I've always used the blue vinyl Colpacs to recover from several athletic injuries/surgeries and to help both relieve pain and settle down swelling from overuse of my aged limbs and back. They have done a fantastic job in both relieving pain and reducing swelling. I've always believed that as you age you have to keep moving in order to enjoy a full life, but some of us need a little help now and then to remind us not to overdo certain things.
My physical therapist introduced me to these "clinical' Colpacs which are constructed in a more durable manner. The blue ones I have used eventually split and leak, requiring the purchase of replacements. Since she has used these heavy duty packs in her practice for a long time, she suggested that I try them this time around. So I ordered two units on Amazon.
Unfortunately they came crammed into rather small boxes and the gel in each pack was deformed and couldn't be manipulated into a proper configuration. I tried several different methods, asked questions on the Amazon forum, and finally emailed the company. They answered my email within two hours and by the end of the day had shipped out two replacement units--with no required return of the faulty ones. It's important to recognize that I contacted the manufacturer instead of the distributor. They took "ownership" immediately and took care of my problem.
Now I have two perfectly functioning Colpacs that work just as well (or better) than the blue units and are obviously made of a more durable material. Thank you Colpac! I needed you and you came through, an uncommon event in today's corporate world.
I wish I would've bought this ice pack ages ago. I've had chronic back pain for over 10 years. After surgery 4 years ago, I was fortunate that the hospital sent me home with 4 ice packs around 5"x 10"; or so. At first we used them around the clock, but recently I use them more like 3-4 times a day. I thought they were great, but then they started to breakdown and leak and it was time to replace them. I purchased 2 different brands. This one is my favorite. I can rotate from icing my back, both hips and back to my back over an hour or more and it will still be so cold that any condensation still causes a little frost on the outside! It's flexible enough to bend around my hips but with enough weight that it doesn't slide off. My old ones would freeze hard, so you had to be careful to lay them down with the gel evened out or it would be very lumpy and uncomfortable. This one is as flexible coming out of the freezer as it was when it arrived. I still freeze it flat, it seems to take less time than folded, but you don't have to fuss with it as much. What's even better is when we take it camping. Our camper freezer doesn't get as cold as the house unit. My old packs were barely useful after 10 minutes out of the freezer. These stay cold and do their job for the entire week or more. I'll be buying another one of these for myself and one for my mom.
I have tried MANY different ice packs over the last 12 years - I have suffered from many injuries and chronic joint pains (knees, hips, shoulders, wrists), and have had 2 back surgeries (fusion). Now you can imagine with so many injuries, surgeries and severe chronic joint pain, that I have probably tried many brands of ice packs - I definitely have!
Years ago a physical therapist used this brand of icepack and I was amazed by it! I could never remember the name, and once I finally did, I only found them at very high prices and couldn't commit to spending a ton of money on them.
Then I recently decided to check Amazon (don't ask why I hadn't thought of that yet....haha), these were a very fair price, so I bought them.
OMG, just as awesome as I remember!! The material is smooth, flexible and comfortable! They get cold fast, and even when ice cold, they still are flexible - I LOVE this, as it makes it easy to wrap around my shoulder, or over my knee, or against my back, etc.
I have used them 2-3 times/day since I bought them 1 month ago (along with a few other sizes I bought!), and they are still in perfect condition and work just as well as day 1.
100% worth the little extra money vs some other brands (Ace, etc.), as they are MUCH better quality (clinical grade) and I can tell will last MUCH longer!! Don't even think twice, buy these!!
(I will post this review under the other sizes I bought as well!)
Very sturdy and durable. I was told the black ones are sturdier than the blue ones, so that is what I got. They are very well made and stay cold for much longer than normal. I after using one for 20 minutes before going to sleep, forgot to put it away, woke up 4 hours later and it was still cold enough to get some relief. Jell is thick enough that it doesn't all flow to one part of the bag, and yet malleable enough to conform to the shape you need when cold.
Got this today and have already used it three times (!) for my bad neck. My chiropractor told me this was the best brand around and, after trying numerous so called "ice packs" from various mainstream outlets, I can only confirm. This is a great product. It stays cold for a long time and the shape is perfect for somebody with neck and shoulder issues. The price is unbeatable and you can tell it's a high quality product. This will be my go to brand from now on. The only thing I miss is some kind of strap to close it in the front, otherwise it's perfect.
Feature Product
- Designed especially for heavy clinic use in cold therapy, choose from seven blue vinyl sizes and four black polyurethane sizes, to ensure effective cold therapy for any body area or shape
- ColPac provides effective relief of pain from cold therapy
- ColPacs filled with non-toxic silica gel that will remain pliable throughout treatment
- Delivers up to 30 minutes of cold therapy soothing relief from acute pain, swelling and fever
- One year warranty
Description
Designed especially for heavy clinic use in cold therapy, choose from seven blue vinyl sizes and four black polyurethane sizes, to ensure effective cold therapy for any body area or shape. ColPac provides effective relief of pain from cold therapy. ColPacs filled with non-toxic silica gel that will remain pliable throughout treatment. Delivers up to 30 minutes of cold therapy soothing relief from acute pain, swelling and fever. All ColPaCs latex Free. One year warranty. ColPaC black polyurethane standard measures 13-1/2" length by 10" width.
There's not much I can add that other reviewers haven't already mentioned. I've tried multiple cold packs from various companies and the Chattanooga ColPac Reusable Gel pack is the best one for me. We own about 6 of them in various sizes. We've laid on it, stacked them, used them on every part of the body, and for keeping foods cold if needed! I've had spinal surgery, knee surgery, migraines, sprains, etc., and these gel packs are my life savers.
Pros:
(1) The freeze up great and when frozen, remain pliable.
(2) Maintain cold temperature for long periods of time
(3) Never leaked (and some we've owned for about 6 years)
(4) Doesn't wear down. We haven't had to replace any, we only purchase more for different sizes.
(5) Very sturdy and durable
Cons:
(1) Chattanooga has yet to develop a skull-cap ColPac that completely encompasses the head. :(
Rotator Cuff/Shoulder injury and my PT suggested this cold pack and am glad I ordered it. Had to cold pack shoulder every hour. Fortunately with this one I didn't have to wrap in a towel when placing on my shoulder & the size covered entire area. Refreezing seemed to be fairly fast and it stayed cold in pack for a very long time.
Will definitely order this brand again based on the results I received as my shoulder has been healing (in combination with PT). :)
I love it! I've had injuries, surgeries, and migraines -- so I've used a lot of cold packs! Even straight from the freezer this pack is pliable and conforms easily. For it to lie close around curves like over the shoulder or around a knee, you need to wrap it with something you can secure. The pack stays cold (and then cool) for a long time. I previously owned the blue ColPac from the same maker (Chattanooga) and this black pack stays just as cold yet is more pliable. Excellent! I see no reason it won't last many years. I bought a new one only because I gave my previous pack (at least 5 years old) to a friend.
Pros:
-Gets VERY cold, so make sure you use a thick towel between you and the icepack
-Stays cold for about an hour. I've been able to use it for my hip and neck in the same sitting
-Doesn't lose its ability to get cold again each time I toss it into the freezer (I had a clay one that no longer gets cold no matter how long I leave it in the freezer).
-The black vinyl cover makes it look less cheap than the clear ones you get at the store
-It bends in half easily (I've only folded it hot dog) without all the gel sliding to one side or the other, and is easy to smooth back out.
Neutral:
-It says to put it into a freezer at 12 degrees. The highest mine goes is 8 degrees, but I haven't had an issue with it
-It 'sweats' and even gets a small layer of frost on the outside of the pouch, so it's important to wipe it off before re-freezing
-For some reason I thought it would be a lot bigger. That's probably my fault. But be aware that it's about the size of a sheet of paper, and about a half-inch thick.
Cons:
-When I received it, the instructions were wet. I was afraid that it had a leak in it, especially since the seam wasn't perfectly straight, but it has been fine so far. I think it may have been shipped cold, and it sweat all over the paperwork in the heat.
I use ice packs quite regularly to help distract from my fibro pain. I also tend to explode them because I use them so much. I asked in one of my patient support groups if they knew of a sturdy icepack, and this one was suggested.
I first purchased the oversized pack, which is... giant. It weighs *six* pounds, and could not lay flat in the freezer, as they suggest, because it is so huge. I then got the regular pack, which works much better for me. So be sure to get the correct size for you!
I've been using the regular size coolpack for two months now. It stays cold for a good amount of time, and there have been no issues with weak seems, etc.
This is a great ice pack for the price. Highly recommended.
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