Premium Icebox/Cooler for Fishing

How Long Does Ice Last in a Cooler? 4 Camping Icebox Top Tips for Campers & Fishers.

Planning an outdoor event or a camping trip? How will you keep your food cold (and safe)? How long does ice last in a cooler? The following are the comparison of 4 types plus four top tips for maximising your cooler ice holding time.

Ice in a cooler will last from 12 hours to 7 days. Premium hard coolers will last the longest at up to 7 days (or more). Some soft and styrofoam coolers will keep ice for less than 24 hours. Ice will keep in most hard coolers for 2 to 6 days.

How long ice lasts depends on 6 factors.

  1. Type of ice: Choose either water or dry ice. Dry ice will last longer but isn’t as available. And dry ice will cost more because you can’t make it at home.
  2. Volume of ice: The goal is to eliminate air space inside the cooler. Whatever isn’t part of the contents should be filled with ice. If you only put a small bag, it won’t last as long as adding 3 large bags.
  3. Outside temperature: If it’s a 104°F (40°C) day and the cooler is left in direct sun, the ice will melt exponentially faster than an overcast 64°F (18°C) day.
  4. Temperature of contents: For the longest ice life, it’s good to chill – even freeze – the contents before putting them in the cooler.
  5. Volume of contents: Similiar to ice volume, avoid using a cooler that’s too large and has lots of empty air space. Try to fill the space of your cooler – either with food and drink or bags of ice.
  6. Type of cooler: This can correct many of the other factors. Choose a long life cooler and your ice will outlast any other cooler type

Four types of Coolers/Eskies:

1. Styrofoam Coolers: 12 to 30 Hours

Styrofoam coolers are the cheapest option available for storing ice and cold items. They are often white but also come in light blue and grey.

If not left outside in the heat and sun, regular ice will stay frozen in typical styrofoam ice chests for an overnight trip.

  • Water Ice: 12-24 hours
  • Dry ice: 18-30 hours

Using dry ice is a great way to make your ice last longer.

Because of how long ice lasts in them, styrofoam coolers are ideal for:

  • Road trips
  • Picnics and tailgating
  • One-night camping trips
  • Transporting food to the cottage

2. Soft Cooler: 12 to 18 Hours

Quality soft coolers can be expected to keep ice frozen for less than 24 hours. They are more expensive than styrofoam options but are much more durable. 

  • Water Ice: 12-24 hours
  • Dry ice: I was unable to find any data on using dry ice in a soft cooler. I think they are primarily used for same-day events.

Because of how quickly ice melts in them, soft coolers are ideal for:

  • Packing a lunch
  • Picnics and tailgating
  • Kayaking
  • Transporting food to the cottage, if nearby

3. Hard Cooler: 2 to 4 Days

A decent hard cooler can keep ice frozen for 2 to 4 days. One of the key benefits of bringing a hard cooler is its durability.

Here’s an estimation of ice lift in a decent quality hard cooler.

  • Water Ice: 2 days
  • Dry ice: 4 days

The reason for the wide range of ice life is that the quality of the cooler is highly variable. A $50 cooler just won’t insulate the same as an $400 one.

Premium Hard Coolers: 5 to 7 Days

In the last several years, premium hard coolers are becoming more and more popular. Of course, these options are much more expensive than their counterparts, but the difference in quality is undeniable. 

  • Water Ice: 5 to 7 days
  • Dry ice: Similar to water ice, but longer. I was unable to find data showing the difference between dry and water ice in these coolers.

The PZ Advent Icebox is famous for how long it keeps ice. Many travelers have stated that after 7 days there is still ice in the cooler. While you get a week on one load of ice, it’s good to know just how big this thing is. I’ve seen photos of a full-grown adult sitting in it.

It is 27.36″ long x 17.13″ wide x 16.93″ high. And it has 52L of capacity and can hold up to 43 cans of beer.

Australian Premium Icebox

As the best practice for cooler use is the same regardless which type you have let’s get started by running through our top cooler tips;

  • Pre-chill It– Make sure the things you put in your cooler are already as cold as possible. If you can get away with pre-freezing items do so as this will greatly boost the cooling duration. Also, when buying food during a trip always shop from the chiller cabinet or freezer section where possible.
  • Fill It – When you open a half full cooler most of its nice cool contents (the air) will simply drift away. Keeping it topped up with food or drinks will prevent this from happening. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where your shopping doesn’t quite fill it up you’ll just have to add a little more chilled beer or wine (what a shame). 
  • Shut It – Try to minimise the amount of time your cooler is open and also put chilled items back as soon as you’re finished with them.
  • Ice Pack It – Don’t scrimp on the ice packs! If you have extra space and need more ice packs in a hurry fill some old plastic bottles with water and freeze them. Just remember to crush the bottles slightly before screwing them shut to allow the water to expand as it freezes.
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