COOLers

[SOAZ]

It does work like beer suspension, but also not draining the water has thermodynamic value. Cold water takes less heat (or at least takes it slower) from the ice than air and so the ice doesn't melt as fast. You basically want as little air inside the cooler as possible, so it needs to be filled with water, ice, food, whatever instead of circulating air.

Good to know. As a kid the "dads" would always empty the water out and so I found myself doing it, but wondering... is this really the best thing to do?!?
I didn't think so. I'll leave the slurry in now.

One other thing to make that ice last as long as possible. Use your fridge ice maker for ice and not store bought. To save on water costs store bought ice is mostly air and usually has a hole in the middle etc so they use as little water as possible. This ice melts several TIMES faster than the ice from your fridge which is solid frozen ice chunks. I've ended a 6 day trip and found some of my original ice from the fridge still doing well at the bottom even though I had stopped to buy ice 3 times, but it was store bought...

 

[kcowyo]

Some good tips and some funny comments here.

I had heard about not draining the melted ice water and double bagging the perishables makes good sense. Tim's comment about homemade vs. store bought ice is a very good tip as well. Something I hadn't considered. I use block ice when I can find it but often crushed ice is all that's available.

I still will often freeze water in old plastic juice bottles and store them in the cooler for a day or two before I head out. Theoretically, this cools the cooler before loading it with ice. They melt within a day or so, but now I use that extra water for my shower and/or to wash dishes.

 

[j_nigrelli]

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000875.php


fun site!

 

[grahamfitter]

Some good tips and some funny comments here.

I had heard about not draining the melted ice water and double bagging the perishables makes good sense. Tim's comment about homemade vs. store bought ice is a very good tip as well. Something I hadn't considered. I use block ice when I can find it but often crushed ice is all that's available.

I still will often freeze water in old plastic juice bottles and store them in the cooler for a day or two before I head out. Theoretically, this cools the cooler before loading it with ice. They melt within a day or so, but now I use that extra water for my shower and/or to wash dishes.

Instead of (or as well as) sealing food so it doesn't get wet, is there any merit to sealing the ice so the water doesn't get out? Like putting block ice in one big bag or crushed ice in several small ones - somewhat similar to those reusable freezer packs.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[BigAl]

I throw in my recent experience with the Coleman Steel belted 54 quart. I spent 5 days in 80-90F heat in WV last month. I used 2 bags of ice perday, it was mostly water after 6-8 hours. I was a dissapointed in the performance. Others with the "extreme" style coolers faired much better in the same conditions.

 

[Section 8]

The Coleman steel belted no longer utilizes the fridge type seal. I just picked up one last week from Cabela's and when i got home noticed the lack of it. Called my bud and the one he has had for the last few years also does not have this (he thought it did). I was a little disappointed.

I'v been disappointed by some of Cabela's inventory as of late, alot of their products are imported anymore and quality seems to have taken a backseat to profit. I wanted a pair of Elkskin ranchhand gloves, guess i'll pick them up out west.

Thats a little harsh... Judging Cabelas on something it resells. I assume that you have other examples, but I highly doubt that Cabelas has any influence on Coleman.

I have been rarely dissapointed by Cabelas branded merchandise, particularly since it is tempting due to the cost comparisons, and typically Cabelas has something extra the others do not. Granted, if you buy something for $50.00 from Cabelas that would cost $500.00 for the name brand item you are familure with, you are going to set yourself up for disaster.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Thats a little harsh... Judging Cabelas on something it resells. I assume that you have other examples, but I highly doubt that Cabelas has any influence on Coleman.

I don't think John was being all that harsh. Cabela's has the ability to pick what it stocks and in his view they seem to be stocking more imported and lower quality stuff. True? Maybe, maybe not, but his perception is that and that's a marketing person's nightmare if it's not true. I'd bet places like Cabela's, Bass Pro, Wal-Mart and the big names have plenty of influence over suppliers. Heck, just by what they chose to stock or not will affect product design and manufacture.

 

[ntsqd]

Instead of (or as well as) sealing food so it doesn't get wet, is there any merit to sealing the ice so the water doesn't get out? Like putting block ice in one big bag or crushed ice in several small ones - somewhat similar to those reusable freezer packs.

Cheers,
Graham

Graham,
You would loose the 'suspension' effect of the water/ice slurry. I'm not seeing any other downsides, but to me that is a large one. Well, a large one when I actually have a cooler with me, which is rare.

 

[grahamfitter]

Graham,
You would loose the 'suspension' effect of the water/ice slurry. I'm not seeing any other downsides, but to me that is a large one. Well, a large one when I actually have a cooler with me, which is rare.

I suppose a really floppy bag would still provide some cushioning, but stiffer bags would stop ice from falling into the hole normally occupied by the milk, gin and tonic bottles, etc. Swings and roundabouts...

Cheers,
Graham

 

[OverlandZJ]

Thats a little harsh... Judging Cabelas on something it resells. I assume that you have other examples, but I highly doubt that Cabelas has any influence on Coleman.

I have been rarely dissapointed by Cabelas branded merchandise, particularly since it is tempting due to the cost comparisons, and typically Cabelas has something extra the others do not. Granted, if you buy something for $50.00 from Cabelas that would cost $500.00 for the name brand item you are familure with, you are going to set yourself up for disaster.

Harsh..perhaps, i was just sharing my opinion. In hindsight i probably could have kept my mouth shut since this thread had zero to do with the topic when i posted. My apologies for taking it off track.

But yes, i do have other examples. Still a loyal customer...but i do take a harder look at items i may be interested in.

 

[Accrete]

My family of four just returned from a four day campout. We utilized the colman xtreme cooler with a insulated cooler bag similar to this one placed inside and also placed two medium sized "Blue Ice" containers (4x4x1"). There was deli-beef still frozen when we arrived home on the eve of day four and blue ice was still very cold.

Like some posters above, we leave the gormet cooking for home mostly, and take canned foods for the most part. We also have a bug out box behind the seats that has about three days of food, water, protective gear, blankets, etc. Just something that we like to have aboard.

: ) Thom

 

[Overland Hadley]

I just bought an Icee-Kool cooler and am very happy with it. they are made for river rafting so they are water tight, plus they are made out of the same plastic as kayaks, so they are pretty bomb proof. mine was about $200 for a standard cooler size, so it is a bit pricey but I am planning on it lasting a good ten or twenty years. They say they larger sizes will hold ice for more than two weeks, I have yet to test mine for that long of a time, but i am sure it will be better than my old coleman, it has a latching lid for starters. http://icee-kool.com/index.html