COOLers

[erod]

hey all, we are driving across the country (another thread soon!) and are in the market for a new cooler...our old coleman has had it. we were looking at these yeti coolers (http://www.yeticoolers.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2) but they are pricey. anyone have any experience or other suggestions...we also looked at these coleman steelbelted coolers (http://www.summitcampinggear.com/co54qtstco.html) as well, little cheaper than the yeti but still 100 bucks!

i know, get the engle , unfortunately that not happening for a while so we figure this is our next best option...any thoughts????

 

[spressomon]

Why don't, given you don't/can't spring for a 12V fridge/freeze, just get a Coleman 5/6- day cooler for $50 +/-...and put the difference in your 12V fridge/freeze fund?

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=8581


After having and using my Waeco 50 extensively for the past 2+ years there's no way I'd spend $200-$300 on a cooler that needs ice all the time...

 

[Bergger]

I agree with the above. Just get a coleman xtreme cooler. They cost about $50-$60 and supposedly hold ice up to 6 days or so. Then save your cash and get a fridge. Thats my plan. Heck for just a bit more than those coolers, $485, you could get a scratch and dent norcold from ronthebustnut.com

 

[Lynn]

...get a scratch and dent norcold from ronthebustnut.com

I bet ronthebustnut.com

is a different guy than

ronthebusnut.com,

but I don't know for sure

 

[teotwaki]

go here for a steal of a deal

http://www.ronthebusnut.com/detailDisp_MRFT-.html

He's out of stock but worth watching

 

[grahamfitter]

I agree with the above. Just get a coleman xtreme cooler.

Agreed, although mine isn't tall enough for a wine or 2L soda bottle which is fine by me but has upset some. Newer models might be taller. The cooler isn't huge on the inside because the walls are rather thick but it keeps ice better than any other cooler I've seen.

In the past I've kept drinks out of the cooler to make more space for food. I filled an insulated water jug with 1/3 ice, 1/3 bottles/cans and topped off with water. Serves chilled water, beer and white wine for those who don't drink red. The only problem is the labels start to disintegrate after a few days and the pieces that are small enough to not clog the tap make it into your cup! With 20-20 hindsight I should have put the bottles in a bag to keep them separate from the water and ice but other than that it worked well.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[Bergger]

I bet ronthebustnut.com

is a different guy than

ronthebusnut.com,

but I don't know for sure

LOL! Thats what happens when I don't preview my posts!

 

[Clutch]

I agree with the above. Just get a coleman xtreme cooler. They cost about $50-$60 and supposedly hold ice up to 6 days or so.

I have one, and they do hold ice for roughly 5-6 days. The last trip and my next one coming, we are mainly doing dry and canned food. Using ice only for drinks. My mind rested easy doing it that way. You can get about anything canned. Trader Joes even does big cans of chicken, doesn't taste too bad when mixed with pasta and some sauce.

I do all of my gourmet cooking at home, and do my reheating some other guys food in camp.

Sure I would love to have one of those fridges, but, until then...

 

[erod]

i am trying to update all these random threaeds i started...as for the coleman extreme, picked one up for @$30 at the local sporting goods store for our trip across the country...wow, i was really impressed with its overall quality and capacity...i would highly recommend this cooler to anyone in the market for an affordable fridge alternative. seemed to keep items cool for up to 3-4 days depending on outside temps and amount of time it was opened and closed...cheers and thanks for everyones input!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Yeah, thanks for the update erod. I have a 54 quart steel belted Coleman and recently replaced a cheap-o cooler (with horrible seal and cracked insulation-to-inner skin) with a 70 quart Coleman 5-day extreme. Just FYI, the steel belted coolers are nice for the good latch and real seal, not to mention they are built well enough. Ours serves dual purpose, beverage cooler and backdoor step. It's not the absolute best insulated cooler, but it work pretty well just the same and you can stand on them without issue.

 

[Willman]

Their are a few members here that have these.....They can hold ice up to a week or more.......

http://icee-kool.com/index.html

I'm thinking of picking one up myself!

:REOutArchery02:

 

[DaveInDenver]

Their are a few members here that have these.....They can hold ice up to a week or more.

Seeing how the 41 quart is $180 and the 65 quart is $220, it better hold ice for a very long time. A Coleman 5-day 70 quart goes for about $40 here at most places. As I sit here at work, all I can think is the kind of money people must have when they are spending that much for a cooler. It just floors me.

 

[OverlandZJ]

Yeah, thanks for the update erod. I have a 54 quart steel belted Coleman and recently replaced a cheap-o cooler (with horrible seal and cracked insulation-to-inner skin) with a 70 quart Coleman 5-day extreme. Just FYI, the steel belted coolers are nice for the good latch and real seal, not to mention they are built well enough. Ours serves dual purpose, beverage cooler and backdoor step. It's not the absolute best insulated cooler, but it work pretty well just the same and you can stand on them without issue.

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.

 

[ntsqd]

Since I can not drink beer and sodas get really uncomfortable on a rough road I've gradually progressed to the point where I never take a cooler when I'm alone in the truck.

Taking my last GF camping for her first time I couldn't see that working out all that well so I picked up one of the Extremes. I'm very impressed with it.

Something that I learned from the LocosMocos is to NOT drain out the melted ice until you need room to put in more ice. In doing this you need to double ziplock anything that doesn't want to get water saturated (cheese, bread, etc.). The point of doing all of this is that the ice/water slurry in the cooler acts as a very good 'suspension' to keep the beer from getting shaken up and the eggs in one piece.

 

[DaveInDenver]

The point of doing all of this is that the ice/water slurry in the cooler acts as a very good 'suspension' to keep the beer from getting shaken up and the eggs in one piece.

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.