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Rain Noe

I’m a lapsed industrial designer. I was born in NYC and figured I’d die there, but a few years ago I abandoned New York to live on a farm in the countryside with my wife. We have six dogs.