Which cooler for flying?

[Spitz]

Just got back from a northwest fishing trip and had taken a couple of old Coleman Extreme coolers with me for baggage. They worked out fine but mostly because I went way out of my way to make sure everything was frozen and I had dry ice for the flight. If the flights had taken much longer I think I would have had things thawing out.

These coolers have been beaten up and dragged all over the place for 10 years and their lifespan is getting pretty short. I imagine I'll buy the exact same type of cooler because

a) They're $60-$80 bucks or so, and

b) They only way 17 pounds

However, I see all the newer coolers (Yeti, etc.) and think they've gotta do something miraculous to merit the $300 + price tag. If equipment is worth it I'll spend the cash. But the things weigh 35 pounds or more which make them useless for airline travel if you're trying to stay under the 50 pound weight limit.

Am I missing anything?

 

[mdunc8]

Everyone back East is always asking me to bring some elk and antelope back home during the holidays. Freezing everything in a solid block and packing it with ice in a simple styrofoam cooler with as little empty space as possible has kept everything frozen for the three day drive home. Other than meeting food storage requirements in bear country, I see no need to spend that much money on a cooler.

 

[dustinf]

I don't know the answer for flying.

We were down in Virginia for Labor day weekend, at my wife's uncle's place. He owns a spray foam business and made a few coolers by spray foaming cheap plastic tubs with about an inch of foam. It was crazy how well these "coolers" held ice, even without a lid.

I'd think a cheap cooler lined with an inch of dow foam board(spray foamed in place) would be 100x better than a $300 Yeti or the like.

 

[SDHNTR]

Coleman extreme. Just came home from AK with 140# of frozen salmon filets. Was in the coolers for about 30 hrs and was still rock hard when I got home.

 

[Baerman]

somewhere in the forum a post was created a month or so ago with a link to a cooler test. I was suprised to see Yeti not perform so well but maybe it's because I had very high expectations with the price tag that accompanies it. I think Coleman Extreme performed nearly as well as Yeti in that test.

 

[JohnCushman]

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=251425&highlight=yeti+coolers

Mnpublichunter added an awesome video to the thread doing a test with a couple 'top' coolers...the Coleman Extreme performed just about the best

 

[Spitz]

Great. Thanks guys.

 

[hawaii5hoe]

I don't know the answer for flying.

We were down in Virginia for Labor day weekend, at my wife's uncle's place. He owns a spray foam business and made a few coolers by spray foaming cheap plastic tubs with about an inch of foam. It was crazy how well these "coolers" held ice, even without a lid.

I'd think a cheap cooler lined with an inch of dow foam board(spray foamed in place) would be 100x better than a $300 Yeti or the like.

Here's the youtube version....Looks pretty good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tjh6RDTgMuQ&playnext=1&list=PL6CFC8CA461516AA7&feature=results_video

 

[ringer]

I bought two new coolers for my Alaska trip and both were busted up by the airline. Handles torn off on the way up and the back hinges popped out on one on my return. I would say a molded handle is important as well as some sort of metal hinge pins. Animals.