Ice chest/cooler

[zagain]

Need recommendations on a good wheeled 70-110 qts. ice chest that can keep ice for a few days in the shade outside the trailer. My budget is around $150.

[dbledan]

I am curious what NJKris says here...I have this.
Coleman 100-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Heavy-Duty Cooler with Wheels, Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64FJK..._-FaPCbTKDXT85

Use it at scout camp and can keep food cool with ice for 3 days easy in 90-100 degree heat if you don't open it much. If you spend more you will get a better cooler but best bang for the buck at half your budget.

Had it for 4 years now. The hinges broke when it fell 5ft off a shelf...$3 fix and a handle came off when full of water and turkeys with boys messing around...$4 fix.

The biggest issue I have had with it is people don't close it all the way. I put something on top that makes them close it fully now.

[IsleDog]

Originally Posted by dbledan

I am curious what NJKris says here...I have this.
Coleman 100-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Heavy-Duty Cooler with Wheels, Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64FJK..._-FaPCbTKDXT85

Use it at scout camp and can keep food cool with ice for 3 days easy in 90-100 degree heat if you don't open it much. If you spend more you will get a better cooler but best bang for the buck at half your budget.

Had it for 4 years now. The hinges broke when it fell 5ft off a shelf...$3 fix and a handle came off when full of water and turkeys with boys messing around...$4 fix.

The biggest issue I have had with it is people don't close it all the way. I put something on top that makes them close it fully now.

I have the non wheeled version and it is a solid choice for a cooler. I dont worry about destroying a $700 cooler or leaving it outside and having it grow legs and wander off. I never thought i would see the day where coolers are locked up.

[Anderson15]

Originally Posted by dbledan

I am curious what NJKris says here...I have this.
Coleman 100-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Heavy-Duty Cooler with Wheels, Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64FJK..._-FaPCbTKDXT85

Use it at scout camp and can keep food cool with ice for 3 days easy in 90-100 degree heat if you don't open it much. If you spend more you will get a better cooler but best bang for the buck at half your budget.

Had it for 4 years now. The hinges broke when it fell 5ft off a shelf...$3 fix and a handle came off when full of water and turkeys with boys messing around...$4 fix.

The biggest issue I have had with it is people don't close it all the way. I put something on top that makes them close it fully now.

I have the same cooler and have always been impressed with it.

[Iwannacamp]

I have one of these in 55 QT and I am very please with it.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lifetime-...oler/775870674

[Just Mike]

I have the same cooler as dbledan. I've had it about 5 years, does a great job, and I'm not terrified about damage/loss because it didn't cost an arm and a leg...

[5picker]

Originally Posted by dbledan

I am curious what NJKris says here...I have this.
Coleman 100-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Heavy-Duty Cooler with Wheels, Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64FJK..._-FaPCbTKDXT85

Use it at scout camp and can keep food cool with ice for 3 days easy in 90-100 degree heat if you don't open it much. If you spend more you will get a better cooler but best bang for the buck at half your budget.

Had it for 4 years now. The hinges broke when it fell 5ft off a shelf...$3 fix and a handle came off when full of water and turkeys with boys messing around...$4 fix.

The biggest issue I have had with it is people don't close it all the way. I put something on top that makes them close it fully now.

I have the same non-wheeled version of this cooler.
Has worked fine for me for about 8 years.

Are there more expensive models out there?... sure... do you need them for just a few days use?... not me.

[joeuncool]

One of the biggest differences between those really expensive coolers and the plastic ones from Coleman or Igloo etc, is that the expensive ones have foam insulation in the lids and the others don't. Easy fix for this is to drill several small holes in the lid and fill with spray can expanding foam.

There are tons of videos on YouTube with this and many other cooler hacks.

[NMWildcat]

We have a Yeti (was given to us) and one of those fairly cheap Igloo 5-day coolers, and then one really cheap Coleman.

Here is what I've seen; it just depends on how you use them. The Yeti will keep ice for 10 days, IF you never open it, pre-chill it, and only put in frozen or pre-cooled items. The 5 day lasts 3 days. The cheapy lasts maybe 2 days. This is only opening any of them occasionally and summer use.

If you use them for ice and drinks (beer cooler) that you are opening all day, then they all perform the same. So don't waste money on an expensive one

If you are going for a three week boondock and put food in one and rarely open it, then the Yeti will far out perform the other two.

So we use the Yeti for food and or extra ice. Only open it occasionally. We use the 5 day for ice and drinks. We only use the cheapy when we have a huge group with lots of kids who are in and out of the cooler constantly.

I would never buy a Yeti type cooler as you will never convince me they are worth that much. Perhaps it would be worth it if you were a backwoods outfitter, but still, that's a ridiculous amount of $$$.

[NJKris]

Originally Posted by dbledan

I am curious what NJKris says here...I have this.
Coleman 100-Quart Xtreme 5-Day Heavy-Duty Cooler with Wheels, Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64FJK..._-FaPCbTKDXT85

Hahaha! You got me pegged on my cooler fetish! So if I had 200 bucks to blow on a cooler, this one caught my eye: The Igloo Trailmate https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Trailma...g-goods&sr=1-7

But since I refuse to spend that much on a cooler, I have this Coleman steel belted as my crown jewel:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I only paid 106 for it when I got it, it's listed price is ridiculous. Anyway, I love the retro look, reminds me of my childhood.

Finally, I got this cart to haul the cooler around, worth every penny. Got it to haul stuff around on beach, but haven't used it for that yet, only at campground and around yard. Worth every penny. you can stick any cooler on it you want. https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Max-Ca...-garden&sr=1-1

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Hahaha! You got me pegged on my cooler fetish! So if I had 200 bucks to blow on a cooler, this one caught my eye: The Igloo Trailmate https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Trailma...g-goods&sr=1-7

But since I refuse to spend that much on a cooler, I have this Coleman steel belted as my crown jewel:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I only paid 106 for it when I got it, it's listed price is ridiculous. Anyway, I love the retro look, reminds me of my childhood.

Finally, I got this cart to haul the cooler around, worth every penny. Got it to haul stuff around on beach, but haven't used it for that yet, only at campground and around yard. Worth every penny. you can stick any cooler on it you want. https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Max-Ca...-garden&sr=1-1

Figured you would have found this thread quicker you are like the 10th post [emoji6].

You have coolers like I have grills from what I have read. I was curious what a connoisseur would reccomend.

[NJKris]

I would have but was in the ER getting checked out. Turns out I have something called diverticulitis. Was not fun. On the mend though!

[pgandw]

We also ended up with the Coleman Xtreme 5 day (2 of them). Reasonable price at WalMart; big improvement on the cheapies. I just could never see spending more than $50 on a cooler.

Also, although not as efficient, we manage better with 2 smaller coolers than 1 large. We only buy coolers with wheels. One for drinks; one for food. The smaller coolers will fit in the bear boxes that some campgrounds mandate; large ones will not. This avoids bears ripping at the rear windows of the minivan and the accompanying fine for storing coolers in your vehicle.

2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[whj469]

Igloo, with wheels and long handle that retracts, smaller size, you have to pick it up, block ice if you can find it?

[babock]

We have an Orca cooler. Its a Yeti knockoff but not that much cheaper. Many people claim it has more insulation than a Yeti. We use it for long trips to put our drinks in. Used it last October for 2 weeks in Utah and didn't have to add ice until the end of the trip. We did precool it the night before with a sacrificial bag of ice.