Cooler/Ice Chest recommendations

Gary Knowels · Jul 31, 2022

I'm looking to upgrade my cooler. Currently I have a college branded rolling cooler from Coleman that the wheels no longer stay on. Pretty much this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Coleman/5013596677

I don't have the budget for a Yeti or other super high end, but want something more functional than what I have. I plan on stealing Ive's refletix trick as well.

What do you all use? Would you recommend it? What do you like/dislike?

DFG · Jul 31, 2022

Engel's Deep Blue series rate similarly to Yeti (or better), but generally cost a bit less. I've owned one for about 6 years and would freely recommend them.

Mossback · Jul 31, 2022

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Roto molded pu insulated gasketed coolers are everywhere these days.

Rtic are nice, link has a list.

iveofione · Jul 31, 2022

Gary, go to Walmart and buy the Lifetime 55 qt model if that is big enough for you. About $107, around $170 for the 70 qt model. This is a huge bang for the buck, nearly equivalent to the Yeti at a fraction of the price with a much better closure system. And I think it is made in America as opposed to the overpriced Chinese Yeti. About 40% of the Yeti's cost is for the name.

DFG · Jul 31, 2022

I'm with Ive on this.

Yeti is absolutely #1 when if comes to marketing their products. That doesn't make their products any better... just better known.

Gary Knowels · Jul 31, 2022

Thanks! Showed the wife, she wanted the sky blue one so we ordered that as only gray was available locally. Looking forward to the first trip with it .

Old406Kid · Jul 31, 2022

iveofione said:
Gary, go to Walmart and buy the Lifetime 55 qt model if that is big enough for you. About $107, around $170 for the 70 qt model. This is a huge bang for the buck, nearly equivalent to the Yeti at a fraction of the price with a much better closure system. And I think it is made in America as opposed to the overpriced Chinese Yeti. About 40% of the Yeti's cost is for the name.

I recently watched an ice retention review and the Lifetime outperformed the Yeti.

Stonedfish · Jul 31, 2022

Old406Kid said:
I recently watched an ice retention review and the Lifetime outperformed the Yeti.

Was it 5 or 8 wt ice?

SF

Zak · Jul 31, 2022

The lifetime cooler from Walmart is great. Here's mine prechilling for my family camping trip this week.

Only drawback is the pebbled surface doesn't take stickers well.

Gary Knowels · Jul 31, 2022

Zak said:
The lifetime cooler from Walmart is great. Here's mine prechilling for my family camping trip this week.
View attachment 25482

Only drawback is the pebbled surface doesn't take stickers well.

How and for how long do you pre-chill?

Old406Kid · Jul 31, 2022

Zak said:
Only drawback is the pebbled surface doesn't take stickers well.

Zak · Jul 31, 2022

Gary Knowels said:
How and for how long do you pre-chill?

Overnight. I've been using frozen water bottles for the cooler. No mess and I can drink them when they melt. I have the bottom of each cooler lined with a single layer of frozen bottles. We leave tomorrow. Tomorrow when I'm ready to pack the coolers, I'll put the partially melted water bottles back in the freezer and replace with hard frozen ones and frozen meat. The two bigger coolers will get a frozen gallon jug as well as little bottles.

DFG · Aug 1, 2022

Zak said:
Overnight. I've been using frozen water bottles for the cooler. No mess and I can drink them when they melt. I have the bottom of each cooler lined with a single layer of frozen bottles. We leave tomorrow. Tomorrow when I'm ready to pack the coolers, I'll put the partially melted water bottles back in the freezer and replace with hard frozen ones and frozen meat. The two bigger coolers will get a frozen gallon jug as well as little bottles.

From everything I've read, pre-chilling is really important. Likewise eliminating as much open air space as possible. I've also been using frozen bottles both to provide the cooling and to eliminate the added space that melting ice would otherwise produce. (Eliminating melt water keeps stuff from getting soaked!)

I'd like to find a rack that I can use to store the bottles above the food.

Chucker · Aug 1, 2022

A tangent to this question - I need a better fish cooler. Something that is long and skinny. Big enough to fit a couple of large chinook (if I am every lucky enough to actually catch any of those ever again

) without a bunch of wasted space. I made one for my old boat, but it went with the boat and I am not really inclined to do it again.

Brute · Aug 1, 2022

Not sure how big you need it to be, but I put frozen water bottles in this and it keeps everything ice cold for three days…half the price of a similar sized soft yeti…which I also have owned…

Long_Rod_Silvers · Aug 1, 2022

Kong coolers are pretty sweet. Divider and top can come out and be used as trays. Super handy.

iveofione · Aug 1, 2022

Another thing you can do to extend the life of your ice and keep your cool is to put a down pillow on top of the food to take up that open space that develops as the food is used up.

Matt B · Aug 1, 2022

I'm a huge fan of Ive's Reflectix Cooler Cozy trick. Mine have been getting plenty of use and I'm a big believer in their effectiveness. I've also just started bringing the bigger cooler with more ice. And, last trip, I kept the coolers in the shade and kept a damp blanket over them. When the blanket would get mostly dry after a couple days, I'd get it wet again. Also, I kept all the meat and the most concerningly perishable things in a separate cooler that I only opened once a day to get the meat out for dinner. By the last day of the trip the extra remaining ice in there became bonus ice for drinks and to recharge the big cooler for the trip out.
One of these days I may spring for a rotomolded cooler but I'm not sure I really need it yet.

Peyton00 · Aug 1, 2022

Chucker said:
A tangent to this question - I need a better fish cooler. Something that is long and skinny. Big enough to fit a couple of large chinook (if I am every lucky enough to actually catch any of those ever again ) without a bunch of wasted space. I made one for my old boat, but it went with the boat and I am not really inclined to do it again.

If ya really want a fish cooler.....not some hard case bulky unit with shelves and side trays etc etc.

Pick up a Buffalogear fish bag.

They are on sale.

Divad · Aug 1, 2022

I use the Canyon bags, made in America. Buffalo’s price doesn’t reflect a Chinese made purchase in my eyes.

But coolers I have the Lifetime 55 and an Igloo BMX.

Also if you don’t have plastic water bottles, foodsaver bags make great frozen pouches. I reuse mine after a quick rinse.