Ice chest / cooler

[Lgboro]

Anyone know of a cooler that does a decent job keeping ice for more than a few hours to a day? I have numerous coolers but not one that really does what it is meant to do or at least not very well. With the price of bag ice and gas to procure it (or diesel in my case) I might would invest in a better mouse trap if I am confidant that it would payoff over time.

[CliffinGA]

I use a coleman extreme 5day and a smaller igloo cooler, all food in the 5day and drinks in the smaller cooler. We freeze our water bottles before hand and the ice last that way. Since we only get into the 5 day cooler 3 times a day andmainly get into the drink cooler they usually last several days. May not be a recommendation on another cooler but maybe a way to make what you have work better I hope.

Cliff

[working on it]

There are many coolers that promise to keep your stuff cold for 5-7 days at up to 90 degrees. I've been using an Igloo for several years, and one day in 100+ degree direct sun Texas summer is all it'll take. In moderate weather and in the shade, 3 days OK. But if I had money to burn, then I'd get a "YETI" cooler. Very expensive but I know people who swear by them.

[Oldragbaggers]

We have a Frigid Rigid that we bought 10 years ago. They are heavy and built like a tank but will absolutely hold ice for a week. We used ours while living on a sailboat it lived in the cockpit, in the sun, and we loved it. They are pricey. I hear Yetis are just as good.

http://frigidrigid.com/ice-chest/

[Wolffarmer]

For those of us living on the income of mere mortals the Coleman Extreme is pretty good and more likely to find at yard, estate sales. I got mine last year at an Estate sale for $10. But people do swear by their Yetis.

Randy

[Jim.M]

I dithered and waited a long time (probably 10 years) and I finally broke down and bought one of these:

Dometic Fridge/Freezer

It cools and will freeze (cools down to 0F). Good for ice cream! I use it camping, when I'm not camping, I keep it plugged in and full of beer. Since its portable, I can put the beer-filled cooler at hands-reach.

Runs on 12V, 120V and 240V if you happen to be in one of those 240V countries.

I bought it on sale, with the campingworld discount, extra warranty and free shipping it was $450 (a bit higher now, I see).

I would have bought a bigger one, but it wouldn't fit in the trunk of my car. ARB sells something similar (same compressor technology), albeit at an even higher price.

I've left it plugged in all day in Yosemite (hooked to the car battery).

I'm very happy with it. Buying was painful though

[Maureenm]

I'm with Randy, for those of us that can't afford a Yeti, the Coleman extreme is pretty decent. I freeze my bottles of drinking water and use those with the soft ice packs, the cheap ones(freezpak brand) and most of my food is frozen to start out. I have had very good luck with this method. Even with an Igloo 3.5 day cooler, my stuff on the bottom was still frozen on the third day. Granted, I live in Oregon, not Texas, so our warmest camping trips are 80's and 90's. I've tried several types of freeze packs and those silly cheap ones seem to last the longest. I usually throw in some ice cubes for drinks in a Baggie for drinks, too.
My $.02

[GuitarPhotog]

One of my teardropping friends has an Engel cooler. It's OMG expensive, but keeps ice for 5-6 days. A fishing friend swears by his also.

<Chas>

[Wolffarmer]

Tomorrow I am heading out for a gathering in the Utah desert. temps predicted to be in the 100s. Do they make a casket shaped cooler I can lay in with a few bags of ice?

Will let you know later how I do.

Randy

[Wolffarmer]

Well, will let you know assuming I don't need a real casket.



Randy

[nevadatear]

If you can get your hands on the freeze packs that pharmacies receive their refrigerated medicine in, the are very good. I use them on top of my food and they stay cold for at least three days. Ask your local pharmacist. These are not your usual fake ice, they actually stay frozen for days.

[Wolffarmer]

I have also gotten those from a friend that does some veterinarian work.

Randy

[Jim.M]

Tomorrow I am heading out for a gathering in the Utah desert. temps predicted to be in the 100s. Do they make a casket shaped cooler I can lay in with a few bags of ice?

Will let you know later how I do.

Randy

This is how they do it in death valley during a 135-mile road run in July:


http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/shared-blogs/austin/fitcity/upload/2012/06/ultra_marathoner_scott_jurek_t/15_Badwater.2005.cooler.jpg

[GuitarPhotog]

@Jim, that picture is WAY too big. Please reduce to 1000 px wide max.

Thanks

<Chas>

[wagondude]

In really hot temps, try to keep the cooler shaded. Also use block ice instead of cubed Ice( same concept as frozen water bottles). To add a couple of days to the cooling capacity of your Ice, you can add a little dry Ice to the cooler. Just don't put anything over it that you don't want to stay frozen(and don't touch it with your bare hands).

Bill