35 replies to this topic

[erod]

hey all, we are driving across the country (another thread soon!) and are in the market for a new cooler...our old coleman has had it. we were looking at these yeti coolers (http://www.yeticoole...e=index&cPath=2) but they are pricey. anyone have any experience or other suggestions...we also looked at these coleman steelbelted coolers (http://www.summitcam...co54qtstco.html) as well, little cheaper than the yeti but still 100 bucks!

i know, get the engle , unfortunately that not happening for a while so we figure this is our next best option...any thoughts????

[brett13]

No experience with this Yeti, but we use the Coleman 5-day "extreme" cooler. Works well and is about $45. The thing I learned to make coolers work best is to use blocks of ice. They last forever. I put them on the bottom, then food, then cubes on top. On 5-day trips, the blocks usually make it home while I keep topping off the cubes. Never tried it in extreme heat though (only in the shoulder seasons for long trips).

If you have a chest freezer, you can use some tupperware to make your own blocks the size you need.

I would think a stainless belted cooler might be really heavy too? Just noticed the Yeti's are really heavy, like 20lbs+ empty!

[Seemore]

We usually fill up a 4 liter (one gallon?) plastic milk jug with filtered water and freeze that. It lasts much longer than the purchased blocks, we have cold ice water on those hot days, and there is no water to drain out. As long as the container is well washed there is no milk or plastic taste. On our recent trip, the temperatures were in the high 80's low 90's and the ice lasted 3 days in our antique Coleman cooler.

Pat and Carolin

[jimjxsn]

I too have had good expriences with the coleman extreme coolers. You do need to get a large enough size. The thick walls throw you off if you are going by outside dimensions;)

[marc]

erod,
I have that Coleman cooler and love it. I also do the plastic milk jug thing and it works great.

marc

[erod]

thanks guys...appreciate the response...didn't decide on one yet but those coleman extremes may be the way too go...definately need to get an engel...i guess i've been camping to much to save any money for one...

[craig333]

Hmmm, never noticed any difference between store bought ice and stuff I freeze myself.

[chnlisle]

Erod,
My buddy Gene bought a high dollar cooler from Cabelas. The thing was built beautifully and looked great. It didnt perform as well as the Coleman 5 day Extremes. They work really well. I wet down a furniture blanket and throw it over them stacked on top of each other. I put a couple of 2X's under them to facillitate air flow and assure I'm not trying too cool down the planet.

[EdoHart]

In addition to using block ice and keeping the ice out of the water, a good way to extend the life of your ice is to put a water soaked thin towel or thick sheet over the cooler and let evaporative cooling help. The stronger the wind, the more effective it is, as long as the cloth remains wet. A thin, terry cloth towel works best because it hold on to the water enough that it won't just blow away, but not so much that it won't evaporate (cotton is real good at retaining water). I've had some luck by punching a small hole in the bottom of a 2 liter plastic bottle, filling it with water, put the cap on, then placing it on top of the wet towel that is over the cooler(s). Then I can meter the water flow rate by opening the cap somewhere between barely and just a little (5-10 degrees?). I periodically check that there is sufficient flow so that it's somewhere between "most of the towel is wet" to "there is not much mud around the coolers."

Of course, this works best if there is water near by and the coolers are not in the camper.

[5 Speed]

I lived out of two Coleman extreme coolers for 4 month while in Alaska. I usually use frozen 2 liter bottles on weekend trips in California and quite often I return from 3-4 day trips with the ice still frozen. In Alaska I hit all the snow banks that I could find until summer took them away.

What I hate most is the dreaded floating food, zip lock bags, eggs, etc in the bottom of the cooler.

I got two large camping dry bags that seal with a roll up top and buckle. The block ice goes in and the water stays in too!!!!! The inside is never wet again and the ice lasts longer.