This cooling wallet keeps insulin cold for 2 days and makes traveling as a diabetic more convenient

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• Traveling with injectable medications that require refrigeration can be a hassle.
• Frio Cooling Wallets are an innovative solution to carrying unopened insulin pens without ice packs.
• They come in eight different sizes for medication vials, syringes, and insulin pens, and start at around $25.

As my family prepared recently for our first big vacation in several years, we ran into a problem: How would we keep my dad's insulin pens cold enough to avoid spoiling until we reached our destination? My dad is a type-two diabetic who needs to use an insulin pen before every meal, so finding a solution to this question was extremely vital. 

After researching potential options, I came across Frio on Amazon. Frio makes wallet-style cases for keeping insulin and other refrigerated medications cold without the use of actual ice packs. I opted for the $28 large wallet which measures 5.5 inches by 7 inches. At that size, it doesn't take up much more space than a book inside of a backpack or carry-on. 

The benefit of Frio's cooling wallets 

Though medically necessary liquids like ice packs are allowed on planes, they take up far too much space. Packing along a cooler is even more of a hassle.

Another issue is that we couldn't just throw the insulin pens into his backpack, either; unopened insulin pens or vials should be stored cold and once they're opened, can be stored at room temperature for 28 days. Exposing unopened insulin to room temperature won't immediately spoil it but it does reduce its potency and effectiveness.

This is why the clever design of Frio's wallets is so valuable. The cooling cases come in two pieces: an outer case and an inner pouch. The inner pouch contains crystals that expand when wet and form a gel. This gel functions as ice, while the pouch keeps its contents cool due to evaporation.

Thankfully, the wallet worked exactly as advertised, and functioned perfectly on both travel days of our trip. The large wallet we purchased fits up to five insulin pens or six vials and syringes, and it kept the insulin cold the entire day. It likely would have kept it cold for even longer since the wallet took a few days to completely dry out.

Drying out the pouch when we were finished using it was easy, too, as all that's required is to separate the pouch and the case and lay it out on a towel to dry. It leaves no mess and was ready to be used immediately on our return trip home.

The bottom line

Frio's cooling wallet was a lifesaver during my family vacation, and it entirely removed the hassle of traveling with medication that requires refrigeration — its convenience can't be understated. The wallet is a lightweight and compact insulin storage system that keeps everything cool without the use of large ice packs. Even those who don't travel often can find a use for something as versatile as this is.

It's well worth its $28 price tag, especially considering its durability, how easy it is to use, and the fact it can be reused for years, and I recommend it to anyone who needs an easy method of keeping medications refrigerated and preseved. 

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