4 must-have items for July 4

Above all else, Independence Day is a patriotic holiday. It marks (this year) the 241st anniversary of the day our founding fathers bucked the yoke of colonialism with a strongly worded letter.

But the Fourth of July is also the quintessential summer event. It’s timed just one week after the longest day of the year, and we celebrate it with cookouts, picnics, and concerts in the park.

So when we say “must-haves for July 4,” we’re not talking about stuff you’ll throw into storage after the fireworks finale. With regular use, each of these items can seriously boost your outdoor hangout game all summer long.

1. The Ultimate Cooler

The logic behind Kula’s product design is pretty simple. Their coolers are meant to store round drinks, so the coolers themselves are round. Makes sense.

But that gimmick isn’t the only thing Kula coolers have going for them. They insulate better than name-brand competitors, and they’re designed to be used as a chair or stool. And each Kula has an attached steel bottle opener—a seemingly obvious feature that no other company has added to their coolers.

We sell the five-gallon KULA 5 for $199 in our shop.

2. The packable keg

Every microbrewery worth its yeast sells its brews in 64-oz growlers. But those (almost always) glass containers provide little to no insulation, so you pretty much have to keep them in the fridge until you’re ready open them.

The double-wall insulated growlers from DrinkTanks allow you to pack that beer for a picnic or a short camping trip. They’re guaranteed to keep your beer cold and carbonated for 24 hours outside the fridge. And they can be fitted with a Keg Cap Accessory Kit, which injects CO2 into the brew and converts the growlers into miniature kegs.

We sell the growler, the keg cap, and some extra CO2 in a bundle for $149.99.

3. Belmont Adventure Blankets

Yes, you read that right—adventure blankets. Hand-sewn in Portland, Oregon, Belmont Blankets are designed to hold up to the elements. They’re waterproof, insulated, and machine washable.

That makes them perfect for picnics, outdoor festivals, and casual camping trips. And because they’re made with Pendleton wool, they hold up pretty well around the house as well.

We sell two Belmont Blankets in our shop: the $125 HellaGood and the $275 Legacy.

4. The booze-storing flashlight

We’re not saying you should sneak 10 ounces of bourbon to the park for your local fireworks show. But that would be pretty easy to do with VSSL’s Flask flashlight.

The LED flashlight has a 10-ounce reservoir in the handle for the fluid of your choice. That handle also holds a compass and who collapsible steel shot glasses.

We sell the VSSL Flask for $72.50. That’s in addition to a whole bunch of other VSSL flashlights, each designed to store a different set of items.

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