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Highly practical.

But practical ain't always pretty.

*puke* sorry...the thought of seeing this at every picnic held at a public park is making me a bit weezy.

UGH those colors...*running away covering my eyes*

What? what color would you have a cooler be?

It's not just that it's ugly...it's that it's made of lots of plastic. What's wrong with a (sustainable) cloth blanket and wicker basket? Or aren't people flexible enough to sit on the ground?

Yes, but sometimes you want a cooler to keep things cool.

That's more than a cooler, yes? Not very efficient design.

I agree that its fugs, but hey, I'd roll that baby to Prospect Park in a hot minute and be the envy of everyone there with their pieced together picnics.

Function before fashion, ya'll.

This is the TV table of picnic dinners.

I meant that a wicker basket doesn't insulate.

What an ugly nasty way to have a picnic. I wouldn't be jealous of someone with that...thing...at all.

Picnics should be enjoyed the way god meant them to be enjoyed: on a beautiful cloth spread over the grass or sand. That's part of the experience.

A simple cooler is functional and uses much less plastic that the item at issue here. Also, a simple cooler is unlikely to break. My point is not that cold drinks should not be enjoyed at picnics.

This item looks like it would fall apart after a summer or two of use (fewer moving parts, please), and then it ends up in a landfill. Are "Rolling Cooler/Picnic Tables" the best use of our limited resources?

While I can't imagine this being comfortable or attractive to sit and eat a meal at, it would make a great prep area for a picnic or BBQ, especially if you'd be needing a cooler anyway. It's always nice to have table space. Imagine having one of these at a tailgate party.

It's definitely not romantic, but might be good for tailgating.

The problem for many of us apartment dwellers is... Where the hell do you put it when you are not on a picnic??? It looks to be huge.

Good point Devyn. I have a hard enough time storing my market cart and ironing board let alone a big ol' portable cooler/picnic table that I might only use 3 times a year.

I'm amazed at the reactions to this. Yeah, it isn't sexy, but it's practical. I don't think that the colors are offensive at all. It's not like a standard cooler is any better anyway.

I've gone on many a picnic, and there are occasions when it'd be nice to have a small table upon which to set your drinking glasses (e.g. stemware doesn't sit on grass very well). I can't imagine sitting at this table to eat, but it's useful as a portable sideboard.

I would never imagine buying one of these myself, but I'd guess there are some people out there whose situations this might suit. (Maybe grandma and grandpa want somewhere to sit while watching the grandkids go for a dip in the local swimming hole, and it's hard for them to carry folding chairs and Countrytime lemonade at the same time so a multi-function rolling cooler works for them.) God only knows.

However, I do find it interesting that not one comment was posted about waste and "limited resources" on the "Merendero seating environment" thread yesterday, even though that product was significantly larger than this, contained plyethylene and polyuretane foam rubber which I'd imagine aren't environmentally friendly, and would -- similarly, I am sure -- use a fair amount of energy to construct and ship. In any case, both products would likely end up in a landfill at some point.

Perhaps I was wondering the same thing yesterday that LLC raises today... what's wrong with a blanket and a wicker basket? Or maybe a simple folding chair if someone needs it?

When the Merendero thread was posted yesterday promoting such an extravagant (although completely gorgeous) product, so soon after the thread about the importance of the delta to the environment between bottled and tap water, I thought to myself "can't we have a little consistency here?"

Doug--

I think it's more about personal choices based on information than it is one of consistency.

I like the variety of high and low, practical and aspirational, responsible and "irresponsible" and, above all, the dialogue these pendulum swings always elicit.

But perhaps it also proves that beauty trumps practicality. But that doesn't seem such a surprise, I suppose, on a design blog.

And, while I hope we all live as responsibly as possible (environmentally, socially, morally) and *do* hope the lone barometer of "success" on this site does *not* solely become "greenness."

oops, should have been ""I *do* hope the lone barometer of "success" on this site does *not* solely become "greenness."

The first thought that ran through my head is that it would be great for camping. I could never bother to take a cooler for just a picnic, but always take one when we camp on long weekends.

The majority of the votes so far are Hoots. Where are their comments?

Blue and white. Not ugly color combo to me.

Someone asked what's wrong with a wicker picnic basket. Anyone who has ever carried a fully-packed basket knows it's too darn heavy!

Roller/cooler makes sense to me.

Blanket is great.....when ground is dry. So those little seats could definitley come in handy when ground is damp.

Design, to me, is not as aesthetically challenged as some of the other posters have said it is.

Agree with the storage issue though.

I think it's cheeky and fun and you have to have a little sense of humor to use this. On a practical side, I can think of all different scenarios where it might be nice to have this and not sit on the ground. Pregnant now and sitting on the ground isn't great for me. Or the ground could be wet. Or someone is elderly.

I bet if it was sleek and stainless, people would have chimed in how cool it is.

Other Patrick - very well said! Dumb English-person question (don't laugh!) - what's tailgating? Does it always happen at parties?!

Tail-gating is driving to close to someone else and not leaving adequate stopping distance between two vehicles - I'm guessing its something entirely different in the states...

Im wondering how heavy this would be.

In the US it also means having a picnic on the tailgate of a truck or out of one's vehicle's trunk. Very common in the parking lots of sporting events before a game.

i like things that are pretty.
i also like things that are multi-function.
i especially like components of things folding up into a tidy package.
most of all, i like to eat and drink outside in the summertime.

that being said, this thing ain't pretty, but it meets all the other criteria. nothing's stopping me from tossing a tablecloth over it.

...after reading all the comments.
still not a fan of the big bulky plastic thing that will not fit in a small apartment....

i had to find creative hiding for my grandma cart...and it folds!
hahhahaha


the blue and white combo..looks good on other things. but slap it on fug..and it becomes fuglier.


maybe, just maybe if it were sleeker i might like it..maybe..not too sure though..it looks heavy as is...

aside from where to keep it when I'm not using it... i love it. if I had this I would probably GO on more picnics in my nearby park! There are large areas of concrete that this would be perfect for-- the rest of the park is very hilly and not very good for a traditional type picnic (unless it's just the two of us then... wicker basket and a blanket!)

Thanx Doug! Violetsrose - I had this weird image in my head of a party of loads of cars too close together...!