mvperini wrote:Does anyone have experience with the Coleman "steel belted" cooler? They look like a rerelease of the older Coleman metal coolers. Cabelas website reviews are kind of mixed so I am curious about teardroppers actual useage. Thanks for any info.
Mike
Regarding the 'new' steel belted Coleman coolers...
I have a stainless (Coleman) one and a Cabelas Green one.
(Also about every size & color of the older steel Coleman colers) The Cabelas one has a 'bed-liner' finish on the exterior, so it resists scratching, etc. The s.s. one, if left in direct sun gets hotter (on the outside) than a pistol barrel. I'm kind of a 'cooler nazi' (from many 2+ week river trips in the desert s/w) so I try and open it as little as possible. I have found that a piece of refletix or rigid insulation cut-to-fit the inside opening does wonders to reduce the heat gain and extend the ice . Also, if you are around camp to monitor, keep a wet towel on top as well. Without the towel, my block ice (from the water & ice store, not the re-frozen slush type bocks from 7-Eleven) will keep about 7 days at 100f. I have had no issues with the latch on either. I like these coolers and have picked up each on craigslist locally for under $50. At full retail I would be less enthusiastic.
If retro or 'the look' is a non-issue, my vote would be for a Galaxy cooler - they will keep ice for 2-3 weeks in 110 degree heat (speaking from direct experience).
http://galaxycoolers.blogspot.com/
There is also a company, tecni-ice, that makes long-duration coolers, but I have no direct experience with them - they ARE less expensive than Galaxy, though.
kurt
It is not the years in your life that matter, it's the life in your years.