Thinking about a cooler, need some info

[DWiggles]

If it's a long trip or weekend, I tend to freeze some bottles or even gallons of water before hand to help keep everything chilled along with bags of ice.

May be a dumb question, but what are you guys putting in your coolers other than ice? I have seen some "sub zero" ice packs and was wondering if they are any use. Also have been reading about using ice blocks instead of loose ice. Any truth to these?

I put an extra bag of ice into the cooler the night before loading it, in the morning, I discard the bag from the cooler, and stock the cooler with new ice. My yeti will keep ice for several days when it's "pre cooled" otherwise, it seems on par with other coolers

 

[Kyle7R]

I put an extra bag of ice into the cooler the night before loading it, in the morning, I discard the bag from the cooler, and stock the cooler with new ice. My yeti will keep ice for several days when it's "pre cooled" otherwise, it seems on par with other coolers

Ahh, the old sacrificial bag of ice trick. It does make a difference.

 

[swampdog]

I put an extra bag of ice into the cooler the night before loading it, in the morning, I discard the bag from the cooler, and stock the cooler with new ice. My yeti will keep ice for several days when it's "pre cooled" otherwise, it seems on par with other coolers

That or you can save a trip to the store and just throw in what's in your freezer ice maker, it's enough to do the trick as well! But yes, this seems to be key.

 

[Mike_JK_Houston_711]

May be a dumb question, but what are you guys putting in your coolers other than ice? I have seen some "sub zero" ice packs and was wondering if they are any use. Also have been reading about using ice blocks instead of loose ice. Any truth to these?

I bought a cheap yoga mat and cut it into a few large pieces. Layer of a few bags of ice in the bottom and some loose ice to fill in the cracks. Frozen food, beer and beverages on top. Layer of yoga foam on top of that. Then food like sandwiches, eggs, cheese, fruit, etc on top of foam mat. Then another layer of yoga foam on top. Keeps the ice frozen for a while longer.

 

[Journeyman]

I haven't read this whole thread so maybe it's been mentioned. I was watching a myth busters episode where they were myth busting putting salt in the cooler to make the ice last longer.
It definitely worked by dropping the freezing temperature down below 32 degrees to something like 28ish. I tried it a few times and it definitely works!

 

[elgordomucho]

awesome advice, thanks guys. Any thoughts on the ice packs that claim to be sub zero? or is pre cooling better for long term. Maybe pre cooling and the sub zero? I ask because they are pretty pricey for what I have found.

 

[swampdog]

awesome advice, thanks guys. Any thoughts on the ice packs that claim to be sub zero? or is pre cooling better for long term. Maybe pre cooling and the sub zero? I ask because they are pretty pricey for what I have found.

It depends on the quality of cooler you bought, but I know the ORCA I bought can be cooked with dry ice if you are really trying to keep it super low.

 

[Mike_JK_Houston_711]

I haven't read this whole thread so maybe it's been mentioned. I was watching a myth busters episode where they were myth busting putting salt in the cooler to make the ice last longer.
It definitely worked by dropping the freezing temperature down below 32 degrees to something like 28ish. I tried it a few times and it definitely works!

No shit? Great idea. How much salt do you mix in with your ice? I'm gonna try this.

 

[Journeyman]

No shit? Great idea. How much salt do you mix in with your ice? I'm gonna try this.

A couple cups of salt for about the average size 47 quart cooler.

 

[bthomas]

A couple cups of salt for about the average size 47 quart cooler.

Gonna have to give that a try for sure! Rock salt or plain ol' table salt?

 

[Bigjimbo]

putting salt in the cooler to make the ice last longer. It definitely worked by dropping the freezing temperature down below 32 degrees to something like 28ish. I tried it a few times and it definitely works!

 

[notnalc68]

Gonna have to give that a try for sure! Rock salt or plain ol' table salt?

Either, but rock salt would be better. Salt lowers the freezing temperature of water. You do the same thing making homemade ice cream.

 

[Siebermd]

Seems kind of crazy, because we use salt to melt ice on the roads and driveways! SCIENCE!!!!!

 

[bthomas]

You do the same thing making homemade ice cream.

Thanks! That's exactly what it made me think of when I read it. Mmmmm... Ice cream!

Science!!!

 

[Gravedigger11]

Big key to these coolers is pre hiking the cooler and using actually frozen ice. Not ice that is in the melting stage already

 

[notnalc68]

Science!!!!!

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/solutions/faq/why-salt-cools-icewater.shtml

We froze beer like that, accidentally, when I was in college.

 

[swampdog]

Ten characters

 

[elgordomucho]

It depends on the quality of cooler you bought, but I know the ORCA I bought can be cooked with dry ice if you are really trying to keep it super low.

Its a yeti 35. One of the cards that came with it actually suggested dry ice.

 

[Journeyman]

Science!!!!!

http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/solutions/faq/why-salt-cools-icewater.shtml

We froze beer like that, accidentally, when I was in college.

Beer slushy. Awesome!

 

[mo0s3]

I went with the RTIC 65
Besides the wait it is a good buy. Looked at a lot of side by side test and it beat out the Yeti slightly every time.
After running the Rubicon on a 5 day adventure the only coolers that had ice was the Coleman I have with block ice. So after that I invested in the RTIC. I'll let you know how it fairs on the next 5 day trip [emoji16]