How important is a high quality cooler for meat care?

[Steiny]

We've hauled dozens of deer, elk and hogs in the big 120 qt Coleman and Igloo inexpensive coolers with no issue. I throw bags of ice on the bottom, then put a light metal shelf rack on top of the ice bags, quarters and pieces on top of that. Rack keeps meat out of the water. Drain the water out periodically, add ice if needed, but you can go 3-4 days pretty easy.

Can't stand the big Yeti type coolers. Takes three men and a boy just to lift them empty, and they don't really hold ice that much longer.

 

[44hunter45]

Worst thing you can do is open it to keep checking it.

BTW also separate the meat from the dry ice with some cardboard. Otherwise it will burn your meat.

This

 

[SharkDog]

There were some suggestions of adding insulations with a sleeping bag or blanket. Another thing we would do on river trips or camping when we were trying to keep ice for a while, is throw a wet towel on the cooler. In the dry west, the evaporative cooling from the towel stretches the ice several days.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Im too cheap. I use the cheap ones and screw hinges to them when the old ones fail.

For some reason, nobody steals my coolers....lol

 

[ImBillT]

Cheap coolers shouldn’t be a problem. If you hang the meat until it’s fairly cool, then you don’t need that much ice anyway.

 

[Boarmaster]

I have rotomolded coolers but I got by just fine with my igloo marines for decades. I purchased my rotomolded coolers because I got tired of the hindges and latches busting off my igloos. At the time I hunted or fished about every weekend and they got a lot of use. I havent had any hardware issues with my rotomolded RTICs I have had for about 4-5 years. If you have access to ice everyday or so cheaper coolers will work just fine. My rotomolded coolers shine when I need to keep ice ,frozen meals and ice packs for days and I am not opening and shutting them every five minutes.

 

[nrpate05]

If you're stopping often, there is no need to have a high end cooler. The real benefit I have found of the rotomolded coolers is their durability. I have a 50 qt Yeti and I can use it as a step stool, table, etc. in camp.

Mine has a bear claw scratch above the latch, but the bear didn't get in, which I appreciate.

Once meat is cooled down through and through it stays pretty cool even in a cheaper cooler. A primo cooler big enough to fit a bone-in elk will require multiple humans to move. When swapping ice, do your best to keep the meat dry.

 

[Elkoholic]

For me its not about the high end coolers for transporting meat home, as many has mentioned the cheap will do that job.

My reason I own high end coolers is for the convenience, when I travel west for a 3 week hunt (always Sept), I'm iced up good, never need to go to town for more. When you to tag an animal, pack it to the vehicle & get into coolers, and you turn right around back to spike camp to continuing supporting your buddies to tag out. My ice situation is never a concern on my mind.

 

[Rhino Hunter]

last year in January in Arizona I had a cheap blue Coleman 45qt with a 12 pack in it that I laid a bag of ice over and there was still quite a bit of ice and the beer was cold when I got back 4 days later.

I live in Michigan. If I left beer in a cooler for four days in January...all the beer would have froze and exploded...even if we didn’t have any ice in the cooler. LOL.

 

[Longbeard70]

Last year I killed a bull. I deboned all of the meat and it took 2 Coleman coolers, a 150qt and 100qt filled to the top added dry ice and sealed with duck tape. 19 hour drive home. It plenty cold.

 

[shanny28757]

for times i was concerned i've wrapped my cooler in a moving blanket or two for extra insulation.

 

[Non-resident Hunter]

I own both styles of coolers. I use the roto-mold style for all hunting of extended trips. It just is easier to not worry about your meat being cold or not. You just know its cold still. I use my "cheaper" ice chests for fishing trips as I am not out for days before I get home.

I think you will be fine to go cheaper route and test it out to see what you prefer for your comfort. Best of luck on your hunt! @matechakeric