Coolers & Accessories

When choosing a camping cooler, prioritize features that maximize ice retention and durability. Look for rotomolded construction for impact resistance and thick polyurethane foam insulation to keep ice frozen for days. Features like a freezer-style gasket and secure latches further enhance ice retention by sealing in the cold. Consider accessories like tie-down points to secure the cooler during transport, non-slip feet for stability at your campsite, integrated bottle openers, and a plug to drain water from the cooler. A wheel kit for easy transport, as well as dividers and a basket to keep goods separate, will also enhance value.

It’s hard to answer this question, because the size of cooler you need for a camping trip will depend on how long you’ll be camping, how many people are coming, the food and drinks you’re bringing, and the meals you hope to make. For a one or two-day trip with one or two campers, or to simply carry drinks for a large group, a 45-quart cooler is a great choice. A 65-quart cooler, meanwhile, is ideal if you plan to carry lots of food, will camp for several days, and/or are heading out with a bigger group of campers.

The three main types of camping coolers are soft-walled coolers, powered coolers, and hard coolers. Soft-walled coolers, which essentially look like a stiff bag, can be a good choice for day trips or short hikes and picnics, where portability is important. However, they have poor ice retention compared to hard coolers, can’t carry as much, and are susceptible to tears, scrapes, and other damage.

Powered coolers, on the other end of the spectrum, are extremely expensive (many models cost over $1,000), heavy, and bulky, but eliminate the need for ice to keep your goods cold. They can be a good choice for RVers and vanlifers, or for extended trips where you need precise temperature control, but their cost, energy use, and weight make them a poor option for most campers.

Hard coolers, like retrospec’s Palisade, are the best option for most camping trips, providing maximum ice retention, storage space, and durability, without the bulk and cost of a powered cooler. Wheel kits make our hard coolers even more portable than many soft coolers.

The ideal internal temperature for a camping cooler is below 40°F (4°C). This is the temperature recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure perishable foods like meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs are free from bacterial growth that can cause foodborne illness. Pre-chill the cooler, use a blend of block ice and cubed ice, pack items cold, and minimize opening it to maintain this temperature. In high heat, store your cooler in the shade, and consider using a thermometer to monitor its internal temperature.

Rotomolded camping coolers—like our Palisade—are made by pouring melted plastic into a mold that rotates slowly. This process creates a seamless, one-piece cooler body that's incredibly durable and resistant to leaks. The walls of the cooler are then filled with thick polyurethane (PU) foam insulation. This type of insulation is very effective at preventing heat transfer, keeping your ice frozen for much longer than traditional coolers. The combination of the tough outer shell and the high-performance insulation makes rotomolded, PU foam coolers the cooler of choice for extended camping trips and rugged outdoor adventures.

To transport a camping cooler, ensure it's securely closed and placed in a stable position in your vehicle to prevent spills and shifting. Consider using bungee cords or tie-down straps for added stability, especially on rough terrain. You can use the dual carry handles to carry the cooler once you arrive at your destination, but a wheel kit offers a significant advantage. With these removable wheels, you can simply roll the cooler from your car to your campsite and back, even if it's fully packed.

You can put your cooler anywhere while camping, but a cooler will always perform better if kept in the shade, out of direct sunlight. During the day, you could consider leaving your cooler in the vestibule inside your tent fly, beneath a shady tree, or in the shade next to your car.

Brands like YETI, RTIC, and ORCA may dominate the cooler space, but the truth is that you don’t have to buy from a brand that stylizes their name in all capital letters (or spend $300) to get reliable ice retention. With some of the mainstay cooler brands, you’re paying a premium simply for name recognition. Most rotomolded, pressure-injected polyurethane foam coolers work as well as any other. Our Palisade cooler—available in 45-quart and 65-quart sizes—is tested to keep your food and drinks cold for up to eight days, right up there with the best camping coolers on the market!

The best way to pack a camping cooler is with a 2:1 ratio of ice to goods, layering the ice on the bottom and top of the food and drinks. If you’re storing sensitive foods or drinks that moisture might spoil, or if you want to keep certain goods at different temperatures than others, you can also use a divider or cooler basket. A mixture of small ice cubes and large ice blocks will provide the best blend between rapid cooling and maximum ice retention.

The best ice ratio for a cooler is 2:1. That means twice as much ice as any goods (food, drinks, etc.) that you have in your cooler. If you have 5 lbs of beef, get 10 lbs of ice for your cooler. Using too little ice is the main mistake that campers make when packing a camping cooler. A snowflake melts faster than a snowball, and a snowball melts faster than a glacier, right? The more ice you have, the longer each individual ice cube or block will stay frozen!

There are many options you can use to keep your perishables cool in your camping cooler. The main choices are traditional ice, either in large blocks or small cubes (like the kind you’d get out of your fridge), gel packs or blocks, and dry ice. For most situations, a combination of block and cubed ice provides the best blend of rapid cooling and longevity.

Ice Blocks: Best for Multi-Day Trips

Pros: Melts slower than cubes due to less surface area. More affordable and readily available.

Cons: Bulky and take up lots of space. Cool items slower than cubes.

Ice Cubes: Best for Day Trips

Pros: Cool foods and drinks quickly due to more surface area contact. Easy to pack around items in the cooler.

Cons: Melts faster than block ice.

Gel Packs: Best Reusable Option

Pros: Reusable and won't create a watery mess. Come in various shapes and sizes for versatile packing.

Cons: Don't get as cold as regular ice. Can be more expensive initially.

Dry Ice: Best for Keeping Goods Frozen

Pros: Extremely cold (-109.3°F/-78.5°C), keeps items frozen solid. Lasts longer than regular ice.

Cons: Requires careful handling due to extreme cold (can cause burns). Not suitable for all foods, it will likely freeze them solid. Can be expensive and less readily available.

It depends what you’re storing in the cooler. As ice melts, it creates water, which can spoil some items like fruits and vegetables in direct contact. In these cases, it makes sense to place ice on the bottom of the cooler, and store your sensitive foods in a cooler basket on top. You can also use a divider to keep foods separate and use different quantities of ice.

But for most sealed foods and drinks, which won’t spoil with a bit of moisture, a layered approach, putting ice both on the bottom and top, is the best strategy. That said, if you want to keep your cooler cold for as long as possible, ice placement isn’t nearly as important as the quantity of ice you use (ratio of 2:1) and remembering to open your cooler as little as possible.

Bear with us here, because there’s a lot of false information around the Internet about this. Yes, adding salt to ice does make it colder. Salt lowers the freezing point of water and melting point of ice. (Fresh ice/water melts/freezes at 32°F, while salt ice/water melts/freezes at approximately 28.4°F/-2°C).

This process, called “freezing-point depression,” occurs because the salt disrupts the formation of ice crystals. As ice melts, it draws heat from its surroundings, further lowering the temperature of the ice-water mixture. This is why salt is used to make homemade ice cream. It creates a colder environment that freezes the ice cream mixture faster. This said, dumping a bunch of salt directly in your cooler IS NOT a good idea. It will make the ice colder, but also make it melt faster. The melted ice will also mix with the salt, creating a salty brine that can be messy and potentially contaminate your food.

If you want to use salt to keep your cooler cold, the best way to do it is to fill up plastic water bottles with saltwater, freeze them, and then place them inside the cooler along with your freshwater ice as makeshift “cold packs.” The saltwater ice bottles will melt first (at around 28°F). As they melt, they’ll draw energy from the freshwater ice, lowering that ice’s temperature. Thus, your regular ice will stay frozen longer than it would have. (Basically, you’re sacrificing your saltwater ice and letting it melt first in order to make the regular ice last longer.)

A block of ice can last in a cooler for up to a week in ideal conditions! This means using a good quality cooler like Palisade, pre-chilling it, packing it properly, minimizing how often you open the cooler, and keeping the cooler out of direct sunlight. Factors like the size of the cooler, the amount of ice used, and the outside temperature will also affect how long it lasts.

It depends where you’re camping. If you’re in a zone with high animal activity, particularly from bears, then it’s crucial to store your food in animal-resistant containers, such as a communal storage locker, approved bear canister, or hang bag. Even in areas that don’t have marked animal activity, smaller pests like mice and rats can get into your food if you leave it out overnight. In these cases, seal all food in airtight containers (such as a cooler) and avoid leaving any food out in the open or in your tent.

Yes, bears can definitely smell food in a cooler in a car. Cars aren’t perfectly airtight, and neither are the best camping coolers. Bears have an incredibly keen sense of smell, far stronger even than a dog’s. Some experts estimate bears can smell food up to 20 miles away. Stories abound of bears breaking into locked cars to access food and other smellables, such as perfume, deodorant, and toothpaste. If camping in bear territory, follow local guidelines and use an approved container, such as a food locker, bear canister, or hang bag.

It depends on where you’re camping and if you’ll be leaving the cooler unattended, but it’s always a good idea to lock your camp cooler if you're concerned about animals, theft, or children accessing its contents. Even a simple lock can provide peace of mind and protect your food and drinks. Our Palisade camping cooler is compatible with traditional padlocks on both front corners.

It’s important to clean your cooler after each use to prevent mold and mildew growth. Here are the three steps:

1. Empty and Rinse: Open the drain plug, remove all contents (including the divider and cooler basket) and rinse the cooler with water to remove loose debris.

2. Scrub: Use a solution of warm water and dish soap to scrub the interior and exterior. For stubborn stains or odors, try a paste of baking soda and water, or a diluted bleach solution. Be sure to rinse thoroughly.

3. Dry: Air dry the cooler completely, with the lid open, to prevent mildew.

To store your cooler, first make sure it's clean (see above). Until it's completely dry, leave the lid slightly open to prevent odors. Store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or extreme temperatures. Placing an open box of baking soda or activated charcoal into the cooler during long term storage can also help absorb any lingering smells.