Hi! We’re planning a 3 day, 2 nite kayaking/camping trip in the Okefenokee swamp. I was wondering if there is some sort of cooler that is made to store in a kayak? If not what do you all use? Thanks!
Absolutely! The IceMule . . .
We got one for kayaking and it has become our default cooler for almost every circumstance that comes up.
Basically, it is an insulated dry bag, made with high-tech materials. Like other kinds of dry bags, you can squeeze it into hatches, or toss it into the back of your car without having a typical clunky cooler taking up more than its share of room.
Like dry bags, it keeps water out, but it also keeps melted ice in. It also has an arm sling, allowing you to tote it like a backpack.
We have used our IceMule since late last summer and we are very please with its performance; on one occasion, finding ice still in it after more than a full day and overnight in the trunk of the car. The food we forgot to bring inside was still good!
I was almost finished writing a glowing review on this product and got side-tracked . . . tried to find my draft tonight to share more and could not find where I filed it.
Anyway, it has been successfully tested on kayaking expeditions. Here’s their site: http://www.icemulecooler.com/?gclid=COy1i4WnwZ8CFQ4WswodtWml0Q .
Any
Soft sided one that will fit in the hatches if that where you wan to keep it.
Take Fat Elmo with you
He’ll carry your cooler in his canoe. He does it for me all the time, but doesn’t give the coolers back to me.
"they"
Sea Kayaker magazine has had a story on how you can make your own
Sturdy soft cooler that holds 12 pack.
Doubles as a laptop case, pillow, ice machine, and slop sink.
cant beat soft sided coolers
– Last Updated: Jan-27-10 1:10 PM EST –
ive got a couple of $10 ones i picked up on sale somewhere and they work great. They are just average off the shelf kinda jobs but they hold ice great for 2 day trips. (I freee my water bottles instead of bagged ice for long trips)
has a cool flip lid on top so I can grab a beer without unzipping it, and I just carry it on my deck under one of the deck lines. heres a crappy pic
http://s304.photobucket.com/albums/nn176/suck_it_trebek/?action=view¤t=l_cebae2cb33fd4c87a05d5a55a1eadbfb.jpg
This wouldnt work if you plan to roll your boat but its a cheap solution that works great. That coller will hold 24 cans and a whole bag of ice no problem. And once empty you can smash it down to stow in the boat easier. You can get alot of bang for the buck out of those soft sided coolers IMO
EDIT
the cooler strapped under my deck lines like that makes a great backrest or pillow. Ive napped more than a few afternoons away reclined in my kayak in a quiet eddy :)
Cooler
I use 2 soft sided coolers with a hard plastic insert. They hold 9 cans of beer/soda each-
What I do is fill one cooler with cans of beer/soda/water…then fill the cooler with water, covering the cans.
Insert into freezer approximately 28 hrs before I leave for a trip and when I take out it’s a solid block of frozen ice/beer/soda. This one goes in my hatch to be used for days 2 and possibly 3
The other I use standard- fill with drinks, fill with ice and then in the freezer for about 12 hours before I leave. I use this one on day 1 and morning of day 2. This one goes in front of me on top of the deck for easy access.
Then I use the 12 pack hard cooler for food, more beer, etc… this thing if unopened will last 3 days and still have ice- so it typically helps me on day three and four. This goes on top of the hatch in the back of te boat.
Obviously this is too much for some and their adventures, but I have used this method for 3 years and counting and:
- I have never tipped because of weight
- Never ran out of cold beer/food
- Always had ice for mixed drinks and what not
Here’s a pic:http://www.flickr.com/photos/glorydaze/3004659417/sizes/l/
Some tips
The best soft sided coolers will have CLOSED CELL foam. Not the cheap spongy open cell foam. They typically have a silvery lining inside and when you squeeze it, you cant feel your other finger. I have also cut out an old piece of a foam (sleeping pad) the size of the bottom and inserted it. Cold air sinks. This keeps the cold in longer. Sort of the opposite of an insulated attic.
Keep your cooler low in the boat next to the colder water, and out of direct sunlight. Freeze water bottles for coolant and you can drink it later and reduce the size of the pack as you consume the food. Also, freeze the food you will not need for a couple of days. Put that on the bottom and staples you want frequently (cheese/eggs/butter) on top.
Pre-plan what you are going to remove and do it quickly and close it up fast.
If you have a second cooler, put the first one inside it and double your insulation… if it will fit.
At camp, cover it up with insulated clothing to further reduce therm loss.
I have had success well into 4 or 5 day trips with ice still in the water bottles, fresh cool eggs/butter/cheese and some meat products.
Good luck.