How To Choose A Cooler For Camping

When camping, your cooler is one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll take with you. It’s essentially your lifeline to fresh, safe food and cold drinks. If you head out into the backcountry for a few days with the wrong cooler, you could find yourself in quite a bit of trouble.

Nobody enjoys a lukewarm beverage on a hot day. But if the temperature of the food in your cooler rises above 40 degrees, that could mean serious illness for all who consume it. This article will show you how to choose a cooler that fits your outdoor needs.

How To Choose The Right Type Of Cooler

There are three main types of coolers available on the market today. They are:

1. Soft-sided coolers and cooler bags
2. Basic hard-sided coolers
3. Rotomolded coolers

Here are a few points to consider that will help guide your decision when purchasing a new cooler:

• How many days will you be camping?
• Will you have to carry the cooler a long distance?
• How warm will the outside temperature be?
• How much food will you be bringing?
• Do you plan to use dry ice? (If so, read this article on proper usage and safety! Note that not all coolers are rated for dry ice).
• Do you need a “wildlife-proof” cooler?
• What is your cooler budget?

These factors will help you determine how to choose a cooler that’s best for your needs. Continue reading below to learn about the pros and cons of each cooler type.

Soft-Sided Coolers

Soft-sided coolers are bag-shaped and usually have shoulder or backpack-style carrying straps. They are highly portable and can typically hold snacks, drinks, or a small meal for a couple of people. Most soft-sided coolers aren’t intended to keep food cold for longer than about a day. They are best for day trips, sporting events, outdoor activities such as hiking and picnics, and keeping snacks and drinks cold at the lake or beach.

However, with advancements in thermal insulating foam technology and cooler design, brands like Yeti, Bison, RTIC, Polar Bear, and more have developed soft cooler models that rival some larger, hard-sided coolers. Click here to read the Top 10 Best Soft Cooler Reviews and Buying Guide by Ice Chest Guide.

Just remember, while some soft-sided coolers boast impressive ice-retaining abilities and you may be able to safely cool food in them for a day or two, keep an eye on the temperature inside the cooler. If you’re carrying drinks and non-perishable snacks, this isn’t a big problem. If you have perishable food like meat and eggs in your cooler, make sure you have enough ice to keep the temperature below 40 degrees for food safety. I recommend this reliable refrigerator thermometer to monitor your cooler’s temperature.

PROS:

• Can be less expensive than a hard-sided cooler
• Very portable for taking along on hikes, picnics, or day trips
• Doesn’t take up as much space

CONS:

• Cooling time is limited
• Less durable than a hard-sided cooler
• May be more likely to leak as ice melts

Basic Hard-Sided Coolers

These are the types of coolers most people grew up with before Yeti and RTIC hit the scene. A few classic examples are your Igloo and Coleman brands. They are certainly more affordable than the high-performance rotomolded styles and perform well, but they have some limitations.

This type of cooler is generally more lightweight than the rotomolded varieties but is not as well insulated. Also, not all basic-style coolers have features like rubber seals and locking lids, which can affect their ice-retaining abilities.

However, there are some basic-style coolers that have upgraded features to help keep your food and drinks appropriately cold for a few days. If you’ll be camping for up to three or four days in moderate temperatures or if you’ll have access to ice to re-stock your cooler, this option may be perfectly fine. I used a basic-style cooler for my most recent 3-day camping trip in 90-degree weather and the results were very good! Our food stayed cold and we had quite a bit of ice left in the cooler at the end of our trip without having to re-stock it.

Remember, the performance of any type of cooler also depends on how well it is packed, how often it is opened, and where it is stored. If there is not enough ice, if there are large, open spaces within the cooler, or if it is opened frequently, the temperature inside the cooler will rise faster. Keep your cooler in the shade as best you can, too. This will help prevent direct sunlight from heating it up. Read my How To Pack a Cooler For Camping article to maximize your cooler’s space and cooling abilities.

PROS:

• Price is more affordable
• More space for the money
• Good cooling and ice-retaining abilities
• Lighter weight and more portable
• Many available features like ergonomic carrying handles, wheels, and drains

CONS:

• May not be as durable as rotomolded
• Less ice-retaining ability and cooling power than rotomolded
• Not usually approved for use with dry ice

Rotomolded Coolers

If you plan to camp for multiple days and nights and need maximum ice-keeping power, the Rotomolded coolers are your best bet.

The advantage of a rotomolded cooler is having a consistent thickness throughout the plastic cooler walls and evenly distributed foam insulation inside the walls. This allows for maximum insulating ability and also makes the cooler extremely durable. Properly packed rotomolded coolers can keep food and ice frozen for days and hold up really well to rugged outdoor and travel conditions.

The main disadvantage of rotomolded coolers is weight. Because of the density of the plastic and foam that give these coolers their excellent insulating capabilities, they are heavy. This may not be a big deal if you don’t need to carry it far or if you’ll have help transporting it.

A second disadvantage is cooler capacity. From the outside, the cooler may look large enough. But because the cooler walls are thick, you lose some space inside the cooler. Again, this may not be a big deal as long as you choose the appropriate size for your needs. Just make sure to judge the actual cooler size by the quart capacity measurement instead of the outside appearance.

Lastly, rotomolded coolers are expensive. But, you get what you pay for, right? If you will be traveling or camping in an area where replacing ice isn’t an option, you’ll need a cooler you know you can count on to keep your food cooled to a safe temperature. For this high level of durability and cooling power, the price is worth it.

PROS:

• Thick, evenly-distributed insulating foam in molded-plastic walls
• Impressive ice-retention ability
• Extremely durable for use in rugged conditions
• Many are approved for use with dry ice

CONS:

• Heavier weight
• Slightly smaller interior capacity for the overall size
• More expensive

How To Choose The Right Cooler Size

Now that you know more about the types of coolers available, let’s talk about how to choose the right cooler size for your outdoor activities.

Cooler sizes are measured in quarts. They may also say, “Holds ‘X’ number of cans.” Keep in mind that this measurement doesn’t always account for the space ice will take up, though.

According to this Cabela’s article, one quart is equivalent to about 0.75 cans. That means a 20-quart cooler would comfortably hold about 15 standard-sized cans with adequate room for ice.

To figure out which size cooler you need, answer the following questions:

• How many days will you be camping?
• How many people will be using it?
• Will you have separate coolers for drinks and food?
• Will you be hunting or fishing and need to bring back game meat or fish in your cooler?

If two to three people will be camping for a weekend, a 45 to 65-quart cooler should provide plenty of room for ice and food. This is especially true if you’ll have a separate, smaller cooler for drinks and bottled water. For longer camping trips, when camping with a larger group, or when bringing back fish and game meat, you may need to choose a 70 to 120-quart cooler.

Just remember, you don’t want extra, unused space in your cooler. Packing the cooler as tightly as you can and filling in open space with ice will help maximize cooling power and ice retention.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to choose a cooler, it’s time to fill it with good food and go camping. If you have cooler questions or just want to let us know which cooler is your favorite, leave a comment in the box below.

Also, don’t forget to check out the Recipes section of the blog to find delicious recipes that can be made right at your campsite. Happy camping!

Article photo courtesy of https://www.yourbestdigs.com Used with permission.