Coolers August 21, 2019, 05:22:30 pm Cooler/ice chest products is a topic related to the "Boondocking and Food" thread, but some might be interested (or not! ) in a separate discussion. I've recently looked into getting an efficient cooler, both for "emergency" food storage and to cool/keep bulky fruits and vegetables that don't fit into the refrigerator.There are quite a few websites which review many brands of currently available coolers, both soft and hard-sided; some of the review sites also include information on cooler construction and insulation, instructions on packing a cooler for maximum efficiency, and also offer tips on choosing the "best" cooler for one's needs. (Definitely a "YMMV" issue!) Popular hard-sided coolers are those from Yeti, Orca, Bison, Pelican, Engel, Grizzly, Rtic, and a few more; all of these - in any size - are expensive. Coleman and Igloo offer less expensive choices. Two soft-sided coolers that get generally good reviews are Polar Bear and AO, although manufacturers of hard-sided coolers may also make soft-sided models. The manufacturers' websites may offer their products directly, or the products and models are available on Amazon or through other sources, both online and in stores.I'm still researching; a couple of posters have given their experiences with certain cooler brands and sizes, but more input from actual use/experience is always welcome! 2 Likes
Re: Coolers Reply #1 – August 21, 2019, 06:30:07 pm I have a Polar Bear, I think it's a medium sized one.I've had it for going on 20 years now.I carried it on my motorcycle for many years.It's built to last and has sufficient cooling abilities that I could keep my cold food fresh for about 4 days of riding on cheap ice that melted pretty quickly.I have been pretty impressed with it, enough to have kept it and now use it in the RV. Sometimes I have to travel fairly long distances to get raw milk. And since it is a soft cooler, it doesn't take up too much space.
Re: Coolers Reply #2 – August 21, 2019, 06:42:38 pm I don't know if this will help anyone, but when we used a basic Coleman cooler for food storage in our Westfalia, we discovered that block ice worked much better than bag ice for keeping things colder, longer. Also, that most supermarkets sell block ice. We didn't even know you could buy ice in big blocks until some other camper told us about it. It does take up more space in the cooler, but it seemed worth it to us back when were were in the Westy and didn't have a genuine full size Lazy Daze fridge.Fun topic! And it's hot here today!Jim & DebSanta Cruz, California
Re: Coolers Reply #3 – August 21, 2019, 08:08:43 pm A tip, we use coolers to store other things in (above our cab) - right now they store our extra items (we are still buying paper products etc. in bulk at Costco). But that means the coolers are handy and ready to go if they are needed without taking up much more space than whatever bin we would store the items in anyway.Jane
Re: Coolers Reply #4 – August 22, 2019, 04:32:14 pm Speaking of 'Coolers', here's a brand (Cordova) that should be better known but is rarely seen. In my estimation it stands head and shoulders above the Yeti. But then I'm biased! Cordova Outdoors – The New Standard of CoolIf you've never tried 'Dry Ice' maybe you should... just wear gloves, it will flash freeze bare skin.
Re: Coolers Reply #6 – August 22, 2019, 05:55:30 pm Quote from: Lazy Bones - August 22, 2019, 04:32:14 pmSpeaking of 'Coolers', here's a brand (Cordova) that should be better known but is rarely seen. In my estimation it stands head and shoulders above the Yeti. But then I'm biased! Cordova Outdoors – The New Standard of CoolIf you've never tried 'Dry Ice' maybe you should... just wear gloves, it will flash freeze bare skin. The built-in bottle openers seals the deal.Jim 1 Likes
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Topic: Coolers (Read 229 times)
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