Keeping things cool when camping
Submitted by lunker on Tue, 2011-03-15 14:40
Hey guys, im planning on driving up for a week or so camping/fishing trip up the north coast either around Easter or end of May.
So it got me thinking, what is the best way of keeping stuff cool when camping? I'm going to be looking to buy either a decent size ice box or perhaps a 3-way... or maybe something else? What do you guys use or recommend? Keeping in mind I will be moving around a bit so will be passing places to buy extra ice. The cost of an ice box is winning me over at the moment...
Cheers
Paul_86
Posts: 1449
Date Joined: 27/03/09
I did a week up north last
I did a week up north last easter at waronna station. We did have a gennie with the car fridges running off it for all our food but for our drinks i just used my 150l esky. The trick to keep it cool for so long was to freeze either 5L or 10L square bottles of water and pack the esky half with them and half with whatever u want to keep cool, either other drinks or ur meat etc. That way when the ice melts its contained in the water bottles and uve then got nice clean cold drinking water too. This method lasted us 7 days, any longer and u may need to top up with ice, obviously depending on how hot it is, the quality of ur esky and how often its getting used. Also try and keep it in the shade as much as possible. Hope that helps
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
We run ice boxes when camping the islands
if you manage it well you will be able to get a good week out of your ice with a top end ice box.They dont break down and you dont have the restraints of it being in the vehicle or plugged in all the time.Another good trick is to cryovac your steak ect then freeze it.Once frozen place that bag inside a bigger one fill with ice cubes then seal it.Place it in the sun until the blocks melt refreeze the whole thing again.Now you frozen meat is in a iceblock and will stay good for up to 8 days before you cook it and even then you may need to thaw it a little before you cook it.The other one is to freeze a few of your own block ice for as long as you can before you go older ice seems to last a little longer.We are going to take a gas fridge next time just to freeze sea water for just the fish esky to save the extra space of a full size esky.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
big john
Posts: 8766
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Frozen steak?
I prefer a diet of fresh crays, trout and red wings and other fresh seafood when camping out that way.
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Spicey
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 17/01/11
As Paul said the quality of
As Paul said the quality of your esky makes a big difference. Get the best you can afford and look for one with a good seal. I have used both eskys and and 40lt Engel over time. The Engel is great and has lasted 10 years without missing a beat but would recommend having dual batteries or running a small gennie with it so you don't get stuck. Having said that a good esky packed full with ice and limiting the amount of times you open it during the day will last a week.
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
good quality ice box in the
good quality ice box in the 60~80L range with big blocks of ice in it lasts days.
I take my 80L one to Rotto and get 2 days on a block of ice and even three if I don't open too much.
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
fishnut
Posts: 255
Date Joined: 22/09/10
use block ice rather than
use block ice rather than pelleted ice - lasts much longer
Spicey
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 17/01/11
Check out this
Check out this post
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/xtreme-coolers-2011-caravan-and-camping-show
scotto
Posts: 2472
Date Joined: 21/04/08
dry as a nuns....
dry ice is another option.
it works best if you can fill a large decent esky with dry ice, and then you can just quickly snap-freeze items, and put them into another esky to keep frozen. dry ice will snap-freeze a standard spanglie fillet within a minute or 2.
bulk dry ice used this way will definately last your 7 days.
allrounder
Posts: 1853
Date Joined: 10/11/08
We looked at get dry ice before the last trip
but ran out of time.Were can you get it north of the river and what is it worth now days?I also got told you need a good esky to handle the temp dont know if that is true or not.
So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?
scotto
Posts: 2472
Date Joined: 21/04/08
not sure about the esky bit,
but you can get it at kalamunda ice works on the cnr of welshpool and leach hwy. last time i checked, it was a few $ per kilo though, and a quick google reckons it can be up to $10 pkg, but obviously shop around. i think i got it last time for about $4pkg.
and as per what tony said too. it is frozen CO2, so transport it outside of your vehicle. run some duct tape around the esky/lid join, to stop air from getting in whilst travelling.
also, put a few bits into a plastic 1.25L old soft drink bottle, add a little bit of water, screw on lid, shake and throw for a great little CO2 bomb!! (pleae note, dont actually do this).
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
always seal fillets in
always seal fillets in plastic bags before freezing with dry ice, as the carbon dioxide gas released from the dry ice can form carbonic acid and spoil the fish. I have done many industrial dry ice and liquid nitrogen freezing projects and so many times we saw spoilage when the CO2 caused acid burns on the fillets of fish.
Secondly always remember dry ice is -65deg C and if kept in a sealed container will EXPLODE, that goes for air tight eskies as well when gas build up inside can result in nasty injuries when opening under pressure and having lid hit you in the face!!!
also dry ice will stick to your skin and tear off the skin when it freezes to it, don't be a fool and handle with bare hands.
just a few words of warning as well when traveling with dry ice in cars / suv's.
In 2002 I was involved in an incident report where a fatality was involved. The driver of a car had a cooler box on his rear seat with ice cream in it and dry ice. He passed out due to the gas ( CO2) over coming him in the car and crashing.
Always transport dry ice in a back of a ute or trailer or on a boat. NEVER in the car or boot, even with the windows open it can still result in your body absorbing too much CO2 leading to motor-function retardation. ( is slow reflex's)
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
Straight Veggie Oil
Posts: 8
Date Joined: 19/10/09
Make your own block ice from
Make your own block ice from sea water as it freezers at lower temp than fresh and stays frozen twice as long.
Vander72
Posts: 433
Date Joined: 20/10/06
as well as block ice
if just using an esky we also buried it in the sand in a shady spot of course (if ya on a beach) the ice was still frozen 4 days later..... just a small tip if the shady spot is under the 4wd ...remember to move esky before driving away.....hehehehe
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
another old trick is to keep
another old trick is to keep an old big blanket that you soak in water and cover the esky with. The water evaporates and keeps the outside of the esky cooler and leads to less heat ingress to the inside.
kind of like old nanna's farm fridge ( Koolgardie cold box)
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Even a dead one can float with it
"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
"In a mad world only the mad are sane." Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998)
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Bagged ice
If you are buying bagged ice, stick it in the freezer for a day or so to drop its temp down from -2 to around -15 before placing it in the box and if possible stick ice in the box well before you plan to fill so its temp is down and not at ambient temps