TFS Review:
Contour Pak’s Cold Pak
Posted February 6th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Adam Jacobs
Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Gear & Apparel, Sports Medicine, Special Features, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, TFS Reviews
Product: Contour Pak’s Cold Pak
Price: $19.95
Rating: Excellent 9.0/10.0
Pros: Stays in place; easy-to-use; versatile; effective; stays cold longer than other cold compresses; washable, durable, can be used without a paper towel or other protective barrier
Cons: None
Overall: The most effective and well-designed mechanism for treating minor injuries with cold therapy.
Cold therapy is a an excellent treatment option because it can prevent new injuries, accelerate the healing process, relieve pain and reduce swelling. Unfortunately, traditional cold compresses are only effective for a short period of time, force you to remain in one place and can be difficult to use on certain parts of your body. That’s why we were so impressed with Contour Pak’s Cold Pak - a gel pack that manages to avoid all the traditional cold therapy pitfalls.
Effectiveness - 9 - Much of what makes the Cold Pak so effective is directly related to it’s design (which we discuss below).
So for this component of our review, we decided to do an experiment and compare the length of time that the the Cold Pak stays therapeutically cold to a generic ice pack, a competitors gel pack and the family favorite - a bag of frozen broccoli. After comparing and averaging the the results, we found the Cold Pak to be the longest lasting (average of 35 minutes) among the four products.
Design - 9 - This is where the Cold Pak really sets itself apart from other products. Have you ever tried to keep an ice pack on your knee? If you have, then you understand how annoying it is to have to stay practically motionless in order to keep the ice pack in place.
The Cold Pak solves this problem by including adjustable elastic straps that hold it in place (even if you are walking around). In addition, it’s shape and flexible material enable you to place it anywhere and it essentially “molds” to that body part or area. Unlike most ice packs which need to be wrapped in a paper towel or other protective barrier, the Cold Pak can be placed directly on your skin. It is also reusable and washable.
Value - 9 - Contour Pak claims that the Cold Pak has, “Virtually unbreakable seams … that allows you the possibility of lying directly on the pack without having to worry about it popping. We guarantee it!”
Skeptical of the “unbreakable” assertion - we decided to really put it to the test. We sat on it, dropped books on it and even tried throwing it across the room into the opposing wall (Note:Although the people in the next office didn’t seem to mind all the racket, we don’t recommend that you try this at home!).
Apparently, Contour Pak wasn’t kidding, because other than some minor scuffs from hitting the wall (Yes, we took the testing a bit too far), the Cold Pak remained completely intact.
The Cold Pak provides a lot of bang for your buck, can be reused countless times, and as we learned from our durability test, is capable of sustaining even the most rigorous abuse.
The bottom line? The Cold Pak is an excellent addition to your injury prevention/treatment toolbox and the best cold therapy product on the current market.
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: cold compress, Cold Pak, cold therapy, Contour Pak, heal, ice, ice pack, injury, injury prevention, injury treatment, pain, pain treatment, product review, review, reviews, sports medicine, swelling, treat, treatment
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!
The Final Sprint