Coolers...what kind, size and why???....GO!

All the plastic molded coolers are effectively the same. I've noticed a significant difference in ice rentention depending on how often I access the cooler. For camping or music fests we use two coolers; Yeti 45qt for food and basic Coleman cooler for beer (since we are accessing more often). Food is more important to keep cold.

Also I totally recommend pre-chilling the night before. I simply bring the cooler inside overnight with an ice pack inside of it. Then the before the trip load it with actual ice.

 

Has anyone used dry ice? If so what method did you use?

 

I just use a Coleman Extreme 100 qt 5 day cooler I got on sale for $40.00. Ice starts melting after 3 days in hot weather but after 5 days there is still enough left to keep my stuff cold. It holds a lot and has wheels. It's too tall to fit under a tonneau cover so I fold down the rear seat and keep it there. The lid opens all the way so I never have to move it. It doesn't have a lifetime guarantee but at my age it'll probably last longer than I do.

 

Dry ice disappears fast when exposed to air. So it's best for trips you wouldn't be in and out of a cooler a lot. It's really cold however. Kind of expensive. Perfect for shipping stuff.

 

Yes. I just wrapped the dry ice in newspaper and placed it in the bottom, normal ice on top

 

Cabelas 100qt brand rotomolded...good as any yeti and if you work the coupons right you can get additional % off.

Holds a processed and frozen mule deer and 2 antelope and kept it frozen with no ice for 30hr cross country drive.

PM me for the % advantage

 

I was in the market for a cooler about a year and a half ago. The prices of those Yeti and Rtic models are ridiculous, and the things are just too damned heavy. So, for a little more than what one of those rotomold coolers cost I bought an Edgestar 43qt 12v fridge. It's been in my truck bed since I bought it, running nearly continuously. Its no ARB, but it's half the cost....

 

The grizzly 60 has exceeded my expectations made in Merica, lifetime warranty, and numerous color choices.

The yeti soft pack is also very good for a soft cooler. With a couple year warranty and made somewhere in Asia. Very nice for carrying any distances and cooler can be used as a dry bag.

 

Recently picked this up. Otterbox Venture 65qt. Haven't had a chance to test it out yet. Had some best buy giftcards and store credit so used it to my advantage and paid the remaining balance of $80. Its very well built and study. Has great reviews so why not.

 

Never seen those before... looks like they offer some good accessories to go with the cooler.

 

Comes with the dry tray and bottle opener(attaches to the front). Purchased the cutting board/divider separately. Beefy cooler.

 

This thread has resulted in many Google searches. I've been debating cool vs fridge for roughly a year now. However I am still determining if the length of time I will need something to stay cool prior to consuming it and/or being back home.

Has any one gone from cooler to fridge or (even more interestingly) from fridge to cooler? If so, what was the tipping point?

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lifetime-55-Quart-High-Performance-Cooler-Grey-90820/850043843

 

I have a Kysek 35L. The walls are thicker than most other 35L coolers...I went on a trip with people who brought ozarks and their ice was melting at a faster rate than mine. At the end of a two night/three day trip I had a solid block of ice about 3 inches thick still at the bottom of the cooler. Keep in mind...I didn't buy the ice in blocks. The ice formed a block on its own!

 

Does the Polar Cap 60 fit in a 3rd gen's bed with a tonneau cover?

 

I'm actually so happy that I came across this thread. We've all heard of these brands, and I've tried many. But in recent years, my heart grew closer to the Coleman series. I always had the same problems happen over and over again, the handles breaking or ice would melt in half a day. I was very gentle with my coolers, whether I was on a boat and in my car. So the Coleman cooler I have now is the "Coleman Xtreme Series Portable Cooler" and after reading the reviews on places like https://under-the-open-sky.com/best-thermoelectric-coolers/ I just had to try this cooler. What really got my attention was to the review. I was already informed about what was good and bad about this cooler. Now, I’m not going to mention the price, but it was a major factor as to why I picked this cooler. The cooler is so big you could fit a whole body in there (just kidding, relax). Joking aside I could fit 100 cans in this bad boy and I still had room to spare. The cooler left me a happy customer, this one is a lifesaver, on any road/boat trip.

 

I like the RTIC. Did some work to it. Works well for weekend type getaways

 

Alpine PWD-CB1
56 Quarts
Only got this because I got lucky and won it.

 

Yep, did the same. Bought a can of spray foam. Drilled a couple holes in the lid and pumped it full of foam. Waited overnight, cleaned up the excess. Whaha...poor man’s Yeti.

 

I’ve had my Ozark for a little over a year now. Mostly use it for get togethers and such. Have found ice still in it after sitting in the hot garage 2 days, and this is after being in the sun all day with everyone grabbing drinks out of it all day. Can’t complain about that. I have not tried pre-chilling it to see what kind of results I could get out of it.
Now, the Pelican coolers look interesting, and would love to save some cash to try one out but until then, its the Wally World special for me.