Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Yeti Coolers?

RIO7 do a test for me with one of the Yeti's. Place water bottles in cooler as you do now, but add 6 to 8 inches of water. Place in walk in 2 nights before use. Put the food on top of ice and drinks, see how long the solid block last.

I've got a Tundra 75 and a Roadie 25. Awesome coolers! I used dry ice and 2 frozen gallon jugs for 10 days in the Big Horns this year. About day 6 or 7, as food was used, up I added a bag of ice. When we got home and unloaded it was still cold inside despite riding 4 hours in the hot sun on he way home.

Bob

Touche.

It is pretty simple really. He is a contractor and bought one for his truck and one for each of his 2 son's trucks at the same time.

I had two of them and then bought 7 more this year. the 105 qts size are the best, they are taller and easier to get stuff in. I don't like the chintzy hinges that come on regular coolers nor the fact that they don't have insulation in the lids. I have left a Yeti in someone's truck after a trip and several days later they call to me exclaim that there is still ice in them!

Are they the best? I don't know, there are several other high-end coolers out there that are similarly priced. A lot of my friends have the Yetis and none complain about them. I guess a guy has to know his limitations.

I will never buy another style of ice chest again.

Looks to be quite a few alternatives out there, in addition to those mentioned already there are these too:
http://www.grizzlycoolers.com/
http://k2-coolers.com/
http://canyoncoolers.com/
http://www.pelicanprogear.com/

I have a couple rafting friends that use them. They do hold ice very well. The biggest downside is the weight. I use an old 105 qt. Rubbermaid and with proper management, I can keep ice for about 7 days in summer heat.

However if I were to do a Grand Canyon trip, I'd get a Yeti. As mentioned, fill the bottom with about 4 inches of water. Freeze it solid, freeze all the food and liquids going in the cooler. Pack it solid. Freeze to below 0. Tape it shut and label it for the last three days of the trip (Only use one cooler for each 3 day segment) and in a 17 day float, I'm sure I'd still have ice in it.

See the following page. The have pretty good info on coolers, packing and ice.

http://rrfw.org/RaftingGrandCanyon/Cooler_Type_and_Packing

If we are really to compare cost v value, we must first determine what the standard is as far as ice totally melting. The key to keeping ice longer is getting rid of the water. We have a huge 144qt Igloo we used this June. I had 8 bags of ice in it. Kept it outside, slightly tilted with the drain open. Held ice for over five days and it was full of beer too! So what would a comparable Yeti do and how muchh would it cost?

I respectfully disagree. The key to keeping ice is to keep the mass up, the surface area of the ice to a minimum (no cubes), keep the outside of the cooler shady and damp, and expose air as little as possible.

In my cooler on float trips in the triple digits, I freeze two liter pop bottle solid. These never get opened to drain and in 7 day floats, I've come home with ice.

Now that being said, I think that if you have a bunch of water in your cooler along with cube ice,and it's being agitated a bunch (back of rig) it might be better to remove the water.

FWIW...

them coolers need to come with a "packer" for 300$$$ that would buy alot of beer.........

Hmmm....I just thought of a new product.

I don't think I should say more.

Water is THE #1 culprit in heat transfer ut everything you say also applies. Bottom line for me is that if I don't drain the ice melts significantly faster. At the end of the week there was a lot of ice that would not have been there had I not left the drain opened/

I guess if you are rich they are worth it, but I just sold mine. It was a heavy beyotch ,wouldn't open unless you loosen drain screw and for the money a coleman extreme is 1/10 the price. Not to mention folks are always stealing the damn things around here off of our boats and out of truck beds. Just not worth it in my area.

Got a 75 quarter as a gift from the wife and have used the heck out of it. It is a big SOB but really does keep the ice.