Waterproof in ice cooler?

[mtnbike28]

OK I tried the Edgestar 12v fridge before my 2 week trip and couldn't get one to work, so I fought the ice water soaked food for two weeks. Even when double zip lock bagging items. I am now looking for a waterproof container to store food in (I assume square so packing would be easier) to go into an ice cooler till I save enough money for a Engel or ARB fridge....

Any thoughts on a waterproof container for inside the cooler that will not require bagging too?

 

[Desert Dan]

Double zip-lock baggies and or tupperware type containers works for me.

Use block ice and drain enough water out to keep the food out of the water

 

[mtnbike28]

No block ice...

The problem I have found, on the road I can not find block ice. I tried leaving the ice in the bag on top and draining, but that was tough to have enough space.... the baggies leaked... everyone one.

 

[Errant]

Block ice and freezer ZipLock bags (not the cheapies!) usually work great for me. For a long trip, or when you can't get block ice, I like to use snap lock containers like these. They have a gasket seal which keeps food in and ice water out. If you're bringing eggs, crack them into a Nalgene bottle at home. Takes up less space, they stay colder, and can still be poured one at a time from the bottle for recipes.

 

[chasespeed]

Why not dry ice? Pre cool your cooler, and add dry ice..... add a few blocks of ice from there... the cry ice will keep things COLD, and seriously slow the melting of the ice... even stop it for a few days depending on your cooler. Its around -200*..... I have used it for weekend stays on the beach, or at the lake... no problems....

Chase

 

[CSG]

Uh, freeze bottles of water.

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Why not dry ice? Pre cool your cooler, and add dry ice..... add a few blocks of ice from there... the cry ice will keep things COLD, and seriously slow the melting of the ice... even stop it for a few days depending on your cooler. Its around -200*..... I have used it for weekend stays on the beach, or at the lake... no problems....

Chase

more like -109F. Still cold.

The thing to be careful of is to keep the cooler outside of any occupied space, including a closed vehicle, tent or trailer. The CO2 can displace oxygen and result in asphyxiation. A kilo of dry ice will sublimate into around 1100 liters of gas, displacing that much oxygen bearing air (it is heavier than air so hugs the ground). Dry ice blocks are normally 50-66 lbs (20-30 kilos, depending on where you get them). Also, don't hermetically seal the container, the dry ice will sublimate as long as the triple point isn't achieved (around 5 atm, iirc) and container explosions can happen

 

[chasespeed]

-109? Huh, Coulda swore it was colder than that.

We used to be able to walk into HEB(grocery store in TX), and buy it in 1 or 4lb blocks.

But, regardless.... Yeah, it was always kept in the bed of of the truck....

Chase

 

[mudbutt]

http://www.foodsaver.com/Index.aspx

 

[Fireman78]

This is what I use . works perfect! http://www.arbusa.com/Products/Fridges/20.aspx

 

[wgwood]

Uh, freeze bottles of water.

I use Polar Bear soft-sided coolers and have found that freezing (2) gallon sized bottles of water will last about a week in each one. I also put in a sponge (brick sized) when using ice. It absorbs the melted water and makes it easy to remove the water from a non-draining cooler.

With a quality cooler, you do not need to put the ice on top of your food. Put the block or cubed ice at the bottom with a sponge and put the food on top. Using freezer zips or tupperware will keep your food dry. Never had a problem with this setup for 100's of days camping.

If you have the space, it is best to have 2 coolers. One for food which is only opened a few times a day, and one for beverages, which seems to be opened constantly. :Wow1:

Regards,
Greg

 

[CJCA]

Uh, freeze bottles of water.

+

http://www.foodsaver.com/Index.aspx

= clean, cold drinking water as the bottles of ice melt and sealed, fresh, dry food. Doesn't get any better than that with an ice chest.

 

[Martini]

I also put in a sponge (brick sized) when using ice. It absorbs the melted water and makes it easy to remove the water from a non-draining cooler.

Thats a great Idea, thanks for the tip.

 

[Haggis]

Jay try this...

...if you have a Food Saver cut some of the large bags to fit the length of your cooler. Fill them with a gallon or two of water (depending on the size of your cooler), seal them on the Moist setting and lay them flat in your freezer. They should be about an inch to an inch and a half thick when sealed. When packing your cooler place one on the bottom of the cooler, then a layer of the stuff your planning on using towards then end of your trip. Then another frozen vacuum bag, more foodstuff and so and so forth until the cooler is full. As the ice melts the water is trapped in the bag so there's no sogged food. When we spent the week last year down at Cape Lookout we still had ice at the end of the trip. as a matter of fact the five bags we made up are still in the upright freezer next to the squirrels and rabbits and have been used on four or five trips so far. To keep the ice longer take a smaller cooler as your day cooler to put your drinks and lunches in so your not opening up your big cooler all the time.

 

[Rev]

I like to use snap lock containers like

Ditto on this. They work great.