The Cooler Thread........

[hutty]

Yeti 105 and 65's. Jugs of ice and other random ice packs. Had them over 12 years and beat the hell out of them and never once regretted spending the money. Bonus they support groups I like RMEF and DU.

 

[Pitbull44]

Lifetime coolers are nice and don’t break the bank

 

[wapitibob]

I have three $50 120 quart Coleman Extreme coolers from Walmart. They've done well for me for many years.

I see no reason to spend more.

Jeremy

this ^^
I take 1 and use it as a dry box, buy a 2nd at the nearest walmart if I kill something. Get home and add to the collection for a few years then head to the dump and start over with 1.

 

[Indian Summer]

While it is true that the zillion dollar coolers are better built I don’t really think they are necessary.

If you camp a lot in the summer back home and want to keep food good and drinks cold for a week then maybe it’s worth taking out a second loan on your house to buy two of them.

But you can see how many guys are doing fine with two 120 quart Igloo or Coleman coolers. That picture Cnelk posted says it all. You can get an entire elk WITH the bones into two of them. They do a good job of keeping meat frozen or cold. I put 10 lbs of dry ice on top for the ride home and when I get there meat that wasn’t frozen is starting to freeze. Buy the ones with metal hinges instead of plastic and you’ll be good for a long time.

 

[LostArra]

^^^Agree

I use Coleman Extremes for hunting but own a Yeti (a gift). If the Colemans didn't work I wouldn't use them.

My criticism of the Yeti is security risk (no one steals Colemans), weight and capacity relative to it's footprint. It takes up too much space for the amount it will hold. Otherwise, the Yeti is a beast of a cooler and I'm sure my daughters, who gave me the Yeti, will fight over it when I'm gone. At least until they have to pick it up.

 

[Wapiti1]

One issue that I've found is coolers fitting under my hard tonneau cover. The Coleman's fit fine. Others that I have used don't.

Just something to consider if you like to keep your stuff out of sight.

Jeremy

 

[TX_Diver]

Two Igloo 120s for me. Wrap them in a tarp to keep direct sun off and rock on.

The colemans aren't waterproof through a rainstorm so I've ditched all but one now.

 

[JoeB]

How many and how large of coolers needed for quartered bull plus cape to bring home? Cape alone will take up allot of room.
In the past we have a trailer with a freezer and generator to take care of all that comes home. This next trip we are going guided and would rather not pull a trailer out if not needed.

 

[hambugler]

Yeti 250 with frozen jugs of water in it. Air the meat out at night if temps allow. Hang in my walk in cooler for 7-14 days at 37-40 degrees when I get home.

 

[jhm2023]

Spring bear has proven the most difficult for me as it spoils quickly and there has been some trial and error over the years. This method also works for caribou and moose,, so should be fine for elk too. I've settled on a 200gt cabelas cooler and a yeti 65. I pre-chill both with a sacrificial bag of ice starting the night before. A week or so prior to the hunt I'll also freeze enough bottles of various sizes that will fill the 200qt cooler at least half way. Right before heading out I dump the sacrificial ice, fill the large cooler with the frozen bottles and a couple of bags of ice(not broken up). The yeti gets cold beer, some cold groceries and packed full of loose ice. When successful I always spray the quarters with citric acid and allow the meat to air cool and dry prior to placing in the large cooler with the bottles. That cooler will not get opened again unless it is to add more meat and it will get stashed in the darkest shade I can find. Be sure that spot is shaded all day as the sun moves across the sky. If we end up killing enough bears that the large cooler is full, we drink the beer and add the surplus meat to the yeti. We still let it cool and dry, but we also place it in ziplocs prior to puttimg it on ice so it doesn't get wet. I also never just pile the meat in either cooler. I always place frozen bottles between the quarters, otherwise they won't cool properly. If hunting near a cold clear creek I will bring high quality roll top dry bags to take the place of the coolers allowing me to submerge the meat in the cold water, it's a perk of the very cold waterways in Alaska.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[cth027]

For those that use yeti coolers, do you not worry about them getting stolen from your Trucks?

 

[Mosby]

I have two 75 qt Orca coolers and a Grizzly that I use for processed meat. I prefer them over my large Coleman coolers. I am considering getting a small freezer for my utility trailer and use that on longer trips.

EDIT: I will add that I use my coolers differently when we are staying at a cabin with a fridge than camping. When camping/hunting, I keep one cooler full of ice and seldom open. The other cooler has food for the week. I store them in the shade or trailer, locked and cover them with wool blanket.

In my experience, ice lasts significantly longer in my expensive coolers than the Coleman. The other primary issue is my expensive coolers are bear certified and I keep them locked at all times. Otherwise you can not leave them out in bear country. I got tired of having to put the Coleman coolers back in my truck at night or when I went somewhere.

My Grizzly cooler is also bear certified and has molded handles. The handles allow me to have the cooler attached with a cable lock in the back of my truck or to the picnic table in s campground. If I only need one cooler, I take the Grizzly because it is a bit more difficult for someone to walk off with it.

 

[Dos Perros]

For those that use yeti coolers, do you not worry about them getting stolen from your Trucks?

Cable lock if you're worried about it.

 

[mlgc20]

For those that use yeti coolers, do you not worry about them getting stolen from your Trucks?

I don't. They're just coolers. Usually they are about the only thing in my truck. I typically leave my truck unlocked. If they want them, they can take them. Just don't want them breaking into my truck.

 

[Highvoltage1]

Coleman extremes for us! Normally catch them for $50/60 at Wally World. They have brought back a lot of elk for us, I have the 120 and a 70. Usually I can get processed steaks in the 70 and burger and a few steaks in the 120. Best wishes

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I use Cabelas Polar Cap and RTIC coolers. This is true for cross country road trips as well as staying in the balmy desert in southern AZ during the early season (starting in August for black bear).

I save tea bottles (rectangular), fill them with water and they "live" in my chest freezer until it is time to head to the field. I will load up the coolers with these bottles as well as a few "trash towels" for some additional insulation. This keeps the coolers cold until they are needed.

The length of the drive back dictates what I do next.

If it is "close" then I use use the remaining frozen tea bottles to keep things cold. If it is "awhile" I will then use the remaining frozen tea bottles and grab some ice as needed; I'll drain any ice water with each pit stop (not a believer in leeching the meat). If I have a long drive, I grab dry ice and drive.

I've done this on a ton of hunts in extremely hot weather, cross-country road trips, etc. Never had an issue keeping the meat ice cold.

 

[hutty]

I have two 75 qt Orca coolers and a Grizzly that I use for processed meat. I prefer them over my large Coleman coolers. I am considering getting a small freezer for my utility trailer and use that on longer trips.

Few years back we bought a chest freezer for out trip out west. Load it in the trailer and made a bracket outside to hold a honda generator. Best investment we did. All our meals come out packaged and frozen. When we get to camp run 100ft extension cord and never hear the generator. All meat comes back bagged and cold.

 

[MThuntr]

I have a Maluna 55qt (Yeti copy) and a couple Coleman Extremes. Honestly if you keep going in and out of coolers for drinks and snacks and are on a weekend trip then there isn't a need for a fancy cooler. They really only benefit a guy for longer storage and when you keep them closed.

Recently bought an RTIC Ultralight 53qt for my raft as it will double as a seat and it'll support a couple people while I question the strength of a coleman.

As said the Lifetime or Ozark Trail coolers work as good as the fancy ones but for 1/3 the price.

 

[TSAMP]

I love how this thread started with an honest attempt to learn how folks handle game care and cooler functionality and turned into a fancy cooler bash and flex on how cheap you got your Coleman.

 

[Roksliding]

I have a fancy 150er and a “cheap” 200qt cooler. That allows me some flexibility so I don’t HAVE to debone ALL the meat. In case I need to get on the road quick like.

I have fozen water jugs in one of the coolers that is not to be opened until I’m headed home and stays under a blanket on a shady side of the truck if possible. If left untouched they last a long time.

Then I just distribute the ice jugs to the coolers around the meat/quarters best I can. I am always worried about spoiling meat, so I inevitably stop at some midway point on the way home and ice up, and continue to worry myself into driving non stop back home.. last year about 20hours strait.

the one year my camp was such that I was able to use one of those hitch racks, then I had a 5cu freezer with a generator on it...... I didn’t take an animal that year but I think that would’ve been the easiest most stress free trip back home... I cannot post pictures of it due to questionable bumper stickers and I do not want to offend. But if at all possible I’m going that route from now on!