Cooler including a protective barrier insert

A method for storing items, comprising:

• providing a cooler comprising a body that includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a pair of side walls extending between and secured to end portions of the front wall and the rear wall, a bottom wall extending between and secured to bottom portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and secured to the top portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, wherein interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, the pair of side walls, the bottom wall, and the top wall define a compartment therebetween, the cooler further comprising one or more pouches to store fluids, the one or more pouches being disposed inside the body, a drain plug attached to the cooler, a first portion of the drain plug protruding inside the cooler and a second portion of the drain plug protruding out of the cooler, the one or more pouches attached to the first portion of the drain plug, one or more dispensing ports attached to the second portion of the drain plug;
• and a dispensing element configured to be removably attached to one of the one or more dispensing ports;
• transitioning the top wall from a closed configuration that entirely encloses the compartment to an open configuration that provides access to the compartment;
• locating at least a first item within the compartment;
• inserting a first insert within the compartment over the first item;
• and
• securing the first insert in a first fixed position within the compartment such that the first insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates the compartment into at least first and second subcompartments, wherein at least the first item is within the first subcompartment.

A cooler for storing items in a compartment thereof, the cooler comprising:

• a body that includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a pair of side walls extending between and secured to end portions of the front wall and the rear wall, a bottom wall extending between and secured to bottom portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and secured to the top portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, wherein interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, the pair of side walls, the bottom wall, and the top wall define the compartment therebetween, wherein the top wall is configured to function as a lid to selectively transition between an open configuration that provides access to the compartment and a closed configuration that entirely encloses the compartment;
• a first insert configured to be received within the compartment and releasably secured in one of a plurality of fixed positions within the compartment such that the first insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates the compartment into at least first and second subcompartments;
• and
• a track system, located within the compartment, and comprising at least first and second rails embedded within or fixed to opposing positions in the pair of side walls, the first and second rails each comprising a plurality of locking positions each associated with a pair of oppositely disposed recesses in the first and second rails, the first insert comprising locking members configured to extend from ends of the first insert and engage with the recesses to be secured in the one of the plurality of fixed positions corresponding to the plurality of locking positions, and a release mechanism configured to retract the locking members to disengage the recesses and thereby release the first insert from the one of the plurality of fixed positions.