What’s cooler than being cool? The O2COOL 5-Inch Portable Fan is a versatile device that can help you stay cool and keep campfire smoke away this fall. It’s ideal for car camping, the term for driving to a campsite rather than walking.
The O2COOL 5-Inch Portable Fan is a bestseller that has received 3500 reviews on Amazon, with an average 4 star total rating. But does it stand the test of time? Yes. We have owned our grey O2COOL fan since 2012, so this is a long-term review on how it worked in campgrounds in North America. This compact fan is durable, simple, and has never stopped working. It provides a quiet little breeze.
For casual campers this fan performs 3 basic functions. First, it provides a narrow but adequate flow of air for cooling. Second, for campers who are using a campfire, the fan can help redirect smoke away from you. Third, you can use it to blow insects away. It is easy to angle the air current towards you, creating a “no-fly” zone that is difficult for mosquitoes to fly in, encouraging the mosquitoes to bite your hapless companions while you drink your ice cold beverage. Hey ya.
The O2COOL 5-Inch Portable Fan generates quiet, steady airflow. Two speeds provide flexibility in terms of noise, battery usage, and airflow. On High, you can feel the breeze from six feet away. It makes a difference at the campsite after hiking on hot days when there is little wind.
The O2COOL 5-Inch Portable Fan weighs in at 17.2 ounces with its 2 D batteries installed. It folds and fits easily in a carry-on size bag. There is no USB option (O2 makes a USB only fan) nor a power cord. Its energy conservation is a real strength. It can run for days and weeks on a fresh pair of batteries, and I have stored it with the batteries inside (not recommended) for months unused until camping season arrives with no ill effects.
The O2COOL’s grey plastic housing has not yellowed or scratched over the years. The 2017 model dimensions are 2.9 x 7.1 x 6.0 inches. The Hi-Off-Lo remains tight, and the angles that that the fan locks into are useful. It easily survived a few 4 foot drops onto dirt. There is a small screw that secures the cover to the battery compartment that is far smaller than typical screwdrivers. The overall design hasn’t changed over the years except for a cosmetic change to the base. This stable fan works best when on the ground, a table, or a chair as it cannot be mounted to the top of a tent.
The O2COOL Portable Fan has two very minor drawbacks. When tilting the fan for directional air flow, each 15 degree change generates a loud clicking sound that will carry far across campsites at night. My unscientific guess the clicks are louder than crickets (approximately 90 decibels). There are no rubber bumpers on the bottom of the O2Cool to prevent the possible scratching of furniture below it.
O2COOL’s 5-Inch Portable Fan is available online for less than nine dollars. You can purchase the grey model at Wal-Mart for $5.88 currently. The grey model costs $7.99 direct from Amazon currently, and the black model is a $5.88 Add-On item at Amazon.
Serious ultralight backpacking enthusiasts who trek for days deep into parks will not opt to carry a fan, let alone a one pound fan. And a fan is not of much use in the winter. But for summer and fall camping, this O2COOL fan is great for staying a little cooler. This durable compact fan is great for keeping the heat, bugs, and campfire smoke at a distance. The O2COOL Portable 5-Inch Fan is an example of affordable engineering that will increase your enjoyment of camping.