For those that want the high-end coolers:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/tests/the-results-of-our-bear-proof-cooler-test-are-in?click=main_sr#slide-1
I was like a kid that got a brand BB-gun on Christmas morning when I won my K-2 cooler (the small one).
I gotta tell ya, I’ve been a little disappointed. I put my drinks straight from the refrigerator into it, emptied the refrigerator ice tray onto the drinks and put the cooler in my truck and drove 200 miles. When I opened it up, I’d guess 5 hours later, most of the ice had melted. The next day, all the ice was gone but the water was still cold.
The cooler had been inside my air conditioned house before I loaded it and went straight from my truck to a house with the A/C set at 69 degrees as soon as I arrived. So the cooler never sat in the hot truck, it was always in an A/C environment.
Per K-2’s website it recommends:
Chill your cooler firstChill your cooler by placing some ice in it several hours before packing it with food and drink. This will cool down the interior and greatly reduce the ice that is usually used up from cooling down the cooler itself.
Pre-chill your contents
Pre-chill or freeze the contents you intend to load into your cooler. This is a very critical step to insure long ice retention. A 12 pack of canned drinks will use over 2 lbs of ice just to chill it!
Use colder ice
It may sound crazy, but use good quality ice. High quality, deeply frozen ice can be almost 40 degrees colder than ?wet? ice which is barely below the freezing point.
Block vs cubed ice
Block ice will last longer and cubed/crushed ice will cool items down more quickly. We like to use a combination so our contents are chilled quickly, but to also insure that they stay cold longer!</i>
I guess all those indestructible coolers are similar and need to be pre-chilled to save the ice. I think that’s bogus, I don’t have time to ice the cooler to pre-chill and then repack with new ice after the pre-chill ice has melted.
And it’s heavy as heck. But it makes a good seat, so there’s that.
I use co2 in my Yeti and it works well. No sliding around in the boat or truck and you can stand or sit on it. Co2 busted up my Igloo. I have several Igloo coolers needing hinge’s and latches and the top’s are cracked up or missing. I still use a small Igloo for bait, with a rubber strap holding on the top. I use co2 because it is free and takes up less room. Don’t have a Yukon or Pelican but i’m sure they house co2. The Yeti is heavy and pricey but my Yeti coolers were free. As far as bears, I will whoop that bear and get my cooler back.
‘87 Pacemaker 31’ SF
‘04 Renegade 29’ 2 225’s
‘97 Maycraft 17’ 40 hp
I’ll stick with my Igloo 72qt Marine “5 day”. Cost $74 on sale and it’s going three years strong now. No issues and used regularly. Holds ice just fine for me. All day in the sun on the boat and never had an issue with keeping drinks and food cold with 20lbs or less of ice. Even in the dead of summer, 20 lbs of ice will turn into 10 lbs in 24hrs time. Perfectly acceptable in my book. Also it doesn’t weigh $h!t. Weight matters in my 14’ skiff.
Where I fish the bears don’t have boats so the bear test is irrelevant to me. Always amusing to watch but I don’t camp so still irrelevant for my usage.
2012 Carolina Skiff J14, 25 Merc, Jackplate
quote:
Where I fish the bears don't have boats so the bear test is irrevelant to me
I’ve never had a bear get in my boat either. I’ve had snakes, gators and unwanted fish jump in, almost a deer once, but never yet a bear.
quote:
I don't camp so still irrevelant for my usage.
I used to as a youngun. Today my idea of camping out is staying at the Mariott because the Westin was full. They have ice machines 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
I never have a problem with my Engel cooler and I have seen test where it stays colder than the rest.
WS Tarpon 120
WS Tarpon 100
Heritage Ultralite 9.5
Ghennoe & 6hp Suzuki
Scout 153 & Yamaha 60
I don’t have any ■■■■■■■■ on one vs. another, but I did find a way to justify the price of my Yeti. I needed a new cooler for the boat AND I was looking at a removable pedestal seat for the front deck for those times my wife wanted to sit and fish. When I compared the price of a pedestal seat mount, seat and Igloo to the price a a Yeti that was strong enough to sit/stand on, the Yeti won out (just barely.) But, there you go. I didn’t have many choices in my local area, but I’d certainly look at the other brands. These things work well, but they are not magic.
16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120
I think if you get a Yeti, you should also get a Salt Life sticker. If you can’t find a Salt Life sticker, because they are pretty rare, it is perfectly acceptable to settle for a “Calvin peeing on something” sticker.
I have to admit, I used to be one of those guys that would say “why in the hell would anyone spend that kind of money for a Yeti. That’s ridiculous!” Well, I won a Yeti at a DU banquet (65 Tundra) and REALLY put it through its paces. Long story short, I now own three other Yetis and will not buy anything different. I’ve tried Engle (didn’t hold ice as long), Pelican (didn’t hold ice as long, big and bulky, and ugly as hell), and most recently K2 (didn’t hold ice near as long as anything else I’ve tried, let alone my Yetis) and none lived up to my expectations I’ve come to know using Yeti. I’m a couple McDoubles away from 270lbs and my best friend and fishing buddy is the same and we BOTH stand on my Yeti 65 Tundra, while fishing and it doesn’t budge, flex, squeak, or creak in the process.
To each his own, but Yeti lives up to MY standards and in the end, that’s what’s important.
Earn it everyday…
quote:
I think if you get a Yeti, you should also get a Salt Life sticker. If you can't find a Salt Life sticker, because they are pretty rare, it is perfectly acceptable to settle for a "Calvin peeing on something" sticker.
I never understand someone’s need to trash someone else because of something they own. Why insult people you do not even know? I think I know why.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
The best buy I have ever made is a 200 # ice machine to keep my Igloo filled every day!