Forget the great anchor debate, let's debate best coolers.

[nautibeaver]

The admiral wanted to buy me a Yeti for Father's Day (I have a lot of kids so big day). I argued about if it was worth the money, researched a few forums and the inter webs and agreed to the purchase. I got a Tundra 250. A mammoth beast that weighs in at 70lbs. After almost a year I wanted to provide a review. One word, awesome.

The cooler has a few key thing you need to remember. It is all about the pre cool. You must bring this down to temp before setting expectation. On our trip to Alaska the cooler went on for days around 38-40degrees. This was with just a few frozen gallons of water and no ice. Key was precooled it with contents and let Drane, then just used milk jugs to hold temp.

Second thing is a little redneck ingenuity. I bought some sodium polyacrylate (aka diaper crystals). Got a bucket, food coloring and let's the kids do an experiment. I took the results and double 4mm chamber vacuum packed the solution and created "ice packs". No more bulky milk jugs.


Took the cooler to 5 day volleyball tourney last week. Refilled beer/water contents a few times (because of the odd phenomenon where beer keep leaving the cooler, from the parents after a long day) when we got home on the 5th day the diaper ice packs were still half frozen.

Exterior looks like it did when we brought it on board. Although I do have a canvas cover coming in the next few weeks.

And one last final thought. The Admiral was/is always right!




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[dhmeissner]

nICE post

 

[sunchaser]

What anchor debate? I'd guess 98% of those who read the debates did not rush out and buy a new anchor. Except Kevin of course but he bought his first and then started debating his choice.

But a big Tundra, that is worth considering. For those of us lucky enough to go to a V'ball young girls tourney (another this weekend for us) a cool beverage or two is the ticket. What rode did you use to tie it down?

 

[N4712]

I have a Roadie for my Dusky and its a great little cooler for fish and drinks.

 

[nautibeaver]

What anchor debate? I'd guess 98% of those who read the debates did not rush out and buy a new anchor. Except Kevin of course but he bought his first and then started debating his choice.

But a big Tundra, that is worth considering. For those of us lucky enough to go to a V'ball young girls tourney (another this weekend for us) a cool beverage or two is the ticket. What rode did you use to tie it down?

Actually, it fit perfectly in the bed of my truck (ironically a tundra) and allowed for easy access as I set it back a few inches from the tail gate.

But good luck getting out of truck with only two men. With ice packs, beverages and food, it had to be 300+lbs. While a sign of quality, also a sign of this thing is not meant for portability.

I did order a Yeti Tank for the purpose pictured for a guys trip in May for spot prawn and lingcod fishing in the San Juans. I think it should do the trick.





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[nautibeaver]

Actually, it fit perfectly in the bed of my truck (ironically a tundra) and allowed for easy access as I set it back a few inches from the tail gate.

But good luck getting out of truck with only two men. With ice packs, beverages and food, it had to be 300+lbs. While a sign of quality, also a sign of this thing is not meant for portability.

I did order a Yeti Tank for the purpose pictured for a guys trip in May for spot prawn and lingcod fishing in the San Juans. I think it should do the trick.





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with the picture now


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[Carolena]

I'll second (or third) the vote for a good cooler. I as on the fence for a couple of years and finally bit the bullet last summer. We ultimately got an Engel, which is similar to the Yeti but was a little less expensive. We did a five day trip over the 4th of July and still had ice when we got back. Aside from precooling, the other issue is how often you open the cooler. We decided to use the Engel to hold ice and back-up supplies, and use our old coleman for drinks where it is opened frequently. When the ice in the coleman gets low, we grab another bag from the Engle. In fact, using it that way, at the end of the trip there wasn't more than a quart of water in the bottom of the Engle. One year in the sun and still looks new.

 

[dwhatty]

A vote here for the Yeti Tundra. Went through a succession of increasingly more expensive lesser beasts that couldn't hold ice more than a day before biting the bullet and shelling out for the Yeti. And for you boaters in the PNW, it's rated bear proof!

With a cushion, it makes a good, sturdy cockpit seat and with a soft case LifeSling on the rail behind it for a backrest, it's quite comfy. And one doesn't have to go far for a refill.

Only minor problem we've had with it is the seals are so effective that sometimes we have to crack open the drain plug to open the lid. We'll live with that happily.

 

[Pack Mule]

I have a 75 on the boat that the kids got us a few years ago and then the kids got us this for Christmas .Great for short trips .

 

[Steve]

I have drooled over them but they are too heavy for me. By the time one puts a couple of bags of ice and a decent catch of fish, too much work to lift out of the boat a 17' whaler which is low to the dock.
I'm sticking with my Igloos for now. I have an ice maker at home and freeze blocks of ice at the fishing camp so that works ok for me.
If I needed something for the back deck of the trawler I'd probably get one.

 

[sea hag]

Owning several different size Yetis by gift, I am a little disappointed in their ice keeping. Yes, very sturdy, well made and replacement parts available, but certainly not portable when full. We actually fill our Yeti in place on the boat due to weight. I note that most positive comments came from cooler climates. Boating in AL summers certainly test any cooler, and it's ability to maintain ice. That said, many fishing boats on the Gulf swear by their Yeti. They start with a cooler full of crushed ice, obviously fulfilling the pre-cool suggestion. I have not tried the suggestion of pre-cooling, but certainly will this summer. For me, considering costs, weight, and my desired performance, think I will stick with Igloo. But I'm not giving them back !

 

[Crusty Chief]

My Yeti is by far the best cooler I have ever owned. And if it can survive the desert heat and out perform any other cooler, I'm a happy camper. Now to be honest though, I use the Yeti primarily as a storage for all the Ice to use on the other ice chests.
Also, as mentioned above, pre cooling helps an awful lot. When it's 100 plus degrees the block ice lasts 3-5 days and the bag ice last 2-3 days. I've learned that the Beer consumption increases dramatically on hotter days which in turn requires opening coolers more often. This is a serious problem!
Thanks to the Yeti, I'm able to restock the other cooler with fresh ice when restocking the beer supply.
Thank you Yeti.

 

[CPseudonym]

Timely thread as a coworker and I where joking about the cost and if they where really worth it or not. Hmmm...

 

[windmill29130]

Can't see spending that kind of money on a cooler. Any cooler works if you cool it down as described. The more you open the less time the ice will last. I'll stick with the trusty Coleman.

 

[SOJOURN4]

OK my, 2 Yeti cents....
In Annapolis 2 years ago, 6 boat owners on bikes doing our usual bike constitutional - Stopped in Fawcett’s marine store and you know the drill - you always need "something" from a marine supply store - well we started debating Yeti’s. We all had other “feed them ice” coolers which were marginal at best. Needless to say, $1,700 later, we were the proud owners of 3 new Yeti’s….which were delivered to our dock by Fawcett’s staff. Unless it falls overboard or borrowed by one of my kids – I am sure I will never have to purchase another cooler…….

 

[nautibeaver]

I have a 75 on the boat that the kids got us a few years ago and then the kids got us this for Christmas .Great for short trips .

Would you say those softies are worth the 300-350$. Been looking at them for a bit for wife's back of car.


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[nautibeaver]

Can't see spending that kind of money on a cooler. Any cooler works if you cool it down as described. The more you open the less time the ice will last. I'll stick with the trusty Coleman.

Owned a few colemans. Last one most expensive one they make and marine model. I tossed it in garbage after the yeti.


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[nautibeaver]

Owned a few colemans. Last one most expensive one they make and marine model. I tossed it in garbage after the yeti.


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Sorry, let me clarify, this was simply my opinion. Did not mean it to sound so harsh.


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[PuppyR]

No debate, YETI!

 

[Arch]

Ok, I get the Yeti for the truck or camping. But for for the boat, why not get a 12 volt fridge/freezer and be done with it?
EdgeStar
63 Qt. 12V DC Portable Fridge/Freezer
Operates as a portable freezer or refrigerator
Volume: 63 qt. capacity
Easy to use control panel
Temperature: -8 to 50 degrees F
$559.00
Arch

 

[JDCAVE]

The best cooler I "Never" bought was a 12v cooler by/for Porsche.

The neighbour put it out on the street as surplus to his needs. He had never used it. I picked it up for free. We keep it in the Pilothouse and plug it into the 12v cigarette receptacle and we used it a few times to keep bevies and lunches cold while travelling. It draws more power than we like while on the hook though so have stopped using it.


Jim
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[N4712]

Another good ice chest company is Frigid Rigid. I've seen these coolers hold ice for days too.
http://frigidrigid.com

 

[caltexflanc]

Huge debate on the fishing oriented forums, such as The Hull Truth. Every bit as much or more as anchors are on cruising forums if not more so, as those guys use coolers intensively. Big love / hate divide on Yetis. Engels, Frigid Rigid, Pelican and a few others are major high end competitors.

 

[sea hag]

So, I read the sales pitch on the Frigid Rigid. Certainly doesn't help on price point. Do like the USA made aspect. Anyone with real world experience regarding weight and performance ?

 

[healhustler]

No debate, YETI!

My cooler is self righting with it's weighted base and custom roll-bar. It's massive wheels and husky shank exude "heavy duty". Cools the first time, every time, no matter what the temp or terrain. My cooler can beat your cooler up.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Larry you're hot!

 

[FlyWright]

Larry, you're sick!

 

[Bacchus]

I bought a K2 a couple of yrs ago based on a comparison report and have been very happy....(Looked but couldn't find it again)
Actually the BEST RATED & BEST BUY was the Coleman Xtreme - only reason i didn't go that route was I wanted it to occasionally serve as a seat and the Coleman didn't fit the bill.

 

[Bacchus]

At the risk of drifting the thread...
(I don't think an anchor thread would ever go w/o a comment on rodes?!?)

What is better... BLOCK or CUBE ice?
WHY?
DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA OR JUST OPINION?

 

[jimbob]

Depends on the size of your glass JUST OPINION THOUGH