RangeBrover
Explorer
^^^ Wonder who that is :Wow1:.
Can anyone recommend a good quality cooler??
- Thread starter Jevy
- Start date
Christophe Noel
Expedition Leader
In years past we have sold Coleman, Engle and Yeti. The Coleman coolers are hit or miss. You could get one that is well made with solid distribution of insulating foam, or you could get a dud, with uneven foam inside, or cracked foam. You'll never know untill it meets, or fails to meet, your expectations. Plus, it's a given you'll blow through hinges in the first year. I also think their plastic is not only prone to imprint odors, but reluctant to give them up.
Engle's coolers are pretty amazing. On our last trip with an Engle cooler, we managed a solid 5 days of summer temps with one deposit of ice when we left. They Yeti is equally efficient, but in my opinion is probably a touch more durable. Not through quality of construction, but just through better design of things like latches.
My pick - Yeti.
Engle's coolers are pretty amazing. On our last trip with an Engle cooler, we managed a solid 5 days of summer temps with one deposit of ice when we left. They Yeti is equally efficient, but in my opinion is probably a touch more durable. Not through quality of construction, but just through better design of things like latches.
My pick - Yeti.
762X39
Explorer
I have two Coleman Extreme coolers and they are ok (I use blocks of ice and pre-freeze stuff before a trip). Our giant Yeti is 10 times better (and cost 10 times as much). The biggest problem is that the ice takes up a lot of room so an ARB or National Luna fridge-freezer about half the size is a better buy.Of course since you are worried about it getting stolen in an open Jeep, what does it matter if it is any good or not?
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Joker
Adventurer
so an ARB or National Luna fridge-freezer about half the size is a better buy.
Agreed but would you leave your $800 fridge unsecured at a public boat launch for the day, that's what the OP is doing.
thanks for all the info. Let me clarify in better terms.......I want a nice cooler for when we go on camping trips but I want something removeable from the trailer for when it's parked at boat ramps or other activities. I don't plan to leave it with the trailer all the time. For days on the water we have smaller coolers for our kayaks.
modernbeat
Jason McDaniel
There's a lot of talk about Coleman coolers. No love for Igloo?
Anyone have any experience with the Igloo MaxCold coolers? Looks like they have an Ice Cube in that line. I always felt the Cube coolers fit inside a packed truck/SUV easier, packed food and drinks more efficiently, and used ice more efficiently (less surface are vs volume). It's advertized as a five-day cooler.
Bonus, made in the USA. Actually, made in Texas by a Texas company.
Sells on Amazon for $45
Holds (114) 12 oz. cans
Item Weight (lb) 14.5
Exterior Dimensions (in - L x W x H) 20.26 x 18.62 x 23.47
Interior Dimensions (in - Top L x W x H) 16.25 x 14 x 17.25
Internal Dimensions Bottom (in - L x W x H) 15.25 x 13.25 x 17.25
Anyone have any experience with the Igloo MaxCold coolers? Looks like they have an Ice Cube in that line. I always felt the Cube coolers fit inside a packed truck/SUV easier, packed food and drinks more efficiently, and used ice more efficiently (less surface are vs volume). It's advertized as a five-day cooler.
Bonus, made in the USA. Actually, made in Texas by a Texas company.
Sells on Amazon for $45
Holds (114) 12 oz. cans
Item Weight (lb) 14.5
Exterior Dimensions (in - L x W x H) 20.26 x 18.62 x 23.47
Interior Dimensions (in - Top L x W x H) 16.25 x 14 x 17.25
Internal Dimensions Bottom (in - L x W x H) 15.25 x 13.25 x 17.25
Anyone used Canyon coolers? About a hundred dollars cheaper than similar sized yeti coolers, but maybe there's a reason.
I wouldn't keep anything worth more than a Coleman or igloo in an unattended trailer/topless Jeep though. Put a dampened towel over the top when you leave them for the day and with some block ice you won't have any issue keeping for 3 days.
I haven't gone on more than a five day trip without having access to ice, but I typically freeze a couple of gallon water jugs and prefer to keep as much ice in gallon ziplocs as possible. That seems to be good for four days and five if I use the more perishable foods earlier in the trip even without an expedition cooler. I keep a separate cooler for drinks so the food cooler doesn't get opened very often.
I am sure most or all of this is covered in the other cooler threads.
I wouldn't keep anything worth more than a Coleman or igloo in an unattended trailer/topless Jeep though. Put a dampened towel over the top when you leave them for the day and with some block ice you won't have any issue keeping for 3 days.
I haven't gone on more than a five day trip without having access to ice, but I typically freeze a couple of gallon water jugs and prefer to keep as much ice in gallon ziplocs as possible. That seems to be good for four days and five if I use the more perishable foods earlier in the trip even without an expedition cooler. I keep a separate cooler for drinks so the food cooler doesn't get opened very often.
I am sure most or all of this is covered in the other cooler threads.
Cee-Jay
Sasquatch
As some have pointed out already, the higher end coolers may be more durable and offer more features but they perform similarly to cheaper models like the Coleman Xtreme in terms of maintaining coldness. Do you need a bear proof cooler? Are you a professional guide? Do you want to jump on your cooler or throw it over a cliff? Want to use it as a safe? If not, tough to beat Coleman and Igloo for performance at a value price. Also, you can pick up spare hinges and drain stop for about $3.00.
I used to think that the yetis were overpriced fluff. Then I bought one to use as a casting platform on the front of my poling skiff as it was the same price as a platform and would actually support a persons weight for more than a few trips. It's awesome. Not for keeping things cold for days (which it does) because any decent cooler does that, but for the tough build. This thing truly is bombproof. Those lids that warp and crack? Not only do they look like crap but they also make the cooler not seal, which compromises keeping things cold. You say that you can buy another hinge or handle for $3.00? Does that matter when you are pulling it out of the truck and it breaks spilling all of your drinks and ice on the ground? Now you have to pack up and run into town to get ice and fix your cooler. How do you do that if you are 100 miles down a gravel road? Think that is unrealistic. If it happens in Rio Grande Village in Big Bend you are at least an hour and a half from ice after the ranger stations close and probably half a day (maybe a full day) from a Walmart that has those hinges.
Yetis are priced the way they are because they are worth it. To me, food (and beer) is just as important to keep safe as whatever it is that you put in your pelican box.
The only people that bash yetis are those who've never had one. People that have one, soon have more than one and leave their old coolers for the trash man.
Yetis are priced the way they are because they are worth it. To me, food (and beer) is just as important to keep safe as whatever it is that you put in your pelican box.
The only people that bash yetis are those who've never had one. People that have one, soon have more than one and leave their old coolers for the trash man.
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Cee-Jay
Sasquatch
I was not bashing Yeti coolers! If you want something super heavy duty, bear proof, and lockable that you can stand on (or even jump on) they are fantastic. Or if you just like buying nice stuff, that's reason enough. Buy want you want and have the opinions you want. For my simple needs a basic cooler works fine.
PS: I've never had a handle break off of my cooler. I do keep spare hinges and drain cover in my kit, extra dry food like granola and I do not not rely solely on lose ice.
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MoGas
Central Scrutinizer
I have a few Canyon Coolers. They are here in Flagstaff, big with river runners. I typically use one in conjunction with my Engel fridge. I keep food in the fridge and keep pop, beer, an items that are suited for an ice chest in the cooler. They do work very well.
Doing a bunch of research on gear lately. I was looking into ways to secure a kayak earlier and when I stumbled onto this thread about the OP not wanting to leave an expensive fridge or cooler in his Jeep I had an epiphany. Why not use some of these locking straps to secure it? I guess it would depend on the model of cooler and whether or not there was a way to actually secure it in the Jeep but I bet you could figure something out.
http://www.rackwarehouse.com/y4048.html
http://www.rackwarehouse.com/y4048.html
Attachments
Fred H. Cottrell
New member
Interesting stuff you should know about using an ice chest. *
Two (2) very interesting statistics - see*section #1 and section #3.
I use the Rubbermaid Gott*
7 1/2 day MARINE cooler -*
150 quart. *Keeps ice up to 7 1/2 days @ 90 degrees when mfg. instructions are followed.
THESE ARE THE MFG. INSTRUCTIONS received with the purchase of ice chest.
To achieve 7 1/2 day performance in your new marine cooler you must use it according to the following guidelines.
1. *USE PLENTY OF ICE: *The mfg. recommendation is to use 0.75 lbs. of ice per quart of the ice chest. *
Editors Note: *THIS EQUATES TO 112 pounds of ice in a 150 qt. cooler!
The use of large cube, block ice or ice substitutes such as Blue Ice is recommended rather than crushed/shaved ice.
2. *USE COOLER THAT BEGINS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE: *The ice chest should be brought to room temperature at least 24 hours before use. *You can even empty a few trays of ice into the cooler to pre-chill it's interior before packing.
3. *PRE-CHILL ITEMS BEFORE PLACING THEM IN THE ICE CHEST: *Plan ahead and cool off everything for approx. 1 hour before you head out because two six packs or one gallon of liquid will use approximately 2.5 lbs. of ice just to cool from room temperature.
4. PUT THE ICE IN LAST: *Cold air travels down so if you want your food and/or beverage well chilled, load them first then cover with ice.
5. KEEP THE COOLER OUT OF THE SUN: *The ice chest should be kept in a shaded area when possible. *Placement inside a car trunk, garage or on top of warm surfaces will impede optimal performance.
6. *DON'T DRAIN THE COLD WATER: *Recently melted ice should not be drained because it is more effective in chilling items in your cooler than empty air space. *Melted ice water also preserves the remaining ice better than empty air space.
7. *OPEN THE LID MINIMALLY & CLOSE PROMPTLY: *The cooler lid should be closed promptly after opening and remain closed when the items are not being placed in, nor being taken out from the unit. For items that you are going to be using frequently you may want to use a secondary cooler because a cooler opened less frequently will keep ice longer.
Two (2) very interesting statistics - see*section #1 and section #3.
I use the Rubbermaid Gott*
7 1/2 day MARINE cooler -*
150 quart. *Keeps ice up to 7 1/2 days @ 90 degrees when mfg. instructions are followed.
THESE ARE THE MFG. INSTRUCTIONS received with the purchase of ice chest.
To achieve 7 1/2 day performance in your new marine cooler you must use it according to the following guidelines.
1. *USE PLENTY OF ICE: *The mfg. recommendation is to use 0.75 lbs. of ice per quart of the ice chest. *
Editors Note: *THIS EQUATES TO 112 pounds of ice in a 150 qt. cooler!
The use of large cube, block ice or ice substitutes such as Blue Ice is recommended rather than crushed/shaved ice.
2. *USE COOLER THAT BEGINS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE: *The ice chest should be brought to room temperature at least 24 hours before use. *You can even empty a few trays of ice into the cooler to pre-chill it's interior before packing.
3. *PRE-CHILL ITEMS BEFORE PLACING THEM IN THE ICE CHEST: *Plan ahead and cool off everything for approx. 1 hour before you head out because two six packs or one gallon of liquid will use approximately 2.5 lbs. of ice just to cool from room temperature.
4. PUT THE ICE IN LAST: *Cold air travels down so if you want your food and/or beverage well chilled, load them first then cover with ice.
5. KEEP THE COOLER OUT OF THE SUN: *The ice chest should be kept in a shaded area when possible. *Placement inside a car trunk, garage or on top of warm surfaces will impede optimal performance.
6. *DON'T DRAIN THE COLD WATER: *Recently melted ice should not be drained because it is more effective in chilling items in your cooler than empty air space. *Melted ice water also preserves the remaining ice better than empty air space.
7. *OPEN THE LID MINIMALLY & CLOSE PROMPTLY: *The cooler lid should be closed promptly after opening and remain closed when the items are not being placed in, nor being taken out from the unit. For items that you are going to be using frequently you may want to use a secondary cooler because a cooler opened less frequently will keep ice longer.