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Ice Chests?


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#1 Silvertip47

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 09:05 PM

I have an ancient Igloo that holds cubed ice for 3 days and a newer Coleman Extreme that will hold for 5 days in good conditions.

I know block ice lasts longer but I need cubes for my buddy, Jack Daniels!!! :D

I was looking at the Yeti the other day. :blink: $$$$$$$$$

Are they worth it? Are there any better? How long can they hold ice under normal circumstances?

Thanks in advance!!!
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#2 DirtyDog

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 09:49 PM

I'd be interested in doing a side by side test with the Coleman Extreme and the Yeti coolers. Maybe I'll get a Yeti, bring them both on my next trip and see what happens. Its for the sake of journalistic excellence :D
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#3 Phird05

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 09:54 PM

I have an ancient Igloo that holds cubed ice for 3 days and a newer Coleman Extreme that will hold for 5 days in good conditions.

I know block ice lasts longer but I need cubes for my buddy, Jack Daniels!!! :D

I was looking at the Yeti the other day. :blink: $$$$$

Are they worth it? Are there any better? How long can they hold ice under normal circumstances?

Thanks in advance!!!


I have been around Yeti's on several river trips in very hot weather. They perform really great. As you point out they are very expensive. One of the better coolers out there used to be named "Gott". They were sold to Rubbermaid and I use one of those as well as Igloos. Personally, I don't think I will ever spend 3-$500.00 on a cooler. But my life is governed by cash flow (or the lack thereof). I guess if I had the money I might invest in a Yeti, but I rarely am gone more than a week at a time. The other downside I see with the Yeti is they are Heavy. I don't think I would want to be hucking one of those in and out of a boat every day for two or three weeks. I guess it depends on how long your typical trip lasts.

I'm not sure my long reply was helpful, but I hope it helps a little.

Good camping,

Paul
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#4 Skeeter

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 09:59 PM

I have an ancient Igloo that holds cubed ice for 3 days and a newer Coleman Extreme that will hold for 5 days in good conditions.

I know block ice lasts longer but I need cubes for my buddy, Jack Daniels!!! :D

I was looking at the Yeti the other day. :blink: $$$$$$$$$

Are they worth it? Are there any better? How long can they hold ice under normal circumstances?

Thanks in advance!!!

I bought a 45 qt Yeti and used it on two short trips in warm weather(90), the ice was about 80% after 3 days. My rig is undergoing a major overhaul so I have not been able to go out and really give it a good test on the road.
The build is quality and I threw my Coleman on the curb for the neighbors. I would never pay $280 for a cooler, but I had a AMX gift card that was expiring so I pulled the trigger. When I get back from my trip, I will give it a whirl on the patio, it is only 110 today, and see how long it takes for the ice to turn into steam.
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#5 SunMan

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 10:13 PM

I've been getting by for years with one of these, I can milk a week+ out pretty easy with block ice.

http://www.igloocool...=9&category=548
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#6 EdoHart

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 11:27 PM

A trick I've used with good success is to keep 2 coolers, one for ice and anything I want to stay frozen, and the other for everything else. Then I move ice from the ice only cooler to the other cooler as needed.

The trick is that the ice only cooler is packed with rock salt and cube ice (about 1 part salt to 10 parts ice), and block ice (to be transfered to the other cooler) in waterproof containers, such as plastic milk jugs. The salted ice will quickly become VERY cold water and stay below 32F for at least a week. By keeping the transfer ice in waterproof containers, it won't melt. It helps that I only open this cooler when I need more ice - once every few days. It's like keeping a freezer full of ice to used as needed. When I move the blocks of ice, I wipe or rinse them off to get rid of the salt water.

I don't know, but suspect that if you packed cube ice in a tupper ware container, it would keep just as well as cube ice in your freezer at home.

Keep in mind when you dump the salt water, that it is just that - salt water, so don't just dump it any place, because nothing will grow there for a long time.
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#7 brett13

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Posted 01 July 2010 - 11:31 PM

I make block ice in tupperware in my chest freezer. I use the small, flatish ones so the ice comes out about 6"x2"x5". That allows me to "line" the bottom and sides of a Coleman Xtreme. Add one 6x6x8 block. Then I put in all my food/beer with a bunch of 4"x4x4, 3x3x3 blocks in between food items; then fill the empty space with cubes for Mr. Daniels. I haven't run out of the blocks in 5 days of 85*F temps and there is usually some cubes left too. Oh, and use a white marine cooler. Red/Blue just absorbs solar energy.

Making your own blocks in tupperware allows you to use different sizes and not just the big 10# block from the store. I like blocks bigger than cubes and smaller than the big blocks. My wife even made a lot of "giant" cubes using one of those silicon muffin pans. They last so much longer than regular cubes and aren't inconvenient like blocks.
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#8 Ted

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Posted 02 July 2010 - 04:24 AM

I also recall reading on here about someone that uses ice frozen in plastic milk cartons to get the cooling without the melt water. And I have also read about the evaporation trick. But we took it one step further. We have gone through two ice chests in the last four months (Igloo and Coleman). Handles and latches breaking off. Plus the poor insulation in them means constantly replenishing the ice. Broke down and bought a Yeti this week. First reaction was :o but we figure if it lasts several years we will break even. Yet to see if the ice really does last longer.
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#9 Bat

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Posted 02 July 2010 - 06:36 PM

Google Yeti vs Coleman and you will find some test results on side by side, if I new how I would post but I am not that smart.I decided on the coleman a couple of years ago from the results, price and weight of the coolers.I have since purchased a 12v freezer only because I am in a Tacoma and lost a lot of storage space compared to my CC Ford.
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#10 Mark W. Ingalls

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Posted 02 July 2010 - 08:26 PM

Google Yeti vs Coleman and you will find some test results on side by side, if I new how I would post but I am not that smart.I decided on the coleman a couple of years ago from the results, price and weight of the coolers.I have since purchased a 12v freezer only because I am in a Tacoma and lost a lot of storage space compared to my CC Ford.


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