What are your "cooler packing" tips?

[ROC]

I'm getting things together for the whole Stagecoach deal. Thursday through Sunday of having some fun. As I conpemplate packing the coolers for four days worth of food and drink, dry ice comes to mind. I have a few tips of my own, but, I'd like your tips on using dry ice and makign the cooler "cold" for as long as possible.

The moho fridge will be packed full and we'll use one or two of the cooler to restock it.

Any tips from you houseboating regulars?

 

[Yellowboat]

block ice and only open when you have too.

 

[Local399]

Pack each cooler for a day...all meals for that day. Block ice, tape it shut and label it for what day. We would do week long Grand trips on the river this way and still had frozen goodness on the 7th day. The adult beverage cooler is the only one that should need to get constant ice added...as I hope it is opened often! :champagne:

 

[Zaairman]

Pack it tight and keep it shut and you're good for days. :thumbsup

 

[ROC]

All good ones. Thanks.

What about dry ice? I've only used it a few times, but, I hear there are a few tips concernign proper packing of dry ice. SOme say put it on the bottom, some say put it on top. I don't want to freeze my stuff, just keep it as cold as I can for teh four days.

Of course the beer/mixer/vodka cooler will be restocked with ice daily, or more:champagne:

 

[BadBlown572]

All good ones. Thanks.

What about dry ice? I've only used it a few times, but, I hear there are a few tips concernign proper packing of dry ice. SOme say put it on the bottom, some say put it on top. I don't want to freeze my stuff, just keep it as cold as I can for teh four days.

Of course the beer/mixer/vodka cooler will be restocked with ice daily, or more:champagne:

I can't remember last year. Do they sell ice at Stagecoach? Just pulled out my cooler and doing a Costco run tomorrow. :thumbsup

 

[ROC]

I can't remember last year. Do they sell ice at Stagecoach? Just pulled out my cooler and doing a Costco run tomorrow. :thumbsup

Yes they did and I hear they will again this year. Expensive ice, but, whatayagonnado?

See ya there. You getting there Thursday or Friday?

 

[BadBlown572]

Yes they did and I hear they will again this year. Expensive ice, but, whatayagonnado?

See ya there. You getting there Thursday or Friday?

Plan right now is to leave Friday morning, but you never know. Might just decide to load up and come out tomorrow night. :hmm

 

[Angry Inch]

put the beer in first, then the ice. done.

 

[Motor Boater]

Go buy 2 gallons of water and freeze them. Put them in the botom of the cooler with the beer and ice cubes over the top. At the end of the day throw the gallons back in the freezer and you will have 2 new fresh blocks in the morning. Much beter than blocks because you can resuse them and toward the end of the trip I start drinking from the gallons of water.

 

[ROC]

Go buy 2 gallons of water and freeze them. Put them in the botom of the cooler with the beer and ice cubes over the top. At the end of the day throw the gallons back in the freezer and you will have 2 new fresh blocks in the morning. Much beter than blocks because you can resuse them and toward the end of the trip I start drinking from the gallons of water.

I like it. I'm calling the restaurant now and have them make me some ice.

 

[SBjet]

Go buy 2 gallons of water and freeze them. Put them in the botom of the cooler with the beer and ice cubes over the top. At the end of the day throw the gallons back in the freezer and you will have 2 new fresh blocks in the morning. Much beter than blocks because you can resuse them and toward the end of the trip I start drinking from the gallons of water.

Good.
I freeze several bottled waters. Then put them in the cooler. As they unfreeze, you can drink them. If you don't drink them, refreeze them. BTW doing this can give you cancer.

 

[screaming pete]

make sure whatever your packing is cold FIRST....use igloo coolers for the long range and your soft coolers for the day. are you doing a food wagon there or just going to enjoy?

 

[BajaMike]

Go buy 2 gallons of water and freeze them. Put them in the botom of the cooler with the beer and ice cubes over the top. At the end of the day throw the gallons back in the freezer and you will have 2 new fresh blocks in the morning. Much beter than blocks because you can resuse them and toward the end of the trip I start drinking from the gallons of water.

Or buy a couple cases of 12 or 16 ounce water bottles, freeze them, and put then in the bottom of each cooler. Works like ice, lasts longer, and they taste great when you drink them, ice cold, half thawed out on a hot day!

:hmm

 

[BarryMac]

Dry Ice will freeze whatever is in the cooler, 5lbs will last about 24hrs in a sealed cooler. Great for shipping but really not necessary for just keeping stuff cold, I like the block ice idea and staying out of the cooler unless you absolutely must get into it...

 

[squirtnmyload]

i like hearing everyones cooler packing method. i pride myself on my cooler packing abilities

#1 try to keep them out of the sun. i use soft sided coolers. usually empty the fridge ice in it the night before to cool it. empty the next morning and then pack the shit in, dump a bag of ice on it then put in another still in the bag. just checked my cooler in the boat and there is still a little ice in the bag from when we were in parker on monday

if you go the dry ice route, make sure you bring some 2 liter bottles so you can make up some dry ice bombs

 

[RadMan]

For some 4 day camp trips to nowhere, we take 5# dry ice and wrap in 2-3 towels, fill large cooler with bagged ice (8-10 bags) and put dry ice on top, once a day, we take out what we need. We use one of those big ass coolers for this so it does take some space, but 4 days into the trip, we still have fresh ice for the regular use coolers.