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4 Tips to Keep Your Cooler Colder, Longer

Keep your food cold and drinks frosty on your next adventure with these expert tips for packing your cooler.

2 Min. Watch | Product Use & Care

Tip 1: It's Cool to Pre-Cool

Keeping your cooler colder, longer starts long before it’s time to pack it. Freeze or refrigerate any food or drinks you’re planning to bring so they can be as cold as possible when you're packing. It’s just as important to pre-cool the cooler itself. Stick some ice or ice packs in it an hour or two before you start packing.

Tip 2: Layers, Layers, Layers

Packing is all about having the right ratio of ice to food and drinks. A good rule of thumb is to have twice as much ice as you do food/drinks in the cooler.

Layer 1: Cold

When it’s time to pack, start with a layer of ice/ice packs on the bottom.

Layer 2: Food/Drink

Then add a layer of food or drinks with the most perishable items closest to the ice, packing it all tightly together.

Layer 3: Cold

Then add another layer of ice/ice packs on top of the food or drinks. If there’s room, add another layer of food/drinks with more ice/ice packs on top of them, and so on.

You can have as many layers as you want, but you should always have a colder layer on the bottom and on top. Keep in mind that a fully packed large cooler can weigh over 100 pounds. It’s best to use some help when it's time to move it!

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Quick tip:

Use frozen water bottles as the top cold layer; that way you have a nice supply of ice-cold drinking water as they melt!

Tip 3: Have a Separate Drink Cooler

It’s not uncommon to reach for a cold drink multiple times between meals, especially if there are multiple people on your trip. Consider keeping drinks in a separate cooler to cut down the number of times the one with all your food is opened.

Tip 4: Keep it Shady

When you get where you’re going, find a shady spot for the cooler during the day like under a picnic table or tree. You can move it back to your car for safekeeping overnight, but don’t leave it in a warm car during the day if you can avoid it.

By following these four tips, you’ll ensure that your cooler stays colder, longer on your next adventure.

Stay cool out there!

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