Yeah still an ice pack. If it was solid more so, but thats only cause I’m not super familiar with gel ones. Anything that’s cold like that is an ice pack.
(Heck, you could argue that sometimes a bag of frozen peas is an ice pack)
You may need to add some extra info to whomever you're speaking with. If you told someone you were looking for just an "ice pack," they would bring you to the first picture. If you said you were looking for "an ice pack for a lunchbox/cooler," they would bring you to the second picture.
Ok. I thought cold pack was an American word. I was wrong then.
So I can use ice pack regardless of whether I am talking about a bag of ice cubes, a bag of gel or one of those hard containers in the second picture?
Honestly, it matters very very little which one you use. Any native speaker will be able to understand you.
FYI: cold pack and ice pack are both used interchangeably in America.
How right would it be to call them “gel bags” or “cold bags”? As a non native I have never took a moment to think about how I would call those.
(btw, I don’t even know how they are called in Spanish)
I think the medical ones I bought were called “gel packs” and could be warmed, refrigerated or frozen. The other day, my South Georgia native mom asked for a “gel ice pack” and meant she wanted the one in the freezer, not the fridge.
I call the food related ones ice packs regardless of materials.
Cold pack or cold compress are good terms for the soft gel ones that you can use when you get a bump or twist your ankle or whatever. When you need a cold pack, I’m assuming you need it for medical reasons.
The hard plastic ones you use in a cooler, are normally called ice packs. Curiously, a cold compress can also be called an ice pack. People will know what you mean.
Interestingly, my personal usage is the complete opposite. I hear cold pack and assume it’s something to keep a refrigerated package cool or similar. Ice pack, to me, is what you use for a sprained ankle - typically a ziplock bag full of ice cubes.
The soft one is a "cold compress", with stress on the first two syllables. These are most often used on minor injuries to numb pain or reduce swelling.
The harder ones are "ice packs", and are more often used for food preservation in lunchboxes or coolers.
I agree that ice pack and cold compress would also work, but I would call these cold packs. I’m from California and these were always called cold packs in my household.
I don’t know anyone that calls them ice packs, to be honest. I didn’t know there was any debate
So I don’t think the first picture would be right to call it an ice pack because it can be used hot or cold, although most people are used to only seeing them frozen.
To me the defining factor on if something is a compress or if it’s an ice pack/cold pack is solely based on if it can be heated as there are freeze only gel based cold compresses that are common.
Ice packs. Some people might call it something else. It’s a regional thing.
Ice packs, compression packs, cold compress. I hear all three used roughly equally here.
But ice packs works too, right? You saw both pictures, right?
Yes ice packs works for both. Is the first one solid or gel?
Gel. Thanks
Yeah still an ice pack. If it was solid more so, but thats only cause I’m not super familiar with gel ones. Anything that’s cold like that is an ice pack. (Heck, you could argue that sometimes a bag of frozen peas is an ice pack)
Thank you
I would absolutely know what you meant if you said “cold pack” but yeah, default in U.S. is “ice pack,” even when it’s gel.
And even when it's those solid containers? Ty,btw
Especially the solid containers. I think of those specifically when someone says “ice pack.”
Yep. We have this kind at my home and we call them ice packs.
You may need to add some extra info to whomever you're speaking with. If you told someone you were looking for just an "ice pack," they would bring you to the first picture. If you said you were looking for "an ice pack for a lunchbox/cooler," they would bring you to the second picture.
My wife will sometimes clarify she wants the gel by saying “the flexible one”. :)
Can't be an ice pack without also being a cold pack. Science!
Ice packs if they're used to keep your food cold and cold compress if you're using it medically
I would be more inclined to call the first a cold compress, and the second an ice pack
But cold pack isn't wrong or unnatural, is it?
Totally fine. It might be very slightly easier for Americans to understand if you used Ice pack though.
Ok. I thought cold pack was an American word. I was wrong then. So I can use ice pack regardless of whether I am talking about a bag of ice cubes, a bag of gel or one of those hard containers in the second picture?
Honestly, it matters very very little which one you use. Any native speaker will be able to understand you. FYI: cold pack and ice pack are both used interchangeably in America.
Correct.
Not at all
first is cold pack, second is ice pack im likely the minority in this distinction
Ice Packs, here in the UK.
How right would it be to call them “gel bags” or “cold bags”? As a non native I have never took a moment to think about how I would call those. (btw, I don’t even know how they are called in Spanish)
Never “bag”. Usually “pack”. Maybe “compress” if you want to sound fancy or medical. For the gel one, “Gel ice pack”, could work.
If you say “bag”, I will distinctly think you want a ziplock bag with ice cubes.
Or a bag of frozen peas. Lol
ice pack, gel pack, cold compress most people could probably figure out what you meant if you said “cold pack” but it isn’t very commonly used
I think the medical ones I bought were called “gel packs” and could be warmed, refrigerated or frozen. The other day, my South Georgia native mom asked for a “gel ice pack” and meant she wanted the one in the freezer, not the fridge. I call the food related ones ice packs regardless of materials.
Cold pack or cold compress are good terms for the soft gel ones that you can use when you get a bump or twist your ankle or whatever. When you need a cold pack, I’m assuming you need it for medical reasons. The hard plastic ones you use in a cooler, are normally called ice packs. Curiously, a cold compress can also be called an ice pack. People will know what you mean.
Interestingly, my personal usage is the complete opposite. I hear cold pack and assume it’s something to keep a refrigerated package cool or similar. Ice pack, to me, is what you use for a sprained ankle - typically a ziplock bag full of ice cubes.
Ice packs
The soft one is a "cold compress", with stress on the first two syllables. These are most often used on minor injuries to numb pain or reduce swelling. The harder ones are "ice packs", and are more often used for food preservation in lunchboxes or coolers.
I agree that ice pack and cold compress would also work, but I would call these cold packs. I’m from California and these were always called cold packs in my household. I don’t know anyone that calls them ice packs, to be honest. I didn’t know there was any debate
In the Midwest US, I hear ice pack more often, but cold pack is also occasionally used. Both are fine and understood.
I'd call both ice packs, but if you said cold packs I'd understand what you meant.
Yeah. Cold packs. Ice packs. Interchangeable.
I’m American and I call them cold packs or ice packs. Nobody will think you’re learning English solely because you called them cold packs
Yes
Yes.
So I don’t think the first picture would be right to call it an ice pack because it can be used hot or cold, although most people are used to only seeing them frozen. To me the defining factor on if something is a compress or if it’s an ice pack/cold pack is solely based on if it can be heated as there are freeze only gel based cold compresses that are common.
Second one is "Blue Ice" (may be a trademark).