Yeti Coolers.

[ms6852]

I have wanted to buy one for years but paying 10 times the price for one rubs me the wrong way reeeeeaal bad. Are they worth the price? Do they really work that much better and the igloo coolers that supposedly keep ice for 7 days but actually last 3 days?

 

[jmorris]

A friend of mine has several of them. The first time he showed me one he couldn't get the lid open as it had a vaccum and the lid seals so tight. For me, I think $300+ will buy a lot of ice. As a matter of fact $300 will get you an ice machine off of craigslist.

 

[Sako Shooter]

I had some bad experinces with a couple of "other" coolers with the latches breaking, cracking over time, etc. The Yeti is undoubtedly the best I have owned so far. You can replacement component parts, such as the rubber latches, drain plug, etc. It also keeps ice intact for longer, even in the heat. The Yeti coolers are tough and a large man can sit on one to fish or even stand on one w/out breaking it. The only downsides is they tend to be a bit heavier than a regular cooler, and are, of course, expensive.

 

[texas chase]

I live in austin not too far from where Yeti's are made. My buddy does their hats, koozies, etc. He knows the owners well and see's the fab/manufacturing first hand. I asked him the same question - why are they so good and why are they so expensive. He said they will not compromise on quality. They use super tough kayak plastic and double the insulation of most coolers - along with a lot of other things to make a bettter cooler. He also commented that they don't want to be the biggest or richest guys in the world. They really want to be the best at what they're doing and make the absolute best cooler int he world. And from my friends/acquaintences that have Yeti's, they say its one of the best investments they've ever made. I personally don't have one... yet. Still working on convincing the wife.

 

[ms6852]

I feel like jmorris does. $300 does buy a lot of ice.

 

[texas chase]

$300 does buy a lot of ice... but it doesn't last for 20+ yrs either.

 

[jmorris]

For hinges that fail, I take them off and put a section of an old seat belt behind them and screw them back on. They last forever after that.

I once had a craftsman plastic cordless tool box that I picked up at the sears surplus store for $5 it was large enough for one of the igloo marine coolers I had and about 4" of greatstuff foam all arounjd it. It was more like a gettoi cooler but the only thing I have that holds ice better is a deep freeze

 

[X-Rap]

$300 buys a lot of ice but if you are far from the ice store it makes no never mind. I am interested to hear from more yeti owners. I spend some time at one of the hottest wettest places in the US, Lake Powell and ice is at a premium and expensive as gas. Fresh fish must be kept cold and live wells in 85 degree water are useless so coolers are a must from the catch to final bagging.
I also bowhunt which also has its own demands on coolers.

 

[countertop]

I have a cheap-o $19 Coleman cooler I purchased at a Wal Mart in Mitchel, SD a few years ago on a pheasant hunt. Down on the S. Georgia coast fishing this week. Brought it and a bunch of others with us. We filled it with ice on Friday and forgot about it in the back of my truck until we happened to open it this morning. While most of the ice melted, the water was still cold and there was actually still some ice left.

Considering its been in the 90s every day, I'd say that is pretty damn good performance for the money. I couldn't imagine paying $300 for a cooler.

 

[jmorris]

I talked to my buddy that has 3 yeti coolers and we will do a head to head against the yeti and others after Laborday.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

it's been over 110 for several days in central Texas and over 70 days over 100 degrees, I got friends with Yetis and they havent fared all that great. I make my own ice, save money for guns and ammo.

 

[Kingcreek]

not sure this is helpful or relevant to the discussion but my hunting buddy and I made a plywood box with 4" of insulation that encloses the two 128 quart marine coolers we already had. kept ice and everything cold for a week in archery elk camp (keeping them in the shade helped too)

 

[41 Mag]

Well with all of the surf fishing we have done over the years we have gone through most all of the "top" coolers at one time or another. In my garage sit what I considered the best I have been able to find, two of them are Igloo 124 Marine, and two of them are Icey Tech, the predecessor to the Yeti.

When you sit out on the beach for 4-5 days straight there isn't much if any shade and there are only a few things you can do to keep ice, in a cooler when your 45 or so miles from anything resembling civilization. I have yet to find anything which will hold the ice longer than the Icey Tech/Yeti in that situation. Are they worth it to everyone, probably not. But if you need something to keep ice they are. I have yet to have any issues with either of the ones I have, and I do use them on a very regular basis.

What we found to work the best and extend our ice no matter the cooler brand, was to pre-chill it with a bag or two of ice. Another thing that HELPED a TON was to use crushed ice, this was put into a large plastic bag and filled a smaller cooler which fit in our large chest freezer. Once frozen it was then pulled out and it was filled again. Once it was in this state we put bag and all into the larger coolers and it would easily keep a week even in the sun. The thin was however it was easily broken up when needed since it was simply small chunks frozen together.

Here is a link to the results of a very informal test, but very accurate one using several brands and types of coolers with only bag ice.
http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showpost.php?p=1358331&postcount=84

 

[jmorris]

If you have one of the giant coolers 150+ a wood plank in the bottom with blocks of dry ice helps a lot. Not the best idea if you plan to put canned/bottled beverages in there.

 

[brainwake]

Here is a tip that I learned from a friend who lives in Corpus Christie and spends a lot of time camping on the beach.....take an extra cooler, fill it with ice. and best to use frozen water balloons and store bought ice....then open the drain and tilt it so it drains...then set it in the shade and don't open it for the first day...DON'T OPEN IT Until you absolutley need it...then you will find that you still have plenty of ice for another day in the heat....this works to preserve ice.

 

[ms6852]

What I have done in the past when I camp out at BIG SHELL (its on the beach in Corpus Christi Tx) is I buy dry ice. I split it in half and put a piece in one cooler with ice and food and drinks, and the other with the ice only cooler. You have to be careful that you do not use to much dry ice because it will freeze your beverages and food. For me this has been the cheapest alternative than buyin a $300 cooler. It has extended the ice to about 5 days total.

 

[41 Mag]

Yep there are several ways to prolong the ice in the coolers with the block method being about the best and the dry ice deal right there with it, provided you can find some locally.

I brought back a 250# mule deer from CO one year and when we left it was mid 70's there and when we got back here it was mid 90's. I packed it up in the coolers, then put in a couple of towels, then several layers of news paper over the top of the meat to insulate it. Then put in about 25# of dry ice, more news paper, then taped the lids with duct tape.

When we got to the packing plant two days later it was all frozen solid. I had to leave my coolers because we couldn't get it out till it thawed a bit.

Yep any stretch from the Little Shell area to the Mansfield jetties with 100+ ambient for a week is an experience for sure. It will definitely test you and your equipment.

 

[FLAvalanche]

I'm a professional fishing guide. I keep two coolers on my boat, one for food and one for fish. I also work in the hot Florida sun. Between the heat, humidity and saltwater air, that's a tough environment for anything, let alone a cooler. I got tired of replacing the coleman marine coolers every year for handle breaking, hinges breaking, clasps breaking and in this heat you're lucky if your ice lasts for an all day charter.

Until I got a yeti. I got lucky and won one in a raffle and it's hands down the best damn cooler on the market. I can leave that cooler on my boat, in the sun for three days and still have ice. My clients also use it as a casting platform. It's that tough.

 

[jmorris]

went to shoot area 4 yesterday and a friend had two along for the trip. They might hold ice forever but make for a hard to open cooler. The trick before Thursday night was over was to shut the lid on a straw, without it quite a vacuum was formed.

 

[Mike1234567]

I suppose if one really needed to keep something cold for as long as possible and there was no easy access to fresh ice then a pricey ice chest might be worth the money. But what about the many times it'll be opened to access the contents? Wouldn't opening it often more-or-less depreciate any "ultra insulation"?

 

[41 Mag]

I suppose if one really needed to keep something cold for as long as possible and there was no easy access to fresh ice then a pricey ice chest might be worth the money. But what about the many times it'll be opened to access the contents? Wouldn't opening it often more-or-less depreciate any "ultra insulation"?

Well you hit it on the head for why I have mine. Where we used to go about every other weekend was miles from anywhere let alone ice. So we got tired of having to head somewhere to get it. When we hunt we hunt, not run the roads to get supplies so again, bring it with us and not have to worry about not having it.

Like I mentioned they aren't for everyone, and not everyone needs them, but if you do they are, at least to me, well worth the investment. Especially figuring in the time and fuel to travel down 30 - 40 miles of beach in differential deep ruts and talcum powder like sand.

We use the high dollar ones to keep food and ice and thats it. All drinks are kept in a separate cooler which doesn't get opened very often. The drink cooler is smaller and MUCH easier to hide in the shade or bury in the sand so it's out of the heat. We usually freeze a case of bottled water and use it to keep the smaller cooler cold and drink them as they thaw. WE also keep some light food stuff like bread and lunchmeat in there with them as well.

 

[FLAvalanche]

I suppose if one really needed to keep something cold for as long as possible and there was no easy access to fresh ice then a pricey ice chest might be worth the money. But what about the many times it'll be opened to access the contents? Wouldn't opening it often more-or-less depreciate any "ultra insulation"?

It's not just the coolers ability to keep ice and keep things cool. They're also tough. I've had mine for a year and a half and that is saying a whole lot for me.

Like I said, my clients use it as a casting platform and so do I. So with me, thats 270 lbs standing on the top of an ice chest all day and it doesn't even phase the Yeti.

 

[Mike1234567]

It's not just the coolers ability to keep ice and keep things cool. They're also tough. I've had mine for a year and a half and that is saying a whole lot for me.

Like I said, my clients use it as a casting platform and so do I. So with me, thats 270 lbs standing on the top of an ice chest all day and it doesn't even phase the Yeti.

I like multi-purpose tools too. I suppose for one who uses it a lot and if it's really that tough I can see its value.

 

[ms6852]

JMORRIS its after labor day, has your buddy done the head to head with the yeti coolers?

 

[MCgunner]

Yeti coolers are great if you're filthy rich. I won't wear out enough cheap coolers with the rest of my life span to add up to that kind of money. I live on a small retirement income and won't even get my SSI until next year. I'll pass for now, just can't afford the high priced stuff. That's why I own a Spartan and not an H&H SxS.