Expert opinion needed?
- Thread starter jdr9941
- Start date
4runnerteq
Explorer
Good luck with that. We have a $400 Yeti (was a gift), a Rural King knock and a cheapo Igloo or Coleman or whatever it is. I comment every time, we have to feed them all 3 pretty much the same diet of ice. When one needs some, they all do. Now, I’m bad about not latching the lids on the Yeti and RK, but the cheapo lid doesn’t even have a latch. I’m sure other results may vary. The cheapo, if just ice works about as well to me, but Yeti and RK are built much better, Yeti maybe a bit better than the RK. Maybe.
BLand Cruiser
Observer
I’ve got an Ozark Trails Yeti knockoff. Five days has been my maximum.
Last edited:
Hummelator
Adventurer
I have a pelican cooler. Bought it used. Based on what I read online, the pelican was said to have the best ice retention. Truth is its not significantly better than my old coleman cooler.
I bought it to keep my beer cold the entire Long weekend ( cold beer > cold food) and it does stay cold for the long weekend but no way it'll keep ice for 10 days.
It is extremely rugged but when it's full of beer and ice it probably weighs well over 75 pounds.
Going back I'd probably pony up and buy a dometic fridge. But if I was concerned about price I'd probably get a low end rotomolded cooler.
Take a look at rtic coolers. Seem to be a good balance between cost and performance.
I bought it to keep my beer cold the entire Long weekend ( cold beer > cold food) and it does stay cold for the long weekend but no way it'll keep ice for 10 days.
It is extremely rugged but when it's full of beer and ice it probably weighs well over 75 pounds.
Going back I'd probably pony up and buy a dometic fridge. But if I was concerned about price I'd probably get a low end rotomolded cooler.
Take a look at rtic coolers. Seem to be a good balance between cost and performance.
BritKLR
Kapitis Indagatoris
I have an Engel 45 and Yeti 105. They both have their place. The Yeti we use in our trailer for bulk drink and food storage. The longest trip so far was OE East, 4000 miles and 16 days without having to top off the ice. I use to have to carry three colemans, (2) for drinks and food and the third for backup ice and I'd still have to top up every other day. The Yeti has been a real pleasure to have and use.
But, the real secret is pre-chilling the contents and the cooler for maximum ice retention. My standard routine is putting all the drinks into the cooler and (1) 20lb bag of ice. As we head down the road for a couple of hours the drinks and the ice agitate. At our first gas stop I drain the water and the fill the cooler to the top with ice and head on down the road to our destination. I limit opening the cooler and keep it closed tightly. This has resulted in ice lasting easily 10 days even in Arizona.
Goodluck!
But, the real secret is pre-chilling the contents and the cooler for maximum ice retention. My standard routine is putting all the drinks into the cooler and (1) 20lb bag of ice. As we head down the road for a couple of hours the drinks and the ice agitate. At our first gas stop I drain the water and the fill the cooler to the top with ice and head on down the road to our destination. I limit opening the cooler and keep it closed tightly. This has resulted in ice lasting easily 10 days even in Arizona.
Goodluck!
JaSAn
Grumpy Old Man
I can keep ice up to 6 days in 80º+ weather using a cheap Coleman cooler wrapped in an old down comforter and keeping it out of the sun. Might be able to get 10 days out of a Yeti by doing the same (Yeti has about double the insulation).
The more expensive coolers have thicker plastic so handles should hold up better.
The more expensive coolers have thicker plastic so handles should hold up better.
Any modern rotomolded cooler should hold ice that long so long as you do your part pre chilling and keeping the lid closed. Yeti, RTIC, Pelican, Ozark Trail ect.
We have an older RTIC 45qt that we use for extra space when travelling with the fridge packed full. Often as a freezer utilizing dry ice in the cooler.
We have an older RTIC 45qt that we use for extra space when travelling with the fridge packed full. Often as a freezer utilizing dry ice in the cooler.
Laps
Active member
Pelican cooler is what I have, and it will go 5-7 days before needing ice refill. I have had Coleman, small and large, and Igloo brand also. And although the Pelican outperformed all the others, especially in the Utah heat, it now sits in the garage never used because I switched to a 12V fridge. And it makes a world of difference for the many reasons previously discussed in other threads.
Mickey Bitsko
Adventurer
Ice has lasted far longer in my cooler when I eliminate air space.. has been
My experience.
Same can be said for a refrigerator.
My experience.
Same can be said for a refrigerator.
Honestly, as much as a couple decent sized coolers can cost these days, it's not that difficult to just get the fridge/freezer.
It truly is life changing, to not have to play the ice/water soggy stuff game. We bought ours when the ARB was pretty much the only game in town. Right after our purchase of a 50 qt & 82 qt ARB, it seems like there have been a dozen new makers every year since. We love ours but the price really stings.
It truly is life changing, to not have to play the ice/water soggy stuff game. We bought ours when the ARB was pretty much the only game in town. Right after our purchase of a 50 qt & 82 qt ARB, it seems like there have been a dozen new makers every year since. We love ours but the price really stings.
displacedtexan
Active member
As someone who loves their Yeti coolers...
I love them because of their durability, not their ice holding.
I love them because of their durability, not their ice holding.
Superduty
Adventurer
I know you asked about coolers, but as mentioned above if you can get a fridge it's truly a game changer for camping.
Coolers - any of the roto molded coolers are gonna work well. Yeti makes amazing products. I like their coolers and love their drinkware (and I've tried many). Yeti is not cheap.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Coolers - any of the roto molded coolers are gonna work well. Yeti makes amazing products. I like their coolers and love their drinkware (and I've tried many). Yeti is not cheap.
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk