Ice chest / cooler

[Woodbutcher]

Here is a way to stretch out ice. This one is a little deluxe but only because I have a wife that sews. This is a cooler cover. The inside is foil covered bubble wrap with a fabric jacket. Don't sew, just duct tape the bubble wrap into a cooler jacket. This costs about 7 bucks to make. One guy I know had someone sew a cover out of an old sleeping bag. These do help.

Outside.



inside

[nevadatear]

Here is my version of the cooler cozy, made with reflective insulation used in pot Holders

[Oldragbaggers]

Here is a way to stretch out ice. This one is a little deluxe but only because I have a wife that sews. This is a cooler cover. The inside is foil covered bubble wrap with a fabric jacket. Don't sew, just duct tape the bubble wrap into a cooler jacket. This costs about 7 bucks to make. One guy I know had someone sew a cover out of an old sleeping bag. These do help.

Outside.



inside

I like this idea very much and it looks like a great winter project.

[Jim.M]

Also in hot weather, keep the cooler from touching anything, including the floor/earth. If you can find a place in the shade, dig a hole and put the cooler in the hole... otherwise keep the cooler off the ground (maybe use 4 dowels cut 1" long?) to keep the cooker from cooling anything it touches.

[Wolffarmer]

Can I put it on my head?



Randy

[Evan Gaffney]

If you want something between coleman extreme and yeti (cost-wise). I really love my techniice cooler. It's big, heavy, and thick with very sturdy latches, hinges, etc. I just took it out for our first camping trip with it. 90+ degrees all day in direct sunlight, but it never needed a second bag. I'd highly recommend it. Here's a link to their ebay auctions.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/unbelievablycoo ... ksid=p3686

[Lesbest]

I got some foam coolers for FREE from a lab tech at the hospital. They are 2 in. thick, keep food cold and ice for 5 days- at day 5 you have COLD water, and can feel the cold when you open the lid. They come PACKED with the freeze packs, are 18 in long and 12 in wide inside dimensions. Had a box the size of a fishing reel inside with 1 bottle of a reagent, for the lab. They throw them away. Ask around.
Les

[cuyeda]

Here are some reviews on a ice chest shoot out by www.campinglife.com.

http://www.campinglife.com/camping-gear/ice-chest-shootout/



Let us know what you finally decide for a cooler.

[NathanL]

I have a pair of yetis in 2 different sizes. For camping on the weekend and/or camping where you can get ice every 2-4 days I wouldn't spend the money. They're not really made for that. They are worth it tho on stuff like being out on the boat for 3-4 days and keeping all your drinks/food and fish iced down in 95F weather where you obviously can't add more ice. They work out pretty well hunting where you can put 2 quarters of an elk in one for 7 days or more and keep it iced down on the original ice and then still have ice on it after a 2 day drive home.

The thing about the really large yetis are they obviously come in large sizes above regular cooler sizes and can handle the weight of all that ice. I have the largest yeti they make and the cooler itself weighs over 100 pounds and will hold I don't know how many hundreds of pounds of ice it will hold but a pretty good chunk out of an ice machines bin. You really need a well built cooler when you get into that weight category.

For most teardrop camping a regular everyday cheapy ice chest would work out just fine I believe. You can beef them up by insulating the lid and the bottom if you want more ice time. i think insulating the bottom is the biggest winner bang for your buck since you sit it down on something warm almost all the time.

[WhitneyK]

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.

Check with your local health department, shucks, we throw them out 'cause we get so many. There's a lot of different sizes and some have a foam like substance inside.

[Lgboro]

I decided to order a Yeti cooler. Will take a long to pay off but the convenience of not having to locate and purchase as much ice has to be worth something. I've thrown away enough cheap coolers to have bought a top shelf cooler. The last one I bought the latch broke on the first trip.

Thanks for all the discussion and especially the reviews that helped mold my decision. In my canoe camping days I quickly learned to get the best gear I could afford was generally the least expensive route in the long term.

[2bits]

Advice I have is that I bring a spare cooler that I used only for spare ice for when round one goes wet. The spare cooler stays in the camper out of the sun and is NEVER opened until it is time to ice switch, that is the key. It works pretty good for me. Oh and I never get "Reddy Ice" the kind they sell in Wally mart, that stuff is made of super-melt ice!!! I've seen a bag of that melt in one evening when others last a full 48 hrs in the same cooler.

Good luck and keep it "cool"

[pete42]

You will be glad you got a YETI they work very well.
I use a 12 volt coleman but I always camp at campgrounds with electricity and it plugs into the truck
when on the road I've had it about 15 years now like others have said start with frozzen food stuffs
and the cooler works longer, remember ice does melt thank goodness or I would be living in the ice age...

pete

[JeremiahO]

Figured I'd chime in here. I have had sooo many coolers over the years, some better than others. I have a GREAT family that all chipped in on my last birthday and got me a yeti. It's freaking awesome. But it has it's limitations. First, I also have a coleman extreme that holds ice almost as long. Plus the yeti is super heavy. BUT, what you get with a yeti is longevity. THey are built to last forever. -- On the upside, there are new companies now building coolers as good as the yeti, but cheaper. They say the K2 coolers are just as good as yeti, but 2/3 the price. I'm saving for another yeti though.

[jonw]

what the latest newest current ideas on ice chest and the other options of the 12 volt electric coolers freezers how are you all keeping food cool latley?

slow

I've started looking at these too... Based on Amazon feedback it seems to be hit or miss whether they fail or lasts for years.